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PlayStation Store redesign goes live in Australia, Europe and New Zealand with a rocky start
Sony vowed a long (long, long) overdue PlayStation Store remake starting this week, and it delivered just that today with launches in Europe as well as Australia and New Zealand. As promised, the PS3 shop’s cleaner design scales more elegantly from standard to high definition, brings more intelligent searching and makes it easier to find everything related to a given game. We still wouldn’t be too eager to dive in just yet, as there’s been hiccups early on — the sheer amount of traffic has reportedly brought the new store to a crawl, on top of teething issues with adding funds and recognizing PlayStation Plus memberships. Sony has promised fixes, but we’re suddenly not feeling so bad about having to wait for that October 23rd North American launch.
AMD launches its next-gen FirePro graphics card lineup, we go hands-on at SIGGRAPH (video)
Just as you’ve cozied up with “Tahiti” and “Cape Verde,” AMD has returned to grow its “Southern Islands” family of graphics cards with four fresh FirePros, offering up to four teraflops of graphics computing power. That spec can be found in the company’s new W9000, which is capable of four TFLOPs single precision and one TFLOP double precision with a price tag just shy of $4,000. That behemoth of a card offers 6GB of GDDR5 RAM and requires 274 watts of power. More humble members of the fam include the W8000, which has the same form-factor as the higher-end W9000, but eases back on the specs, consuming 189 watts of power and carrying a $1,599 price tag.
We had a chance to take a closer look at both cards at SIGGRAPH, and while they packed a significant amount of heft, you’ll likely never take a second look once they’re buried away in your tower rig. Fans of smaller housings (and price tags) may take notice of the W7000 and W5000, which are both considerably more compact and require less power to boot, with pricing set at $899 and $599, respectively. Those cards were also on hand for our demo, and can be seen along with the top two configs in our gallery below. You can also sneak a closer peek in the hands-on video after the break, and glance at the full specs over at our news post from earlier today.
Angry Birds land on Samsung Smart TVs, wage war with gestures
If your contempt for green swine runs deeper then you can express on a smartphone, maybe its time you took the war to something bigger. How about a Samsung Smart TV? According to the firm’s Flickr page, Rovio’s Angry Birds are once again taking their war to your living room, and will be utilizing the the platform’s motion control features. Sounds like Sammy’s Smart Interaction setup is good for a bit more than changing channels and browsing the web from your couch. Don’t own a Smart TV? Sit tight, your Xbox and its fancy Kinect sensor will have their day on the battlefield soon enough.
Cooler Master launches CM Storm QuickFire Pro Gaming Keyboard
Cooler Master has launched a new gaming keyboard called the QuickFire Pro. The keyboard is designed to be smooth, good-looking, and has laser engraved keycaps with a matte finish. The keyboard comes with an additional set of keycaps and a key removal tool allowing customization for gamers.
Underneath the keys are high-quality Cherry MX switches the give almost no lag and will last a long time while providing lots of tactile feedback. The keyboard has integrated cable management to keep the wires tucked away neatly.
The keyboard can plug into your computer via USB or PS/2 mode. The keyboard also has red LED backlighting around the commonly used gaming keys. The keyboard will launch this month at an unannounced price.
Mad Catz Cyborg M.M.O. 7 gaming mouse hands-on
Mad Catz’ Cyborg RAT series of adjustable computer mice has seen its fair share of minor revisions, and while wireless upgrades and whitewashed DPI tweaks have given consumers a hair of choice in transforming desktop pests, the differences between these devices has been modest, at best. Until now, at least. Enter the Cyborg M.M.O. 7, the outfit’s latest addition to its aggressively styled line of gaming mice, minus the RAT moniker. Despite shedding the name of its predecessors, Mad Catz’ latest point-and-clicker is as much of a RAT as the mice that came before it, but distinguishes itself with more buttons, more features and more color. Read on to see what’s new, what’s different and what should have stayed the same.
Netflix Drops Plans To Rent Video Games
Last Autumn Netflix announced that it would soon be starting to rent video games through its service. Unfortunately for anyone looking forward to this new features Netflix has this week announced that they will now be dropping plans for this. CEO Reed Hastings made the announcement in an investor earnings meeting call earlier today, explaining that the strategy is no longer one that the company finds viable.
The new games rental service was expected to to be part of the company’s Qwikster DVD-by-mail spin-off that was announced alongside Netflix’s streaming price increase last fall. However the Qwikster DVD-by-mail spin-off was soon closed after negative feedback from Netflix customers
Whether Netflix will re-address the service in the future has not been mentioned so if you were hoping to rent a game or two, you out of luck. But you can be sure that game rental company Gamefly will be very happy not having to deal with competition from Netflix.
Other announcements made this morning included notification that 3D, Blu-ray 3D discs are being sorted for addition to their range of products, and the company stated its still “looking into” streaming 3D, but has no plans to bid for current seasons TV series.
Source: LAT
The Last Of Us, Teaser Trailer Unveiled (video)
Sony has this week unveiled a new trailer for its new game “The Last of Us”, that will be exclusively created for the PS3 console. The new game is currently being developed by Naughty Dog, who also created Uncharted.
The Last of Us game blends both survival and action elements to tell a character driven story about a population decimated by a modern plague. Watch the teaser trailer after the jump to see a glimpse of the games story.
Within the Last of US game remaining survivors are killing each other for food, weapons and whatever they can find. Joel, a ruthless survivor, and Ellie, a young teenage girl who’s braver and wiser beyond her years, must work together to survive their journey across what remains of the United States.
Evan Wells, Co-President of Naughty Dog explains:
“We are excited to finally unveil The Last of Us, a project the team has been working hard on for some time,” “Naughty Dog’s mission is to change the way people experience videogames. We are confident The Last of Us will take a leap forward in cinematic gaming and storytelling, providing gamers with an experience unlike anything else in the industry.”
Source: PR Newswire
PS Vita shuns multiple accounts and in-game web browsing, disappoints FAQ lovers everywhere
Have a tendency to get stuck in games? Keep your laptop handy, the PlayStation Vita isn’t going to make getting tips any easier — an interview from AV Watch has revealed that Sony’s next generation handheld is a little stingy when multitasking. The console’s friends list, music and Twitter clients are in, but web browsing is out, blocked to ensure the Vita has more resources available for running games. This limitation could be off-putting to gamers who are used to mid-game internet FAQ checks to guide them through difficult bits of gameplay, a trick Nintendo’s 3DS handles smoothly. Family members hoping to share a console might run into a roadblock as well, as the Vita appears to be fairly conservative about its relationships — allowing only one PSN account per console. Sony’s Brad Douglas recently mentioned on Twitter that swapping accounts was possible, but that switching required a factory reset. Potential deal breaker? For some, maybe. For others? Just another item to the growinglist of things we hope to see in a future update.
Sony PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset review
Oh hey, Sony, how nice of you to join the party! The console gaming headset party, that is (no, Bluetooth earpieces don’t count). Over a year ago the company had us yearning for a PS3-oriented headset after letting loose its duo of Ultimate Weapons headgear for PC gamers. Then in May, a glimmer of hope shone upon us when its PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset was announced for the DualShock-wielding gamers — and priced at a modest $100.
There’s no doubt that this playing field’s been blanketed with a saturation of wallet-tempting selections (we’re looking at you MadCatz, Turtle Beach and Astro), but Sony’s official kit has a few tricks up its sleeve for a potential home run. Despite the moniker, it’s capable of virtual 7.1 surround soundand displays onscreen status reports exclusively when used with a PS3. We spent a few fragging-hours over PSN to hear how well we could pin-point our enemies with sound to keep the kill streaks coming. You’ll find out the answer by hitting that “read more” link below.
Xbox Live Fall 2011 Dashboard update preview: Bing search, voice control, and a Metro overhaul
Autumn is fast approaching — and you know what that means: it’s round about time for an Xbox Dashboard update. Sure, we got a peek of Microsoft’s upcoming harvest back at E3, but the good folks from Redmond invited us to take a closer look at what they’re calling the “most significant update to the Dashboard since NXE.” Senior project Manager Terry Ferrell was on-site to walk us through an early engineering beta and show us how an updated Metro UI, Bing search and deeper Kinect integration is going to change the way folks manage their entertainment content.
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Mad Catz Major League Gaming controllers offer swappable thumbstick layouts, fancy arcade buttons
If we didn’t already know those cats were mad about customizable controllers, we just got a reminder: the Mad Catz Major League Gaming Pro-Circuit Controllers. These professional-grade PS3 and Xbox 360 controllers allow competitive gamers to adjust the gamepad’s weight and swap out key components — such as exchanging the controller’s analog stick for a D-pad. Want your PS3 controller to have a Xbox 360 layout? No problem. If the insane kitty’s ambitious Onza competitor isn’t your thing, check out the MLG Tournament Edition Fightstick, featuring the same Sanwa Denshi components used in Japanese arcade cabinets. It may not have its sibling’s stick-swapping action, but its 13-foot controller cable, classic layout, and left-right stick toggle mode (for emulating the missing analog thumbstick) still aims to please. The Arcade Fightstick can be had now at the GameShark store to the tune of $160, but the Pro-Circuit gamepads aren’t due out until closer to the end of the year.
Microsoft tells Japanese gaming division to try, try again
Turns out, the home of Mario and Sonic is still a tough world to penetrate for Microsoft’s gaming division, despite its near-decade presence in the market. While homegrown Nintendo and Sony products receive much of the love and Yen, newly-hatched industry outsiders are left to fend for themselves. Having finally broached the one million mark in Japan for its five-year-old console, MS is shifting the focus to its Kinect launch failures. Unsurprisingly, the full-body motion control accessory hasn’t jump-kicked its way into as many Japanese hearts and households as the Ballmer-led company would like, so it’s shuffling the deck at its Japanese outpost in order to spin the strategy a bit differently. Announced via press conference today, Takashi Sensui — former head of the Home and Entertainment division — will now oversee the newly created Interactive Entertainment Business division. Also in the works are some very culturally-tailored IPs for the Kinect platform: the Suda51-produced Codename D and a version of Steel Battalion from Capcom. Whatever the result of this renewed push may be, it sure won’t be long before Microsoft gets to give Japan the old next generation college try. After all, third time’s the charm.
Kinect integration in Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, hands-off (video)
Microsoft’s E3 keynote may have exploded with deeper Kinect support, but nothing caught our eyes quite as sharply as Ghost Recon: Future Soldier’s rifle-exploding Gunsmith demo. A Ubisoft representative showed us how it’s done: separating your arms separates your deadly firearm into a gorgeous display of floating screws, components, and accessories, which can be effortlessly modified, swapped, and replaced with gesture and voice commands. Too picky to decide for yourself? Then don’t: just tell Gunsmith what you’re looking for. For instance, saying “Optimize for range” produces a weapon any sniper should be proud of — even better, we found that commanding Gunsmith to “optimize for awesome” birthed a rifle (pictured above) sporting an underbarrel shotgun attachment. A gun attached to a gun? Yeah, that works. Weapons can be tested in Gunsmith’s gesture-controlled firing range, an engaging shooting mode exclusive to the Gunsmith weapon editor and not usable in regular gameplay. Head past the break for a hands-on (figuratively speaking) video.
Nyko cures Kinect's farsightedness, brings bountiful battery life and alarm clock capability to the 3DS
E3 2011 is upon us, and you know what that means, a heaping helping of new gaming gear from Nyko. Zoom for Kinect is a set of clip-on specs that lets you get 40 percent closer to the sensor bar with no loss of function — so the studio apartment set can get in on the gesture gaming craze. Nyko’s Play Clock is a charging dock for Nintendo’s 3DS that doubles as an alarm clock, because you always wanted to turn your 3DS into an alarm clock. Nintendo’s new handheld could definitely use some longer battery life, however, so the company’s also rolling out three new extended battery packs for the 3DS. There’s the Shock n’ Rock that brings thrice the juice, “added vibration feedback,” and four speakers to your personal gaming party, while the Power Grip is an ergonomic external battery that also triples the 3DS’ battery life. Lastly, the Game Boost battery simply snaps on for an extra hour or two of gameplay. Prices and availability remain unsaid, but there’s eye candy in the gallery below and PR’s after the break.
Dead Island: 11 minuti di gameplay in video!
Dopo un paio di interessanti trailer (l’ultimo pubblicato solo qualche giorno fa) e una piccola carrellata di immagini ufficiali, torna a far parlare di se Dead Island, fantastico survival horror che non mancherà di appassionare moltissimi amanti del genere.
Stavolta ci troviamo di fronte ad una dimostrazione video in cui il personaggio protagonista va un po’ “a spasso” per l’isola della morte; compagni di viaggio saranno una bella mazza da baseball (chiodata) e un altrettanto affascinante — e affilatissimo — machete.
Il gameplay sembra abbastanza lineare; non vi è forse la frenesia vista in un gioco come Left 4 Dead, ma è ancora troppo presto per esprimere qualsivoglia giudizio in merito.
Ubisoft Motion Pictures Making 3D Assassin’s Creed, Splinter Cell And Ghost Recon Films
The newly formed film making division, Ubisoft Motion Pictures has announced they are currently making 3D versions of three of Ubisoft’s block buster games, Assassin’s Creed, Splinter Cell and Ghost Recon.
Ubisoft Motion Pictures will use the resources within the game developer Ubisoft working with some of its 23 studios, including Ubisoft Digital Arts and Hybride Technologies. Ubisoft Motion Pictures has also announced that they are also developing “Raving Rabbids,” a comic, CGI 3D cartoon series based on the hit vidgame and comprising 78 episodes of seven minutes each.
Ubisoft Motion Pictures is headed by former EuropaCorp CEO Jean-Julien Baronnet, along with Didier Lupfer, senior VP of production and development, and Jean de Rivieres, senior VP of international marketing and distribution.
Jean de Rivieres explains:
“Our strategy is not to diversify but to bolster the appeal of our franchises — that’s why we want to make sure our films will reflect the brands accurately and consolidate our fan base while expanding beyond the games’ primary target audience,”
The Modern Warfare 3 Files: Exclusive First Details on the Biggest Game of 2011
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is coming Nov. 8, 2011, Kotakuhas learned, delivering with it mammoth battles that engulf a dozen cities around the world including New York, Paris and London.
Multiple sources have shared details of the game’s story, art, sounds and game modes with Kotaku, noting that the game will reshape the landscape of the Call of Duty franchise, bringing an impressive number of eclectic settings, deep multiplayer gaming and a story that ties up nearly all loose ends from previous titles, including the final moments of key figures in the series’ history.
While we haven’t seen the game in action ourselves, we’ve gone to great lengths to nail down as much as possible the veracity of our sources. We believe that the imagery and chief details are accurate. That doesn’t mean things can’t change before release, but this appears to be a full run down of where Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software is on Modern Warfare 3 as they add the final polishing touches.
Mass Effect 3 Gameplay Details Revealed (video)
A few new details have been revealed about BioWare’s new sequel Mass Effect 3, which unfortunately has now had its launch date pushed back into 2012, due to additional tweaks and gameplay improvements, BioWare still needs to make.
The new details reveal that in mass Effect 3 the squad members will be reduced from 12 down to a more manageable number allowing gamers to become a little closer and develop deeper relationships between the characters. Watch the Mass Effect 3 Debut Trailer after the jump.
“We’re not going to have twelve again but we are going to do more with the characters on your squad including Liara, and Kaidan or Ashley. And we’re bringing everyone back – every main character is in Mass Effect 3 somewhere,” said director Casey Hudson.
BioWare is also looking to make combat within the game a more challenging, with enemy AI being improved and increased to make for more interesting fire fights. Gone are the days when you could huddle into a safe spot and pick your enemies off. Lead gameplay designer Christina Norman explains BioWare’s thoughts on combat positioning:
“We really want to make mobility a factor that plays into combat,” “You’ll always ask yourself, ‘am I in the right position on the battlefield? Where are my enemies? How am I going to get from point A to point B?’ Players should never be walking into these safe places with great cover and stay there for the whole fight. It’s about how you’re going to move through the battlefield as the enemies move through the battlefield, and how they’re reacting to one another and to you.”
Bioware also say the characters appearance with Mass Effect 3 will also be updated, and you can be sure more information will surface about their new game at next month’s E3 conference.
inFAMOUS 2: tre poteri speciali per chi pre-ordina negli Stati Uniti! (video)
Mentre si avvicina prepotentemente la data di uscita di inFAMOUS 2, la software Sucker Punch sta cercando di tenere alta la tensione e di invogliare il più possibile gli utenti a pre-ordinare il gioco.
I più fortunati sono senza dubbio tutti i giocatori americani i quali, dipendentemente da dove acquisteranno il gioco, saranno premiati con uno dei tre poteri speciali “dedicati” ad altrettanti importanti retailer a stelle e strisce.
Game developers want DirectX to 'go away,' says AMD man
Like a pesky video game villain that just won’t go away, Microsoft’s DirectX has been a mainstay of mainstream PC gaming pretty much since the inception. Its existence hasn’t been without its tensions, however, with notable graphics guru John Carmack of id Software ignoring it in favor of OpenGL — until last week when he finally acknowledged that Direct3D had outgrown its cross-platform alternative and was now the preferable API for PC game development. That’s all well and good, but plenty of game devs, says Richard Huddy, head of AMD’s developer relations team, don’t want any API at all. Huddy points out the sadly obvious fact that modern graphics cards can pretty much stomp any console hardware into the dirt in a straight fight and yet fail to show the full extent of their superiority in actual game visuals. He’d prefer to see developers given direct low-level access to the hardware, so they can maximize their own talents and really push things forward. Of course, the beauty of DirectX is that it’s a standard that every Windows game designer can code to, leading to predictable and more widely compatible (if not necessarily spectacular) results. For more on how the future’s shaping up, hit the links below.
