http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Sun, 25 May 2014 20:58:59 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-new-vegas-dev-hopes-the-next-fallout-game-has-agonizing-choices/1100-6419869/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540969-6467419638-17402.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540969" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540969-6467419638-17402.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540969"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2540969-6467419638-17402.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Lead designer and project director on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/fallout-new-vegas/">Fallout: New Vegas</a> Josh Sawyer said he hopes the next game in the Fallout series will force players to make difficult choices.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Fallout games are best when the choices are - and this applies to role-playing games in general, but Fallout is a more desperate world - more agonizing," Sawyer told <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-05-23-what-does-fallout-new-vegas-lead-designer-want-from-fallout-4?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialoomph" rel="nofollow">Eurogamer</a> in an interview. "They feel more appropriate to the post-apocalyptic genre. So I hope that whatever twists and turns the story takes, it's more nuanced than a black-and-white choice."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sawyer cites the endings of the original, 2D Fallout games, as well as Fallout: New Vegas, which he said was designed to challenge the player.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Some people want to go through the wasteland like a tourist, which is fine - they don't really want it to be super-difficult," he said. "Personally I like things to be a little more challenging," he said, "and there's a segment of players that also want [that]. I don't have any doubt in this."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Bethesda Game Studios' next project has been in full development for more than a year now. Rumor has it that the developer's next game is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-4-in-development-set-in-boston-report/1100-6416669/">Fallout 4</a>, and that it takes place, at least partially, in Boston and its surrounding area. This is unconfirmed, but the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-4-in-development-set-in-boston-report/1100-6416669/">evidence is piling up</a>.</p><p style="">Even if that is the case, Bethesda marketing executive Pete Hines confirmed last week that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/studio-that-made-skyrim-and-fallout-3-won-t-announce-its-next-game-anytime-soon/1100-6419808/">we will not see the game at E3 2014</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 25 May 2014 15:10:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-new-vegas-dev-hopes-the-next-fallout-game-has-agonizing-choices/1100-6419869/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oculus-rift-kinect-wii-balance-board-combined-to-simulate-hoverboard/1100-6419868/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="https://vimeo.com/95960989" data-width="1280" data-height="720"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fplayer.vimeo.com%2Fvideo%2F95960989&wmode=opaque&src_secure=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com%2F95960989&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.vimeocdn.com%2Fvideo%2F476011630_1280.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=vimeo" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">If you've ever watched <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkyLnWm1iCs" rel="nofollow">Back to the Future Part II</a> you've probably fantasized about one day owning and riding your own hoverboard.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">So far, science has failed us miserably in that department. Back to the Future Part II takes place in 2015 and we are nowhere near getting our hoverboards, though Tony Hawk and the actor that plays Doc Brown in Back to The Future, Christopher Lloyd, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4vE_vpkr90" rel="nofollow">made a great fake advertisement for one just a couple of months ago</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Realistically, you'll probably never get to ride one. However <a href="http://quince.nl/#" rel="nofollow">Quince</a> (via <a href="http://killscreendaily.com/articles/all-you-need-hoverboard-oculus-rift-kinect-and-wii-balance-board/" rel="nofollow">Kill Screen</a>), a communications agency based in Amsterdam, proved that it could simulate the experience using an Oculus Rift, Kinect, and a Wii Balance Board. The Hoverboard VR uses the Wii Balance Board as the controller, the Kinect to track your body and translate it to virtual reality, and the Oculus Rift to fully immerse you in the experience. The graphics look crude at the moment, but it's a great proof of concept.</p><p style="">It's an elaborate setup, but not nearly the only creative implementation of Oculus Rift we've seen. A couple of weeks ago we reported on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fly-like-a-bird-with-this-epic-oculus-rift-contraption/1100-6419559/">Birdly</a>, which uses Oculus Rift and a large contraption to simulate the experience of flying like a bird.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 25 May 2014 14:12:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oculus-rift-kinect-wii-balance-board-combined-to-simulate-hoverboard/1100-6419868/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wasteland-2-dev-doesn-t-believe-people-are-sick-of-kickstarter-are-you/1100-6419867/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540933-8181990485-20518.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540933" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540933-8181990485-20518.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540933"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2540933-8181990485-20518.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Creator of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/wasteland-2/">Wasteland 2</a> Brian Fargo doesn't believe that people are sick of funding projects on Kickstarter, only that not all project are meant to be funded.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Wasteland 2 launched its Kickstarter in 2012 hoping to raise $900,000, and eventually hit nearly $3 million in funding. Many other Kickstarters didn't have as much luck. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/horror-game-cult-county-canceled-for-3ds-now-aiming-for-ps4-s-morpheus/1100-6418798/">Renegade Kid's Cult County</a>, for example, failed to meet its funding goal earlier this month.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I think sometimes some of the projects that have failed is Kickstarter doing its job," Fargo told <a href="http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/news/a573068/kickstarter-not-in-fatigue-but-niches-harder-to-fill-says-brian-fargo.html#~oFiSQnXjhYtdKe" rel="nofollow">Digital Spy</a>. "Which is saying, 'We don't really want that, or there's already too much like it'. I think it worked very well for us, and it <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/double-fine-adventure-kickstarter-concludes-with-33-million/1100-6366166/">worked well for [Tim] Schafer</a>, because it's quite honest to say this game wouldn't have existed without it, period, because we're a middle-ground developer, we're not two guys."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Harmonix's Amplitude, which was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/as-amplitude-funding-passes-800k-harmonix-explains-why-it-went-playstation-exclusive/1100-6419848/">successfully Kickstarted last week</a>, fits Fargo's description, as does Keiji Inafune <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/mighty-no-9/">Mighty No. 9</a>, which <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mighty-no-9-kickstarter-crosses-3-million/1100-6415120/">raised more than $3.8 million on Kickstarter last year</a>. Both of them appeal to niches in the market that weren't being served otherwise, but there's less demand for such games with each successfully funded Kickstarter.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Fargo uses his own game as an example: "There was a Fallout audience that loved one and two, and they wanted something more like that than where <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/fallout-3/">Fallout 3</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/fallout-new-vegas/">New Vegas</a> went," he said. "Now if somebody came up with another one after us, it wouldn't do as well, I think, because we would have been scratching that itch."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Wasteland 2 will release around "the end of August" 2014, on PC, Mac, and Linux. GameSpot recently <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wasteland-2-early-access-review/1100-6419545/">reviewed the Early Access version of Wasteland 2</a>, finding that it "spectacularly balances the older style of classic PC RPGs and more modern sensibilities."</p><p style="">Are you still finding exciting games to back on Kickstarter? Let us know in the comments below.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 25 May 2014 12:27:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wasteland-2-dev-doesn-t-believe-people-are-sick-of-kickstarter-are-you/1100-6419867/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/amazing-mass-effect-collectible-is-as-expensive-as-it-looks/1100-6419866/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540868-9996056725-pro_b.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540868" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540868-9996056725-pro_b.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540868"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2540868-9996056725-pro_b.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Gaming collectibles maker <a href="http://www.gamingheads.com/" rel="nofollow">Gaming Heads</a> has revealed it is now taking pre-orders for its latest Mass Effect piece, a 21-inch tall (¼ scale) statue of Garrus.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Garrus Vakarian, a military trained turian and initially an investigating officer of C-Sec, joins Commander Shepard's team in the first Mass Effect. <a href="http://www.gamingheads.com/index.php?option=com_myphp&Itemid=3&product=150" rel="nofollow">Gaming Heads' statue designed by artist Gurjeet Singh</a> (via <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/5/25/5749702/mass-effect-garrus-statue-figurine-collectible" rel="nofollow">Polygon</a>) shows Garrus in his trademark armor, armed with the Incisor Sniper rifle that is featured in the game. The package also includes the Phaeston weapon, which can be swapped depending on your preference.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This exclusive Garrus statue will cost you $350, and that's only assuming you can get one. The statue is limited to 500 pieces worldwide. You can preorder it now, but it will only be available in the first quarter of 2015.</p><p style="">BioWare studio director Yanick Roy recently described the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/untitled-mass-effect-game/">next Mass Effect game</a>'s development status as being "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/next-mass-effect-game-s-development-somewhere-in-the-middle-stages/1100-6419325/">somewhere in the middle</a>."</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p> Sun, 25 May 2014 11:13:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/amazing-mass-effect-collectible-is-as-expensive-as-it-looks/1100-6419866/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fast-and-steady-wins-the-race-in-grid-autosport-s-endurance-mode/1100-6419865/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418943" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418943/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">Developer Codemasters has released a new trailer for the upcoming racing game <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/grid-autosport/">GRID Autosport</a>, which showcases its Endurance racing.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"You can never win a race from the first corner," member of the Oman Racing Team Ahmad Al Harthy said in the trailer, which includes both gameplay footage and interviews with professional drivers. In working on Endurance racing, Codemasters said it has consulted with professional drivers and experts at Autosport magazine to "distil the experience into scalable races, whether online or in career mode."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game's extended races in Endurance events will challenge players to manage tire wear, which will affect their performance and handling, and in career mode, Endurance events are also set at night to provide an extra challenge.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In Endurance events, you'll be able to drive contemporary and classic cars including the Aston Martin N24 V12 Zagato, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, McLaren 12C GT3, Audi R8 LMS Ultra, Lola B12/80, Shelby Cobra "Daytona" Coupe, Ford GT40 MK1 and more on race circuits like Yas Marina, Sepang and Hockenheimring.</p><p style="">GRID Autosport is due to launch June 24 in the U.S. (June 27 for Europe) for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. It's not coming to Xbox One or PlayStation 4, and that's because <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-authentic-grid-announced-here-s-why-it-s-not-coming-to-xbox-one-or-ps4/1100-6419124/">Codemasters did not want to "rush" it</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 25 May 2014 09:32:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fast-and-steady-wins-the-race-in-grid-autosport-s-endurance-mode/1100-6419865/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/what-if-perfect-dark-had-come-out-on-the-gamecube/1100-6419791/ <p style="">Perfect Dark is a domino piece whose very existence changed the fate of the entire industry. All right, that's a slight exaggeration, but if there had been just one detour to Joanna Dark's debut, a ripple effect could have had long-term ramifications on our favorite way to spend our leisure time. So let's examine what would have happened if <a href="/perfect-dark/" data-ref-id="false">Perfect Dark</a> had been pushed back just 18 months and had been released not toward the tail end of the Nintendo 64's existence, but at the launch of the GameCube. Just a warning, this is pure conjecture. But the prospect of what might have been has been gnawing at me for years, and represents one of my favorite alternate takes on video game history. After all, delaying Perfect Dark just one year seems like it would have had negligible results on the surface, but in reality it could have had a major impact.</p><h3><b>How Perfect Dark would have changed:</b></h3><figure data-ref-id="1300-2537949" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537949-perfect_dark_expansion_pak_info.jpg" data-size="small" data-align="left" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537949-perfect_dark_expansion_pak_info.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2537949"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/725/7253563/2537949-perfect_dark_expansion_pak_info.jpg"></a><figcaption>Would Perfect Dark have worked without an accessory? </figcaption></figure><p style="">Although Perfect Dark was showered with <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/nintendo-64/perfect-dark" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">near-universal praise</a>, it had severe technical problems that made it nearly unplayable by our current standards. Extra memory (sold separately) was required to enjoy much of what it offered, and even with twice as much RAM, it still suffered from terrible slowdown. Shifting Perfect Dark to the GameCube would have eliminated those problems, ensuring a smoother experience that wouldn't require you to take Dramamine to keep your lunch safely in your belly. Even without any other changes, moving Perfect Dark to more powerful hardware would have elevated the experience so that it was more palatable to everyone.</p><p style="">Why would Rare have been happy to transport the Nintendo 64 version to the GameCube without any changes, though? With so much time to move the game from one platform to the other, Rare could have implemented a few design tweaks to modernize the action. If you remember the Nintendo 64 controller, it had only one analog stick, but that wasn't the case with the GameCube. Moving Perfect Dark would have given you more precision in shooting, which would have been a godsend considering how much aiming the sprawling levels demanded. Imagine how much more satisfying the FarSight would have been if you hadn't had to fight the controller. So, by pushing Perfect Dark back, we would have gotten a game even better than the one that was already so beloved.</p><h3><b>How the GameCube would have changed:</b></h3><figure data-ref-id="1300-2537951" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537951-gamecube_controller.png" data-size="small" data-align="right" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537951-gamecube_controller.png" data-ref-id="1300-2537951"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/725/7253563/2537951-gamecube_controller.png"></a><figcaption>Would Nintendo have changed that yellow nub to a proper stick?</figcaption></figure><p style="">The GameCube was a fantastic console. However, despite housing some of Nintendo's most inventive games and a plethora of the best third-party adventures of the day, it struggled to shed its identity as just a place for families to congregate. Perfect Dark would have injected a hard-edged persona from launch day that would have shifted the perception of the purple lunchbox. Remember, people flocked to the Nintendo 64 to play GoldenEye even if the colorful adventures Nintendo was known for didn't strike their fancy, so a spiritual successor to that classic would have engendered the same competitive spirit. Housing the preeminent first-person shooter of the day would have drawn in those who relish using guns to solve problems, instantly expanding the GameCube's potential reach.</p><p style="">With initial success for Rare's futuristic shooter, we would have seen more third parties willing to create Mature-rated games for Nintendo's console, filling out an important segment of the library the Japanese giant was unable to fill itself. And, as long as I'm dreaming, we might have seen one major change to the controller that would have better accommodated Perfect Dark. Its reliance on a right stick might have convinced Nintendo to upgrade the yellow nub to a more functional form, opening the door for more versatility as the console aged. If Rare had pushed Perfect Dark from the Nintendo 64 to the GameCube, we would have seen a demographic shift in who flocked to the console and a more serious rival to the upstart Xbox.</p><h3><b>How first-person shooters would have changed:</b></h3><p style="">This is where things get really interesting. Console shooters began to take off with the generation that started early this century. What was popular back then has dictated much of how the genre has evolved, so if Perfect Dark were released in that era, we would have seen an evolutionary split very different from what actually happened. It's important to remember what was popular back then. <a href="/halo-combat-evolved/" data-ref-id="false">Halo</a> was still entirely unknown in 2001, and Bungie was a name only Mac diehards had any inkling of. The success of Combat Evolved was not guaranteed, and, if a worthy competitor had stood toe-to-toe against it, the market would have gone in two directions. I don't believe that Perfect Dark GameCube would have crushed Halo before it ever had a chance, but rather that a healthy number of people would have chosen one side or the other, forcing developers to adapt to varying needs.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2537952" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537952-2451775-titanfall%2Bscreen%2B6.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="left" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537952-2451775-titanfall%2Bscreen%2B6.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2537952"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2537952-2451775-titanfall%2Bscreen%2B6.jpg"></a><figcaption>Would capture the flag still be in Titanfall PC if it had bots? </figcaption></figure><p style="">So what did Perfect Dark offer that was so different from Halo? The differences are almost too numerous to count. Mission design, for instance, included accomplishing specific objectives that changed whenever you increased the difficulty. This is a marked shift from the straight-ahead conquests that Halo demanded, and seeing level design that was as much about investigation as shooting would have offered variety that is desperately lacking in traditional shooters. Furthermore, Perfect Dark not only encouraged the use of bots in competitive play, but let you choose the personalities of your AI-controlled foes. Bots let you design multiplayer experiences in a specific style based on what you were in the mood for, forcing your AI foes to play passively, with chips on their shoulders, and with ruthless efficiency, among many other combat philosophies. This was an idea that was never pushed further, but imagine if other companies had mirrored this approach. Considering how reliant multiplayer games are on their online communities now, how few games catch on with the public, and how quickly the populations die down once a sequel is released, having bots as a standard option would have extended the longevity and injected more variety in modern shooters.</p><p style="">And those aren't the only things that Rare's shooter did differently. Perfect Dark implemented counter-ops, a mode that still doesn't have a modern equivalent. Having one person control the hero and another man the guards who populate campaign levels is a brilliant idea that was never iterated on, just like bot personalities. If Perfect Dark had come out on the GameCube rather than smack-dab between the releases of the Dreamcast and the PlayStation 2 on a dying, underpowered system, it would have had a much wider impact on a genre still getting its footing. It would have been incredible to see other developers build on the level design ideas that Rare started, tinker with versatile AI, and experiment with interesting competitive modes. Instead, we got the disappointing <a href="/perfect-dark-zero/" data-ref-id="false">Perfect Dark Zero</a> five years later that couldn't live up to the brilliance of its predecessor.</p><h3><b>How Rare would have changed:</b></h3><p style="">Assuming that Perfect Dark carried the torch that GoldenEye first lit, it would have been a massive success for the GameCube. And if Rare were the brains behind this adored shooter, it would have been awfully difficult for Nintendo to let Microsoft swoop in to purchase it. We already know that the Stamper brothers, the heads of Rare at the time, <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-02-08-who-killed-rare" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2012-02">first approached Nintendo</a> when they decided to sell the company. When Nintendo refused, Microsoft jumped at the chance, simultaneously hurting all three companies in one blundering stroke. Seriously, take a look at how each party has been affected since the sale took place way back in 2002. Nintendo struggled to add diversity to the GameCube library, and though the Wii was insanely popular, Rare would have done a great job of churning out quality games during its frequent dry spells. Rare could have also shouldered some of the software burden for the Wii U, which goes for months without compelling games.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2537954" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537954-005.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="right" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537954-005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2537954"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2537954-005.jpg"></a><figcaption>Would Nintendo have cancelled Sabreman Stampede?</figcaption></figure><p style="">Microsoft essentially wasted <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2002/sep02/09-24projectrpr.aspx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="09-24">$375 million</a> on a developer that didn't fit within its ecosystem. Rare was built on diversity and experimentation, a company who could make a variety of different games. If you take a look at the developers Microsoft employs, none of them fit within that structure. Turn 10, after all, makes only simulation racers, 343 Industries and Black Tusk were created to churn out sequels to established shooters, and Lionhead has been riding the Fable train for longer than I can remember. Because Rare doesn't have a franchise big enough to warrant that dedication, it jumped around like it had been doing for decades, meeting varying success with each new endeavor. Now it has been stuck working on Kinect Sports for more than five years, and most of the people who made Rare a name worth knowing have long since left.</p><p style="">Clearly, Rare suffered the most from this transaction. If Perfect Dark had established itself as a core element of the GameCube, maybe Rare would have stuck with Nintendo, a company that knew what it was capable of, and continued to nurture it to get the best games possible. Rare had been around for almost 20 years before Microsoft swooped in, and it took only a little bit of time for Rare to become completely irrelevant. That's why this what-if scenario is so appealing to me. Not only would it have changed the GameCube and first-person shooters, but it might have saved Rare from its horrible fate. Now if only I could get my hands on a time machine. Then I could be enjoying another Conker, Battletoads, or who knows what new characters instead of lamenting the death of my favorite developer.</p><p style=""> </p> Sun, 25 May 2014 09:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/what-if-perfect-dark-had-come-out-on-the-gamecube/1100-6419791/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/remembering-the-atari-age/1100-6419856/ <p style="">Occasionally I worry that our collective memory of home video games sees the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System as the true beginning. Talk to people about games like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/classic-nes-series-super-mario-bros/" data-ref-id="false">Super Mario Bros.</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/the-legend-of-zelda/" data-ref-id="false">The Legend of Zelda</a>, and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/metroid/" data-ref-id="false">Metroid</a>, and they still light up with excitement, appreciating the tremendous importance of these games in the grand scheme of gaming's evolution as a medium. And it makes sense, of course. Even those who aren't old enough to remember these games from their heyday understand what Nintendo is, since it's a force that has continued to loom large in gaming in the decades since. There's nothing really keeping the legacy of what preceded Nintendo alive in the current gaming marketplace, but a look back at video game history that begins with the NES is as incomplete as a look back at the history of cinema that ignores the great innovators of the silent film era.</p><p style="">The great video game crash that preceded the release of the NES served as a kind of reset button on the industry. The crash was inevitable; the industry had grown so unhealthy that it needed to collapse so that a new, stronger foundation could be built. But, this being Video Game History Month, a time when we try to appreciate how gaming's past has shaped its present, it's important to remember that Atari had made video games a household activity first, and that there's so much to celebrate about the first massively successful home console.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2540097-superbreakout_2600box.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540097" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2540097-superbreakout_2600box.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540097"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/78/787590/2540097-superbreakout_2600box.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">I was born at the perfect time to grow up as games grew up, and the Atari 2600 is where my love of gaming began. Here are some things about the Atari era that to this day remind me of why I became so passionate about games in the first place.</p><p style=""><b>Box art</b></p><p style="">This may seem like a strange place to start, but for me, the box art of many Atari games is central to my memories of those games. The 2600 wasn't capable of rendering detailed graphics, but that didn't stop the games I played on it from whisking me away to fantasy realms or to the depths of space. It wasn't the chunky visuals of the games themselves that did it, though. It was the wonderful art on the game's boxes, conjuring images in my mind that replaced the little square in Adventure with a brave hero, and turned Super Breakout from a simple block-breaking game into a tale of astronauts trapped in space by a cosmic force that was beyond their understanding. Box art was more important in the Atari era than it has ever been since; games no longer need to rely on the images on their covers to communicate to players what the graphics represent. But I also think that box art has never been as consistently beautiful as it was back then, and sometimes I miss the way that my imagination was called upon to flesh out the worlds of video games.</p><p style=""><b>Gaming for everyone</b></p><p style="">As an arcade company, Atari <a href="http://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=flyer&db=videodb&id=461&image=1" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">marketed</a> its coin-op machines squarely at men. But when trying to gain a foothold in the living room, the company took a different approach, often framing games as an activity that the whole family could enjoy together. Promotional materials for the 2600 often depicted parents and children playing games together, and <a href="http://youtu.be/uGJkG3qMDY8" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">one classic commercial</a> has a young boy playing Berzerk with his grandmother. In my household, gaming was definitely an activity anyone could partake in, regardless of age or gender. Passing the controller back and forth to try to pass a stage in Donkey Kong or Miner 2049er was a family tradition. And we enjoyed competing with each other as much as we enjoyed cooperating, especially in thrilling four-player matches of Warlords. During the NES era, gaming started to become increasingly seen as a pastime primarily for young boys. I'm glad that Atari was there first to cement my view of it as an activity that could bring people together, something that just about anyone could enjoy and participate in.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2377165-level2_004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2377165" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2377165-level2_004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2377165"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1197/11970954/2377165-level2_004.jpg"></a><figcaption>Resogun's visuals are slightly better than those the 2600 could produce, but the excellent game owes a great deal to Defender.</figcaption></figure><p style=""><b>The games</b></p><p style="">And then, of course, there were the games themselves. I often see echoes of games I first encountered on the Atari in games I play today. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/spelunky/" data-ref-id="false">Spelunky</a> is a far more complex adventure than anything the Atari 2600 could have handled, but I can never delve into its mines and grab shining gold bars without recalling the excitement I felt as Pitfall Harry, venturing into deadly jungles in search of treasure. One of my favorite games of last year, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/resogun/" data-ref-id="false">Resogun</a>, owes a great deal to Defender, an innovative and challenging space shooter that debuted in arcades but that I first played on the 2600. And while <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-wars-tie-fighter-20th-anniversary-retrospective/1100-6419819/" data-ref-id="1100-6419819">I recently wrote</a> about my fondness for <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/star-wars-tie-fighter/" data-ref-id="false">TIE Fighter</a>, it's the Atari 2600's Star Raiders, an incredibly complex and ambitious game for its time, that first thrilled me with the feeling that I was making hyperspace jumps and blasting enemy starfighters to smithereens.</p><p style="">These are just a few of my favorite memories of the Atari age. Let me know what Atari means to you in the comments below.</p> Sun, 25 May 2014 09:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/remembering-the-atari-age/1100-6419856/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/apple-removes-game-about-growing-marijuana-from-app-store/1100-6419864/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540801-7649505206-featu.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540801" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540801-7649505206-featu.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540801"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2540801-7649505206-featu.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Apple has removed a popular game about growing marijuana from the iTunes App Store.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/weed-firm/">Weed Firm</a>, is just one of many on the iTunes App Store that feature marijuana in some way, and you can still download a number of apps that can help you locate where to legally buy marijuana in states like Colorado, review different strains of the plant, and much more.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to <a href="http://manitobagames.net/" rel="nofollow">a statement</a> (via <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/popular-marijuana-game-gets-censored-apple-157888" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Adweek</a>) from Weed Firm developer Manitoba games, its game was pulled because it was more popular than others. "This was entirely Apple's decision, not ours," it said. "We guess the problem was that the game was just too good and got to number one in All Categories, since there are certainly a great number of weed based apps still available, as well as games promoting other so-called 'illegal activities' such as shooting people, crashing cars and throwing birds at buildings."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As indicated by the iTunes App Store guidelines, the company reserves the right to reject or remove any app for content or behavior it believes is over the line. This usually refers to adult content, but we've also seen Apple pull an app about <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/barbie-inspired-plastic-surgery-game-removed-from-app-stores-after-backlash/1100-6417167/">plastic surgery reportedly aimed at children</a>, and the mobile version of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wolfenstein-3d-pulled-from-app-store-due-to-swastikas/1100-6330782/">Wolfenstein 3D from the Swiss and Austrian app stores for featuring swastikas</a>.</p><p style="">Manitoba Games promises that Weed Firm will return to the iTunes App Store after it's been "censored a bit to comply with Apple's strictest requirement since they are going to be looking very attentively at what we submit from now on."</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 25 May 2014 07:49:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/apple-removes-game-about-growing-marijuana-from-app-store/1100-6419864/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/meet-the-survivors-of-left-4-dead-s-arcade-game/1100-6419863/ <figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540583-6123787579-l01.j.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540583" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540583-6123787579-l01.j.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540583"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1535/15354745/2540583-6123787579-l01.j.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Valve and Taito, a subsidiary of Square Enix, are currently collaborating on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/left-4-dead-survivors-gets-a-first-trailer/1100-6419718/">Left 4 Dead Survivors</a>, a version of Left 4 Dead redesigned for Japanese arcades. We've seen brief glimpses of the game before, but now we know that it will not feature the groups of four from Left 4 Dead or Left 4 Dead 2, but an entirely new cast of survivors.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game will still take place in the United States, but the characters are seemingly designed to appeal to a Japanese audience. According to <a href="http://arcadeheroes.com/2014/05/22/left-4-dead-characters-better-cabinet-shot/" rel="nofollow">Arcade Heroes</a>, Kudo Yusuke is a Japanese university student visiting the U.S. when the outbreak starts, as is Haruka Hirose, a Japanese high school student, and Kirishima Sara, a travel guide. And then there's Blake Jordan, the token American and hotel bartender who previously served in the Navy.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In 2006, Taito released Half-Life 2: Survivor for Japanese arcades. As you can see in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbF0ooRJWkI" rel="nofollow">video</a>, it added flashing arrows that point you in the right direction, points, and other elements that would complement a quicker arcade experience.</p><p style="">If you're waiting on a proper Left 4 Dead sequel, there's good reason to believe that one is on the way. According to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/counter-strike/">Counter-Strike</a> co-creator Minh Le, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/left-4-dead-3-in-development-and-looks-great-counter-strike-co-creator-says/1100-6419832/">Left 4 Dead 3 is in development and is coming along well</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 24 May 2014 15:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/meet-the-survivors-of-left-4-dead-s-arcade-game/1100-6419863/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/get-thief-batman-arkham-games-tomb-raider-many-more-for-cheap-in-amazon-s-mayhem-sale/1100-6419862/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540571-5160086378-20345.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540571" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540571-5160086378-20345.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540571"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2540571-5160086378-20345.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Amazon is currently holding its huge <a href="http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_416943502_2?ie=UTF8&node=7266959011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-5&pf_rd_r=0697FAH97K0K1337Q6H6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1814829962&pf_rd_i=468642&tag=gamespot-vg-20" rel="nofollow">Digital Games Mayhem sale</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The sale will last until the end of May, and offers as much as 80 percent off of many of its PC game codes and downloads.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Some good deals you might be interested in include <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/thief/">Thief</a>, down from $50 to $25 (or you can get the Master Thief Edition for $27), <a href="/tomb-raider/" data-ref-id="false">Tomb Raider</a>, down from $20 to $8, and the Batman Mega Bundle, which includes all three of the released Arkham games, down from $90 to $22.50.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Other highlights include <a href="/sleeping-dogs/" data-ref-id="false">Sleeping Dogs</a>, down from $20 to $6, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-black-ops-ii/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Black Ops 2</a>, down from, $60 to $30, and <a href="/just-cause-2/" data-ref-id="false">Just Cause 2</a>, down from $15 to $4.50.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">You'll need either Steam, Origin, or Uplay to run most of these games, and Amazon will let you browse by your DRM of choice if you want to stick to just one of them.</p><p style="">You can find over a 1,000 items already on sale <a href="http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_416943502_2?ie=UTF8&node=7266959011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-5&pf_rd_r=0697FAH97K0K1337Q6H6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1814829962&pf_rd_i=468642&tag=gamespot-vg-20" rel="nofollow">here</a>, and Amazon says that it will introduce even more promos and bundles before the sale ends.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 24 May 2014 14:02:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/get-thief-batman-arkham-games-tomb-raider-many-more-for-cheap-in-amazon-s-mayhem-sale/1100-6419862/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/papers-please-dev-announces-his-next-game-return-of-the-obra-dinn/1100-6419861/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540546-obra+dinn.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2540546" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540546-obra+dinn.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2540546"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2540546-obra+dinn.gif"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Lucas Pope, the developer behind the award-winning indie game <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/papers-please/" data-ref-id="false">Papers, Please</a>, has announced his next project; Return of the Obra Dinn.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In a post to <a href="http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=40832.0" rel="nofollow">TIGSource</a>, Pope explains the game will use the first-person perspective and take place on an East India Company merchant ship named the Obra Dinn, which sets out from London for "the Orient" with over 200 tons of trade goods.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Six months later it hadn't met its rendezvous point at the Cape of Good Hope and was declared lost at sea," Pope said. "Early this morning of October 14th, 1808, the Obra Dinn drifted into port with sails damaged and no visible crew. As insurance adjustor for the East India Company's London Office, find means to board the ship and recover the captain's logbook for assessment."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Pope said that his goal for the game is to challenge himself to experiment with rendering, story, and a few technical features, so it will be very different from Papers, Please and his other previous games.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game will be built with Unity 3D, and will aim to emulate the look of old, black and white games for the Mac Plus, Pope's first computer.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I'm hoping to capture a compelling mystery with suspense and twists in the limited space of an old merchant sailing ship," Pope said. "It won't be the typical 'collect items and look for clues' structure. There's a slightly cool gameplay hook but I won't go into details on that until much later."</p><p style="">Pope's Papers, Please won this years <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/papers-please-wins-grand-prize-in-independent-games-awards-show/1100-6418419/">Seumas McNally Grand Prize</a> at the Independent Game Festival, as well as the Excellence in Narrative and Excellence in Design award.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 24 May 2014 12:17:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/papers-please-dev-announces-his-next-game-return-of-the-obra-dinn/1100-6419861/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-wasteland-2-s-opening-movie/1100-6419860/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOQFN6U0hSI" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FxOQFN6U0hSI%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DxOQFN6U0hSI&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FxOQFN6U0hSI%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">Developer InXile Entertainment has released the opening movie for its post-apocalyptic RPG <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/wasteland-2/">Wasteland 2</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The opening movie uses archival footage and live-action video. It recaps how the world we know destroyed itself in nuclear war, and introduces the heroic Rangers, who roam the wasteland, protecting innocent survivors from criminals, cultists, and cannibals.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Wasteland 2 is the sequel to the 1988 classic from Interplay Entertainment, which went on to create the original <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/fallout/">Fallout</a>. The project took to Kickstarter in 2012 hoping to raise $900,000, and eventually hit nearly $3 million in funding. That sum caused its <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wasteland-2-scheduled-for-october-2013/1100-6366649/">initial release target</a> of October 2013 to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wasteland-2-delayed-due-to-kickstarter-success/1100-6411838/">get pushed back</a> as the scope of the game was increased.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">GameSpot recently <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wasteland-2-early-access-review/1100-6419545/">reviewed the Early Access version of Wasteland 2</a>, finding that it "spectacularly balances the older style of classic PC RPGs and more modern sensibilities."</p><p style="">The full game is slated for release around "the end of August" 2014, on PC, Mac, and Linux.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p> Sat, 24 May 2014 11:32:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-wasteland-2-s-opening-movie/1100-6419860/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/warhammer-40-000-gets-the-unreal-engine-4-treatment-in-space-hulk-deathwing/1100-6419859/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6413978" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6413978/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/space-hulk-deathwing/">Space Hulk: Deathwing</a>, a first-person shooter set in Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 universe, is looking pretty great in its first batch of screenshots.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Based on Games Workshop's classic Space Hulk boardgame (which recently got <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/space-hulk-review/1900-6413794/">its own video game</a>), Space Hulk: Deathwing is being built on the Unreal Engine 4 by Streum On Studio, which previously developed <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e-y-e-divine-cybermancy/">E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy</a>. As you can see in the screenshots, Unreal Engine 4 looks like a natural fit for the Space Marines' bulky armor and the dark corridors of the Space Hulk where the game is set.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In Warhammer 40,000 fiction, a Space Hulk is a huge collection of wrecked ships, asteroids, and other debris fused together into one enormous body floating in space. In the game, you'll assume the role of Deathwing Librarian, who leads a squad of Space Marine Terminators through the alien-infested Space Hulk. You'll gain Fervor Points as you play, which you can then spend on four skill trees, allowing you to improve your abilities, unlock new powers, and access powerful relics and new weapons.</p><p style="">Publisher Focus Home Interactive has yet to announce a release date.</p><figure data-embed-type="gallery" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540490-4569135460-25386.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540491-6628410488-25386.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540492-3040017199-25386.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540493-3744946332-25386.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540490,1300-2540491,1300-2540492,1300-2540493" data-resize-urls="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540490-4569135460-25386.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540491-6628410488-25386.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540492-3040017199-25386.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540493-3744946332-25386.jpg" data-resized="" data-resize-url=""><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540490-4569135460-25386.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540490" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540490-4569135460-25386.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540491-6628410488-25386.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540491" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540491-6628410488-25386.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540492-3040017199-25386.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540492" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540492-3040017199-25386.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540493-3744946332-25386.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540493" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540493-3744946332-25386.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 24 May 2014 10:13:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/warhammer-40-000-gets-the-unreal-engine-4-treatment-in-space-hulk-deathwing/1100-6419859/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-testing-candy-crush-saga-inspired-version-of-peggle/1100-6419858/ <figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540446-peggle2.jpeg" data-ref-id="1300-2540446" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540446-peggle2.jpeg" data-ref-id="1300-2540446"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1535/15354745/2540446-peggle2.jpeg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Electronic Arts is currently testing a version of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/peggle/" data-ref-id="false">Peggle</a> that has a lot in common with Candy Crush Saga and other free-to-play mobile games.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Like King's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/93-million-people-play-candy-crush-saga-daily-do-you/1100-6417819/">immensely profitable Candy Crush Saga</a>, this new version of Peggle features a world map and common free-to-play monetization methods. If you lose all your lives, for example, you could either wait for a significant amount of time, or buy more via in-app purchases and continue playing immediately.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This version of Peggle is currently free to download from the New Zealand and Singapore iTunes App Stores. Mobile game developers often launch games or test new versions of them in smaller territories like New Zealand (Canada and Australia are two other popular testing grounds) and gauge the audience's reaction before rolling them out to bigger territories like North America.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Unfortunately, as <a href="http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPhone/Peggle+%28iPhone%29/news.asp?c=59596" rel="nofollow">Pocket Gamer reports</a>, EA didn't only launch this new version of Peggle in those territories, but also removed the original game from the app store.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We're exploring different ways to extend the fun of Peggle on mobile, and we're currently testing a free-to-play version of the game in Singapore and New Zealand," an EA representative told <a href="http://kotaku.com/ea-is-ruining-peggle-1580422686" rel="nofollow">Kotaku</a>. "It's important to note that we haven't finalized gameplay features or business model yet, and this free-to-play version of Peggle is part of a series of tests we'll be conducting in specific markets. We often test these experiences first to see if they resonate with our players."</p><p style="">The older, paid version of Peggle is still available to buy in other territories.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 24 May 2014 07:54:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-testing-candy-crush-saga-inspired-version-of-peggle/1100-6419858/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-funding-hits-44-million-milestone/1100-6419857/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540439-2160252157-Banu_.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540439" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540439-2160252157-Banu_.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540439"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2540439-2160252157-Banu_.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/wing-commander/">Wing Commander</a> creator Chris Roberts' <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/star-citizen/">Star Citizen</a> has just reached yet another funding milestone. The game's widely successful crowdfunding campaign has now raised a staggering $44 million, up from $43 million in late April.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In <a href="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/13888-Letter-From-The-Chairman-44-Million" rel="nofollow">a letter to the community</a>, Roberts said that his team is hard at work on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-launches-arena-commander-mode-this-month/1100-6419708/">Arena Commander</a>, a small, multiplayer-focused dogfighting mode that should launch on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-launches-arena-commander-mode-this-month/1100-6419708/">May 29</a>. "Getting to dogfight in deep space is going to make Star Citizen real for a lot of people," Roberts said. "But I also know that everyone who has supported us to this point already understands. Thank you for getting us here!"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">To mark the occasion, Roberts shared a piece of concept art for what he calls the "negotiation room," a place in one of the games' ships where traders can meet with other players, display their cargo, and make deals.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">All backers who contributed to Star Citizen before this point will get an additional "Stellar Cartography" room added to their hangers once the modular room system launches. This room will serve as a kind of map, featuring a 3D holographic representation of the game's universe that will get more detailed as you explore it.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Roberts revealed that If Star Citizen hits $46 million in funding, backers will get an updated scanning software suite, which could provide them with information on where to find resources.</p><p style="">Star Citizen is due to launch in full sometime in 2015. A total of 453,429 people have backed the project so far.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"> <em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 24 May 2014 07:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-funding-hits-44-million-milestone/1100-6419857/
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Sun, 25 May 2014 20:58:59 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-new-vegas-dev-hopes-the-next-fallout-game-has-agonizing-choices/1100-6419869/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540969-6467419638-17402.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540969" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540969-6467419638-17402.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540969"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2540969-6467419638-17402.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Lead designer and project director on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/fallout-new-vegas/">Fallout: New Vegas</a> Josh Sawyer said he hopes the next game in the Fallout series will force players to make difficult choices.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Fallout games are best when the choices are - and this applies to role-playing games in general, but Fallout is a more desperate world - more agonizing," Sawyer told <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-05-23-what-does-fallout-new-vegas-lead-designer-want-from-fallout-4?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialoomph" rel="nofollow">Eurogamer</a> in an interview. "They feel more appropriate to the post-apocalyptic genre. So I hope that whatever twists and turns the story takes, it's more nuanced than a black-and-white choice."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sawyer cites the endings of the original, 2D Fallout games, as well as Fallout: New Vegas, which he said was designed to challenge the player.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Some people want to go through the wasteland like a tourist, which is fine - they don't really want it to be super-difficult," he said. "Personally I like things to be a little more challenging," he said, "and there's a segment of players that also want [that]. I don't have any doubt in this."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Bethesda Game Studios' next project has been in full development for more than a year now. Rumor has it that the developer's next game is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-4-in-development-set-in-boston-report/1100-6416669/">Fallout 4</a>, and that it takes place, at least partially, in Boston and its surrounding area. This is unconfirmed, but the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-4-in-development-set-in-boston-report/1100-6416669/">evidence is piling up</a>.</p><p style="">Even if that is the case, Bethesda marketing executive Pete Hines confirmed last week that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/studio-that-made-skyrim-and-fallout-3-won-t-announce-its-next-game-anytime-soon/1100-6419808/">we will not see the game at E3 2014</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 25 May 2014 15:10:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-new-vegas-dev-hopes-the-next-fallout-game-has-agonizing-choices/1100-6419869/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oculus-rift-kinect-wii-balance-board-combined-to-simulate-hoverboard/1100-6419868/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="https://vimeo.com/95960989" data-width="1280" data-height="720"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fplayer.vimeo.com%2Fvideo%2F95960989&wmode=opaque&src_secure=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com%2F95960989&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.vimeocdn.com%2Fvideo%2F476011630_1280.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=vimeo" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">If you've ever watched <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkyLnWm1iCs" rel="nofollow">Back to the Future Part II</a> you've probably fantasized about one day owning and riding your own hoverboard.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">So far, science has failed us miserably in that department. Back to the Future Part II takes place in 2015 and we are nowhere near getting our hoverboards, though Tony Hawk and the actor that plays Doc Brown in Back to The Future, Christopher Lloyd, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4vE_vpkr90" rel="nofollow">made a great fake advertisement for one just a couple of months ago</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Realistically, you'll probably never get to ride one. However <a href="http://quince.nl/#" rel="nofollow">Quince</a> (via <a href="http://killscreendaily.com/articles/all-you-need-hoverboard-oculus-rift-kinect-and-wii-balance-board/" rel="nofollow">Kill Screen</a>), a communications agency based in Amsterdam, proved that it could simulate the experience using an Oculus Rift, Kinect, and a Wii Balance Board. The Hoverboard VR uses the Wii Balance Board as the controller, the Kinect to track your body and translate it to virtual reality, and the Oculus Rift to fully immerse you in the experience. The graphics look crude at the moment, but it's a great proof of concept.</p><p style="">It's an elaborate setup, but not nearly the only creative implementation of Oculus Rift we've seen. A couple of weeks ago we reported on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fly-like-a-bird-with-this-epic-oculus-rift-contraption/1100-6419559/">Birdly</a>, which uses Oculus Rift and a large contraption to simulate the experience of flying like a bird.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 25 May 2014 14:12:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oculus-rift-kinect-wii-balance-board-combined-to-simulate-hoverboard/1100-6419868/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wasteland-2-dev-doesn-t-believe-people-are-sick-of-kickstarter-are-you/1100-6419867/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540933-8181990485-20518.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540933" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540933-8181990485-20518.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540933"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2540933-8181990485-20518.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Creator of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/wasteland-2/">Wasteland 2</a> Brian Fargo doesn't believe that people are sick of funding projects on Kickstarter, only that not all project are meant to be funded.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Wasteland 2 launched its Kickstarter in 2012 hoping to raise $900,000, and eventually hit nearly $3 million in funding. Many other Kickstarters didn't have as much luck. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/horror-game-cult-county-canceled-for-3ds-now-aiming-for-ps4-s-morpheus/1100-6418798/">Renegade Kid's Cult County</a>, for example, failed to meet its funding goal earlier this month.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I think sometimes some of the projects that have failed is Kickstarter doing its job," Fargo told <a href="http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/news/a573068/kickstarter-not-in-fatigue-but-niches-harder-to-fill-says-brian-fargo.html#~oFiSQnXjhYtdKe" rel="nofollow">Digital Spy</a>. "Which is saying, 'We don't really want that, or there's already too much like it'. I think it worked very well for us, and it <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/double-fine-adventure-kickstarter-concludes-with-33-million/1100-6366166/">worked well for [Tim] Schafer</a>, because it's quite honest to say this game wouldn't have existed without it, period, because we're a middle-ground developer, we're not two guys."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Harmonix's Amplitude, which was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/as-amplitude-funding-passes-800k-harmonix-explains-why-it-went-playstation-exclusive/1100-6419848/">successfully Kickstarted last week</a>, fits Fargo's description, as does Keiji Inafune <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/mighty-no-9/">Mighty No. 9</a>, which <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mighty-no-9-kickstarter-crosses-3-million/1100-6415120/">raised more than $3.8 million on Kickstarter last year</a>. Both of them appeal to niches in the market that weren't being served otherwise, but there's less demand for such games with each successfully funded Kickstarter.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Fargo uses his own game as an example: "There was a Fallout audience that loved one and two, and they wanted something more like that than where <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/fallout-3/">Fallout 3</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/fallout-new-vegas/">New Vegas</a> went," he said. "Now if somebody came up with another one after us, it wouldn't do as well, I think, because we would have been scratching that itch."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Wasteland 2 will release around "the end of August" 2014, on PC, Mac, and Linux. GameSpot recently <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wasteland-2-early-access-review/1100-6419545/">reviewed the Early Access version of Wasteland 2</a>, finding that it "spectacularly balances the older style of classic PC RPGs and more modern sensibilities."</p><p style="">Are you still finding exciting games to back on Kickstarter? Let us know in the comments below.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 25 May 2014 12:27:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wasteland-2-dev-doesn-t-believe-people-are-sick-of-kickstarter-are-you/1100-6419867/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/amazing-mass-effect-collectible-is-as-expensive-as-it-looks/1100-6419866/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540868-9996056725-pro_b.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540868" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540868-9996056725-pro_b.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540868"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2540868-9996056725-pro_b.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Gaming collectibles maker <a href="http://www.gamingheads.com/" rel="nofollow">Gaming Heads</a> has revealed it is now taking pre-orders for its latest Mass Effect piece, a 21-inch tall (¼ scale) statue of Garrus.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Garrus Vakarian, a military trained turian and initially an investigating officer of C-Sec, joins Commander Shepard's team in the first Mass Effect. <a href="http://www.gamingheads.com/index.php?option=com_myphp&Itemid=3&product=150" rel="nofollow">Gaming Heads' statue designed by artist Gurjeet Singh</a> (via <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/5/25/5749702/mass-effect-garrus-statue-figurine-collectible" rel="nofollow">Polygon</a>) shows Garrus in his trademark armor, armed with the Incisor Sniper rifle that is featured in the game. The package also includes the Phaeston weapon, which can be swapped depending on your preference.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This exclusive Garrus statue will cost you $350, and that's only assuming you can get one. The statue is limited to 500 pieces worldwide. You can preorder it now, but it will only be available in the first quarter of 2015.</p><p style="">BioWare studio director Yanick Roy recently described the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/untitled-mass-effect-game/">next Mass Effect game</a>'s development status as being "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/next-mass-effect-game-s-development-somewhere-in-the-middle-stages/1100-6419325/">somewhere in the middle</a>."</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p> Sun, 25 May 2014 11:13:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/amazing-mass-effect-collectible-is-as-expensive-as-it-looks/1100-6419866/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fast-and-steady-wins-the-race-in-grid-autosport-s-endurance-mode/1100-6419865/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418943" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418943/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">Developer Codemasters has released a new trailer for the upcoming racing game <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/grid-autosport/">GRID Autosport</a>, which showcases its Endurance racing.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"You can never win a race from the first corner," member of the Oman Racing Team Ahmad Al Harthy said in the trailer, which includes both gameplay footage and interviews with professional drivers. In working on Endurance racing, Codemasters said it has consulted with professional drivers and experts at Autosport magazine to "distil the experience into scalable races, whether online or in career mode."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game's extended races in Endurance events will challenge players to manage tire wear, which will affect their performance and handling, and in career mode, Endurance events are also set at night to provide an extra challenge.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In Endurance events, you'll be able to drive contemporary and classic cars including the Aston Martin N24 V12 Zagato, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, McLaren 12C GT3, Audi R8 LMS Ultra, Lola B12/80, Shelby Cobra "Daytona" Coupe, Ford GT40 MK1 and more on race circuits like Yas Marina, Sepang and Hockenheimring.</p><p style="">GRID Autosport is due to launch June 24 in the U.S. (June 27 for Europe) for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. It's not coming to Xbox One or PlayStation 4, and that's because <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-authentic-grid-announced-here-s-why-it-s-not-coming-to-xbox-one-or-ps4/1100-6419124/">Codemasters did not want to "rush" it</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 25 May 2014 09:32:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fast-and-steady-wins-the-race-in-grid-autosport-s-endurance-mode/1100-6419865/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/what-if-perfect-dark-had-come-out-on-the-gamecube/1100-6419791/ <p style="">Perfect Dark is a domino piece whose very existence changed the fate of the entire industry. All right, that's a slight exaggeration, but if there had been just one detour to Joanna Dark's debut, a ripple effect could have had long-term ramifications on our favorite way to spend our leisure time. So let's examine what would have happened if <a href="/perfect-dark/" data-ref-id="false">Perfect Dark</a> had been pushed back just 18 months and had been released not toward the tail end of the Nintendo 64's existence, but at the launch of the GameCube. Just a warning, this is pure conjecture. But the prospect of what might have been has been gnawing at me for years, and represents one of my favorite alternate takes on video game history. After all, delaying Perfect Dark just one year seems like it would have had negligible results on the surface, but in reality it could have had a major impact.</p><h3><b>How Perfect Dark would have changed:</b></h3><figure data-ref-id="1300-2537949" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537949-perfect_dark_expansion_pak_info.jpg" data-size="small" data-align="left" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537949-perfect_dark_expansion_pak_info.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2537949"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/725/7253563/2537949-perfect_dark_expansion_pak_info.jpg"></a><figcaption>Would Perfect Dark have worked without an accessory? </figcaption></figure><p style="">Although Perfect Dark was showered with <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/nintendo-64/perfect-dark" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">near-universal praise</a>, it had severe technical problems that made it nearly unplayable by our current standards. Extra memory (sold separately) was required to enjoy much of what it offered, and even with twice as much RAM, it still suffered from terrible slowdown. Shifting Perfect Dark to the GameCube would have eliminated those problems, ensuring a smoother experience that wouldn't require you to take Dramamine to keep your lunch safely in your belly. Even without any other changes, moving Perfect Dark to more powerful hardware would have elevated the experience so that it was more palatable to everyone.</p><p style="">Why would Rare have been happy to transport the Nintendo 64 version to the GameCube without any changes, though? With so much time to move the game from one platform to the other, Rare could have implemented a few design tweaks to modernize the action. If you remember the Nintendo 64 controller, it had only one analog stick, but that wasn't the case with the GameCube. Moving Perfect Dark would have given you more precision in shooting, which would have been a godsend considering how much aiming the sprawling levels demanded. Imagine how much more satisfying the FarSight would have been if you hadn't had to fight the controller. So, by pushing Perfect Dark back, we would have gotten a game even better than the one that was already so beloved.</p><h3><b>How the GameCube would have changed:</b></h3><figure data-ref-id="1300-2537951" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537951-gamecube_controller.png" data-size="small" data-align="right" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537951-gamecube_controller.png" data-ref-id="1300-2537951"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/725/7253563/2537951-gamecube_controller.png"></a><figcaption>Would Nintendo have changed that yellow nub to a proper stick?</figcaption></figure><p style="">The GameCube was a fantastic console. However, despite housing some of Nintendo's most inventive games and a plethora of the best third-party adventures of the day, it struggled to shed its identity as just a place for families to congregate. Perfect Dark would have injected a hard-edged persona from launch day that would have shifted the perception of the purple lunchbox. Remember, people flocked to the Nintendo 64 to play GoldenEye even if the colorful adventures Nintendo was known for didn't strike their fancy, so a spiritual successor to that classic would have engendered the same competitive spirit. Housing the preeminent first-person shooter of the day would have drawn in those who relish using guns to solve problems, instantly expanding the GameCube's potential reach.</p><p style="">With initial success for Rare's futuristic shooter, we would have seen more third parties willing to create Mature-rated games for Nintendo's console, filling out an important segment of the library the Japanese giant was unable to fill itself. And, as long as I'm dreaming, we might have seen one major change to the controller that would have better accommodated Perfect Dark. Its reliance on a right stick might have convinced Nintendo to upgrade the yellow nub to a more functional form, opening the door for more versatility as the console aged. If Rare had pushed Perfect Dark from the Nintendo 64 to the GameCube, we would have seen a demographic shift in who flocked to the console and a more serious rival to the upstart Xbox.</p><h3><b>How first-person shooters would have changed:</b></h3><p style="">This is where things get really interesting. Console shooters began to take off with the generation that started early this century. What was popular back then has dictated much of how the genre has evolved, so if Perfect Dark were released in that era, we would have seen an evolutionary split very different from what actually happened. It's important to remember what was popular back then. <a href="/halo-combat-evolved/" data-ref-id="false">Halo</a> was still entirely unknown in 2001, and Bungie was a name only Mac diehards had any inkling of. The success of Combat Evolved was not guaranteed, and, if a worthy competitor had stood toe-to-toe against it, the market would have gone in two directions. I don't believe that Perfect Dark GameCube would have crushed Halo before it ever had a chance, but rather that a healthy number of people would have chosen one side or the other, forcing developers to adapt to varying needs.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2537952" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537952-2451775-titanfall%2Bscreen%2B6.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="left" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537952-2451775-titanfall%2Bscreen%2B6.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2537952"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2537952-2451775-titanfall%2Bscreen%2B6.jpg"></a><figcaption>Would capture the flag still be in Titanfall PC if it had bots? </figcaption></figure><p style="">So what did Perfect Dark offer that was so different from Halo? The differences are almost too numerous to count. Mission design, for instance, included accomplishing specific objectives that changed whenever you increased the difficulty. This is a marked shift from the straight-ahead conquests that Halo demanded, and seeing level design that was as much about investigation as shooting would have offered variety that is desperately lacking in traditional shooters. Furthermore, Perfect Dark not only encouraged the use of bots in competitive play, but let you choose the personalities of your AI-controlled foes. Bots let you design multiplayer experiences in a specific style based on what you were in the mood for, forcing your AI foes to play passively, with chips on their shoulders, and with ruthless efficiency, among many other combat philosophies. This was an idea that was never pushed further, but imagine if other companies had mirrored this approach. Considering how reliant multiplayer games are on their online communities now, how few games catch on with the public, and how quickly the populations die down once a sequel is released, having bots as a standard option would have extended the longevity and injected more variety in modern shooters.</p><p style="">And those aren't the only things that Rare's shooter did differently. Perfect Dark implemented counter-ops, a mode that still doesn't have a modern equivalent. Having one person control the hero and another man the guards who populate campaign levels is a brilliant idea that was never iterated on, just like bot personalities. If Perfect Dark had come out on the GameCube rather than smack-dab between the releases of the Dreamcast and the PlayStation 2 on a dying, underpowered system, it would have had a much wider impact on a genre still getting its footing. It would have been incredible to see other developers build on the level design ideas that Rare started, tinker with versatile AI, and experiment with interesting competitive modes. Instead, we got the disappointing <a href="/perfect-dark-zero/" data-ref-id="false">Perfect Dark Zero</a> five years later that couldn't live up to the brilliance of its predecessor.</p><h3><b>How Rare would have changed:</b></h3><p style="">Assuming that Perfect Dark carried the torch that GoldenEye first lit, it would have been a massive success for the GameCube. And if Rare were the brains behind this adored shooter, it would have been awfully difficult for Nintendo to let Microsoft swoop in to purchase it. We already know that the Stamper brothers, the heads of Rare at the time, <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-02-08-who-killed-rare" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2012-02">first approached Nintendo</a> when they decided to sell the company. When Nintendo refused, Microsoft jumped at the chance, simultaneously hurting all three companies in one blundering stroke. Seriously, take a look at how each party has been affected since the sale took place way back in 2002. Nintendo struggled to add diversity to the GameCube library, and though the Wii was insanely popular, Rare would have done a great job of churning out quality games during its frequent dry spells. Rare could have also shouldered some of the software burden for the Wii U, which goes for months without compelling games.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2537954" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537954-005.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="right" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2537954-005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2537954"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2537954-005.jpg"></a><figcaption>Would Nintendo have cancelled Sabreman Stampede?</figcaption></figure><p style="">Microsoft essentially wasted <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2002/sep02/09-24projectrpr.aspx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="09-24">$375 million</a> on a developer that didn't fit within its ecosystem. Rare was built on diversity and experimentation, a company who could make a variety of different games. If you take a look at the developers Microsoft employs, none of them fit within that structure. Turn 10, after all, makes only simulation racers, 343 Industries and Black Tusk were created to churn out sequels to established shooters, and Lionhead has been riding the Fable train for longer than I can remember. Because Rare doesn't have a franchise big enough to warrant that dedication, it jumped around like it had been doing for decades, meeting varying success with each new endeavor. Now it has been stuck working on Kinect Sports for more than five years, and most of the people who made Rare a name worth knowing have long since left.</p><p style="">Clearly, Rare suffered the most from this transaction. If Perfect Dark had established itself as a core element of the GameCube, maybe Rare would have stuck with Nintendo, a company that knew what it was capable of, and continued to nurture it to get the best games possible. Rare had been around for almost 20 years before Microsoft swooped in, and it took only a little bit of time for Rare to become completely irrelevant. That's why this what-if scenario is so appealing to me. Not only would it have changed the GameCube and first-person shooters, but it might have saved Rare from its horrible fate. Now if only I could get my hands on a time machine. Then I could be enjoying another Conker, Battletoads, or who knows what new characters instead of lamenting the death of my favorite developer.</p><p style=""> </p> Sun, 25 May 2014 09:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/what-if-perfect-dark-had-come-out-on-the-gamecube/1100-6419791/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/remembering-the-atari-age/1100-6419856/ <p style="">Occasionally I worry that our collective memory of home video games sees the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System as the true beginning. Talk to people about games like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/classic-nes-series-super-mario-bros/" data-ref-id="false">Super Mario Bros.</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/the-legend-of-zelda/" data-ref-id="false">The Legend of Zelda</a>, and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/metroid/" data-ref-id="false">Metroid</a>, and they still light up with excitement, appreciating the tremendous importance of these games in the grand scheme of gaming's evolution as a medium. And it makes sense, of course. Even those who aren't old enough to remember these games from their heyday understand what Nintendo is, since it's a force that has continued to loom large in gaming in the decades since. There's nothing really keeping the legacy of what preceded Nintendo alive in the current gaming marketplace, but a look back at video game history that begins with the NES is as incomplete as a look back at the history of cinema that ignores the great innovators of the silent film era.</p><p style="">The great video game crash that preceded the release of the NES served as a kind of reset button on the industry. The crash was inevitable; the industry had grown so unhealthy that it needed to collapse so that a new, stronger foundation could be built. But, this being Video Game History Month, a time when we try to appreciate how gaming's past has shaped its present, it's important to remember that Atari had made video games a household activity first, and that there's so much to celebrate about the first massively successful home console.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2540097-superbreakout_2600box.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540097" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2540097-superbreakout_2600box.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540097"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/78/787590/2540097-superbreakout_2600box.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">I was born at the perfect time to grow up as games grew up, and the Atari 2600 is where my love of gaming began. Here are some things about the Atari era that to this day remind me of why I became so passionate about games in the first place.</p><p style=""><b>Box art</b></p><p style="">This may seem like a strange place to start, but for me, the box art of many Atari games is central to my memories of those games. The 2600 wasn't capable of rendering detailed graphics, but that didn't stop the games I played on it from whisking me away to fantasy realms or to the depths of space. It wasn't the chunky visuals of the games themselves that did it, though. It was the wonderful art on the game's boxes, conjuring images in my mind that replaced the little square in Adventure with a brave hero, and turned Super Breakout from a simple block-breaking game into a tale of astronauts trapped in space by a cosmic force that was beyond their understanding. Box art was more important in the Atari era than it has ever been since; games no longer need to rely on the images on their covers to communicate to players what the graphics represent. But I also think that box art has never been as consistently beautiful as it was back then, and sometimes I miss the way that my imagination was called upon to flesh out the worlds of video games.</p><p style=""><b>Gaming for everyone</b></p><p style="">As an arcade company, Atari <a href="http://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=flyer&db=videodb&id=461&image=1" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">marketed</a> its coin-op machines squarely at men. But when trying to gain a foothold in the living room, the company took a different approach, often framing games as an activity that the whole family could enjoy together. Promotional materials for the 2600 often depicted parents and children playing games together, and <a href="http://youtu.be/uGJkG3qMDY8" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">one classic commercial</a> has a young boy playing Berzerk with his grandmother. In my household, gaming was definitely an activity anyone could partake in, regardless of age or gender. Passing the controller back and forth to try to pass a stage in Donkey Kong or Miner 2049er was a family tradition. And we enjoyed competing with each other as much as we enjoyed cooperating, especially in thrilling four-player matches of Warlords. During the NES era, gaming started to become increasingly seen as a pastime primarily for young boys. I'm glad that Atari was there first to cement my view of it as an activity that could bring people together, something that just about anyone could enjoy and participate in.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2377165-level2_004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2377165" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2377165-level2_004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2377165"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1197/11970954/2377165-level2_004.jpg"></a><figcaption>Resogun's visuals are slightly better than those the 2600 could produce, but the excellent game owes a great deal to Defender.</figcaption></figure><p style=""><b>The games</b></p><p style="">And then, of course, there were the games themselves. I often see echoes of games I first encountered on the Atari in games I play today. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/spelunky/" data-ref-id="false">Spelunky</a> is a far more complex adventure than anything the Atari 2600 could have handled, but I can never delve into its mines and grab shining gold bars without recalling the excitement I felt as Pitfall Harry, venturing into deadly jungles in search of treasure. One of my favorite games of last year, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/resogun/" data-ref-id="false">Resogun</a>, owes a great deal to Defender, an innovative and challenging space shooter that debuted in arcades but that I first played on the 2600. And while <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-wars-tie-fighter-20th-anniversary-retrospective/1100-6419819/" data-ref-id="1100-6419819">I recently wrote</a> about my fondness for <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/star-wars-tie-fighter/" data-ref-id="false">TIE Fighter</a>, it's the Atari 2600's Star Raiders, an incredibly complex and ambitious game for its time, that first thrilled me with the feeling that I was making hyperspace jumps and blasting enemy starfighters to smithereens.</p><p style="">These are just a few of my favorite memories of the Atari age. Let me know what Atari means to you in the comments below.</p> Sun, 25 May 2014 09:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/remembering-the-atari-age/1100-6419856/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/apple-removes-game-about-growing-marijuana-from-app-store/1100-6419864/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540801-7649505206-featu.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540801" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540801-7649505206-featu.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540801"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2540801-7649505206-featu.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Apple has removed a popular game about growing marijuana from the iTunes App Store.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/weed-firm/">Weed Firm</a>, is just one of many on the iTunes App Store that feature marijuana in some way, and you can still download a number of apps that can help you locate where to legally buy marijuana in states like Colorado, review different strains of the plant, and much more.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to <a href="http://manitobagames.net/" rel="nofollow">a statement</a> (via <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/popular-marijuana-game-gets-censored-apple-157888" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Adweek</a>) from Weed Firm developer Manitoba games, its game was pulled because it was more popular than others. "This was entirely Apple's decision, not ours," it said. "We guess the problem was that the game was just too good and got to number one in All Categories, since there are certainly a great number of weed based apps still available, as well as games promoting other so-called 'illegal activities' such as shooting people, crashing cars and throwing birds at buildings."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As indicated by the iTunes App Store guidelines, the company reserves the right to reject or remove any app for content or behavior it believes is over the line. This usually refers to adult content, but we've also seen Apple pull an app about <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/barbie-inspired-plastic-surgery-game-removed-from-app-stores-after-backlash/1100-6417167/">plastic surgery reportedly aimed at children</a>, and the mobile version of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wolfenstein-3d-pulled-from-app-store-due-to-swastikas/1100-6330782/">Wolfenstein 3D from the Swiss and Austrian app stores for featuring swastikas</a>.</p><p style="">Manitoba Games promises that Weed Firm will return to the iTunes App Store after it's been "censored a bit to comply with Apple's strictest requirement since they are going to be looking very attentively at what we submit from now on."</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 25 May 2014 07:49:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/apple-removes-game-about-growing-marijuana-from-app-store/1100-6419864/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/meet-the-survivors-of-left-4-dead-s-arcade-game/1100-6419863/ <figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540583-6123787579-l01.j.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540583" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540583-6123787579-l01.j.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540583"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1535/15354745/2540583-6123787579-l01.j.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Valve and Taito, a subsidiary of Square Enix, are currently collaborating on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/left-4-dead-survivors-gets-a-first-trailer/1100-6419718/">Left 4 Dead Survivors</a>, a version of Left 4 Dead redesigned for Japanese arcades. We've seen brief glimpses of the game before, but now we know that it will not feature the groups of four from Left 4 Dead or Left 4 Dead 2, but an entirely new cast of survivors.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game will still take place in the United States, but the characters are seemingly designed to appeal to a Japanese audience. According to <a href="http://arcadeheroes.com/2014/05/22/left-4-dead-characters-better-cabinet-shot/" rel="nofollow">Arcade Heroes</a>, Kudo Yusuke is a Japanese university student visiting the U.S. when the outbreak starts, as is Haruka Hirose, a Japanese high school student, and Kirishima Sara, a travel guide. And then there's Blake Jordan, the token American and hotel bartender who previously served in the Navy.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In 2006, Taito released Half-Life 2: Survivor for Japanese arcades. As you can see in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbF0ooRJWkI" rel="nofollow">video</a>, it added flashing arrows that point you in the right direction, points, and other elements that would complement a quicker arcade experience.</p><p style="">If you're waiting on a proper Left 4 Dead sequel, there's good reason to believe that one is on the way. According to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/counter-strike/">Counter-Strike</a> co-creator Minh Le, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/left-4-dead-3-in-development-and-looks-great-counter-strike-co-creator-says/1100-6419832/">Left 4 Dead 3 is in development and is coming along well</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 24 May 2014 15:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/meet-the-survivors-of-left-4-dead-s-arcade-game/1100-6419863/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/get-thief-batman-arkham-games-tomb-raider-many-more-for-cheap-in-amazon-s-mayhem-sale/1100-6419862/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540571-5160086378-20345.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540571" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540571-5160086378-20345.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540571"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2540571-5160086378-20345.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Amazon is currently holding its huge <a href="http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_416943502_2?ie=UTF8&node=7266959011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-5&pf_rd_r=0697FAH97K0K1337Q6H6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1814829962&pf_rd_i=468642&tag=gamespot-vg-20" rel="nofollow">Digital Games Mayhem sale</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The sale will last until the end of May, and offers as much as 80 percent off of many of its PC game codes and downloads.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Some good deals you might be interested in include <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/thief/">Thief</a>, down from $50 to $25 (or you can get the Master Thief Edition for $27), <a href="/tomb-raider/" data-ref-id="false">Tomb Raider</a>, down from $20 to $8, and the Batman Mega Bundle, which includes all three of the released Arkham games, down from $90 to $22.50.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Other highlights include <a href="/sleeping-dogs/" data-ref-id="false">Sleeping Dogs</a>, down from $20 to $6, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-black-ops-ii/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Black Ops 2</a>, down from, $60 to $30, and <a href="/just-cause-2/" data-ref-id="false">Just Cause 2</a>, down from $15 to $4.50.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">You'll need either Steam, Origin, or Uplay to run most of these games, and Amazon will let you browse by your DRM of choice if you want to stick to just one of them.</p><p style="">You can find over a 1,000 items already on sale <a href="http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_416943502_2?ie=UTF8&node=7266959011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-5&pf_rd_r=0697FAH97K0K1337Q6H6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1814829962&pf_rd_i=468642&tag=gamespot-vg-20" rel="nofollow">here</a>, and Amazon says that it will introduce even more promos and bundles before the sale ends.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 24 May 2014 14:02:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/get-thief-batman-arkham-games-tomb-raider-many-more-for-cheap-in-amazon-s-mayhem-sale/1100-6419862/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/papers-please-dev-announces-his-next-game-return-of-the-obra-dinn/1100-6419861/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540546-obra+dinn.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2540546" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540546-obra+dinn.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2540546"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2540546-obra+dinn.gif"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Lucas Pope, the developer behind the award-winning indie game <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/papers-please/" data-ref-id="false">Papers, Please</a>, has announced his next project; Return of the Obra Dinn.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In a post to <a href="http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=40832.0" rel="nofollow">TIGSource</a>, Pope explains the game will use the first-person perspective and take place on an East India Company merchant ship named the Obra Dinn, which sets out from London for "the Orient" with over 200 tons of trade goods.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Six months later it hadn't met its rendezvous point at the Cape of Good Hope and was declared lost at sea," Pope said. "Early this morning of October 14th, 1808, the Obra Dinn drifted into port with sails damaged and no visible crew. As insurance adjustor for the East India Company's London Office, find means to board the ship and recover the captain's logbook for assessment."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Pope said that his goal for the game is to challenge himself to experiment with rendering, story, and a few technical features, so it will be very different from Papers, Please and his other previous games.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game will be built with Unity 3D, and will aim to emulate the look of old, black and white games for the Mac Plus, Pope's first computer.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I'm hoping to capture a compelling mystery with suspense and twists in the limited space of an old merchant sailing ship," Pope said. "It won't be the typical 'collect items and look for clues' structure. There's a slightly cool gameplay hook but I won't go into details on that until much later."</p><p style="">Pope's Papers, Please won this years <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/papers-please-wins-grand-prize-in-independent-games-awards-show/1100-6418419/">Seumas McNally Grand Prize</a> at the Independent Game Festival, as well as the Excellence in Narrative and Excellence in Design award.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 24 May 2014 12:17:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/papers-please-dev-announces-his-next-game-return-of-the-obra-dinn/1100-6419861/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-wasteland-2-s-opening-movie/1100-6419860/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOQFN6U0hSI" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FxOQFN6U0hSI%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DxOQFN6U0hSI&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FxOQFN6U0hSI%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">Developer InXile Entertainment has released the opening movie for its post-apocalyptic RPG <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/wasteland-2/">Wasteland 2</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The opening movie uses archival footage and live-action video. It recaps how the world we know destroyed itself in nuclear war, and introduces the heroic Rangers, who roam the wasteland, protecting innocent survivors from criminals, cultists, and cannibals.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Wasteland 2 is the sequel to the 1988 classic from Interplay Entertainment, which went on to create the original <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/fallout/">Fallout</a>. The project took to Kickstarter in 2012 hoping to raise $900,000, and eventually hit nearly $3 million in funding. That sum caused its <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wasteland-2-scheduled-for-october-2013/1100-6366649/">initial release target</a> of October 2013 to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wasteland-2-delayed-due-to-kickstarter-success/1100-6411838/">get pushed back</a> as the scope of the game was increased.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">GameSpot recently <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wasteland-2-early-access-review/1100-6419545/">reviewed the Early Access version of Wasteland 2</a>, finding that it "spectacularly balances the older style of classic PC RPGs and more modern sensibilities."</p><p style="">The full game is slated for release around "the end of August" 2014, on PC, Mac, and Linux.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p> Sat, 24 May 2014 11:32:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-wasteland-2-s-opening-movie/1100-6419860/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/warhammer-40-000-gets-the-unreal-engine-4-treatment-in-space-hulk-deathwing/1100-6419859/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6413978" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6413978/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/space-hulk-deathwing/">Space Hulk: Deathwing</a>, a first-person shooter set in Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 universe, is looking pretty great in its first batch of screenshots.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Based on Games Workshop's classic Space Hulk boardgame (which recently got <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/space-hulk-review/1900-6413794/">its own video game</a>), Space Hulk: Deathwing is being built on the Unreal Engine 4 by Streum On Studio, which previously developed <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e-y-e-divine-cybermancy/">E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy</a>. As you can see in the screenshots, Unreal Engine 4 looks like a natural fit for the Space Marines' bulky armor and the dark corridors of the Space Hulk where the game is set.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In Warhammer 40,000 fiction, a Space Hulk is a huge collection of wrecked ships, asteroids, and other debris fused together into one enormous body floating in space. In the game, you'll assume the role of Deathwing Librarian, who leads a squad of Space Marine Terminators through the alien-infested Space Hulk. You'll gain Fervor Points as you play, which you can then spend on four skill trees, allowing you to improve your abilities, unlock new powers, and access powerful relics and new weapons.</p><p style="">Publisher Focus Home Interactive has yet to announce a release date.</p><figure data-embed-type="gallery" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540490-4569135460-25386.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540491-6628410488-25386.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540492-3040017199-25386.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540493-3744946332-25386.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540490,1300-2540491,1300-2540492,1300-2540493" data-resize-urls="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540490-4569135460-25386.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540491-6628410488-25386.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540492-3040017199-25386.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540493-3744946332-25386.jpg" data-resized="" data-resize-url=""><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540490-4569135460-25386.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540490" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540490-4569135460-25386.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540491-6628410488-25386.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540491" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540491-6628410488-25386.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540492-3040017199-25386.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540492" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540492-3040017199-25386.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540493-3744946332-25386.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540493" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1535/15354745/2540493-3744946332-25386.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 24 May 2014 10:13:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/warhammer-40-000-gets-the-unreal-engine-4-treatment-in-space-hulk-deathwing/1100-6419859/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-testing-candy-crush-saga-inspired-version-of-peggle/1100-6419858/ <figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540446-peggle2.jpeg" data-ref-id="1300-2540446" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540446-peggle2.jpeg" data-ref-id="1300-2540446"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1535/15354745/2540446-peggle2.jpeg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Electronic Arts is currently testing a version of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/peggle/" data-ref-id="false">Peggle</a> that has a lot in common with Candy Crush Saga and other free-to-play mobile games.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Like King's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/93-million-people-play-candy-crush-saga-daily-do-you/1100-6417819/">immensely profitable Candy Crush Saga</a>, this new version of Peggle features a world map and common free-to-play monetization methods. If you lose all your lives, for example, you could either wait for a significant amount of time, or buy more via in-app purchases and continue playing immediately.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This version of Peggle is currently free to download from the New Zealand and Singapore iTunes App Stores. Mobile game developers often launch games or test new versions of them in smaller territories like New Zealand (Canada and Australia are two other popular testing grounds) and gauge the audience's reaction before rolling them out to bigger territories like North America.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Unfortunately, as <a href="http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPhone/Peggle+%28iPhone%29/news.asp?c=59596" rel="nofollow">Pocket Gamer reports</a>, EA didn't only launch this new version of Peggle in those territories, but also removed the original game from the app store.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We're exploring different ways to extend the fun of Peggle on mobile, and we're currently testing a free-to-play version of the game in Singapore and New Zealand," an EA representative told <a href="http://kotaku.com/ea-is-ruining-peggle-1580422686" rel="nofollow">Kotaku</a>. "It's important to note that we haven't finalized gameplay features or business model yet, and this free-to-play version of Peggle is part of a series of tests we'll be conducting in specific markets. We often test these experiences first to see if they resonate with our players."</p><p style="">The older, paid version of Peggle is still available to buy in other territories.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 24 May 2014 07:54:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-testing-candy-crush-saga-inspired-version-of-peggle/1100-6419858/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-funding-hits-44-million-milestone/1100-6419857/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540439-2160252157-Banu_.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540439" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2540439-2160252157-Banu_.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2540439"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2540439-2160252157-Banu_.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/wing-commander/">Wing Commander</a> creator Chris Roberts' <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/star-citizen/">Star Citizen</a> has just reached yet another funding milestone. The game's widely successful crowdfunding campaign has now raised a staggering $44 million, up from $43 million in late April.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In <a href="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/13888-Letter-From-The-Chairman-44-Million" rel="nofollow">a letter to the community</a>, Roberts said that his team is hard at work on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-launches-arena-commander-mode-this-month/1100-6419708/">Arena Commander</a>, a small, multiplayer-focused dogfighting mode that should launch on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-launches-arena-commander-mode-this-month/1100-6419708/">May 29</a>. "Getting to dogfight in deep space is going to make Star Citizen real for a lot of people," Roberts said. "But I also know that everyone who has supported us to this point already understands. Thank you for getting us here!"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">To mark the occasion, Roberts shared a piece of concept art for what he calls the "negotiation room," a place in one of the games' ships where traders can meet with other players, display their cargo, and make deals.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">All backers who contributed to Star Citizen before this point will get an additional "Stellar Cartography" room added to their hangers once the modular room system launches. This room will serve as a kind of map, featuring a 3D holographic representation of the game's universe that will get more detailed as you explore it.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Roberts revealed that If Star Citizen hits $46 million in funding, backers will get an updated scanning software suite, which could provide them with information on where to find resources.</p><p style="">Star Citizen is due to launch in full sometime in 2015. A total of 453,429 people have backed the project so far.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"> <em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 24 May 2014 07:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-funding-hits-44-million-milestone/1100-6419857/
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