Runic Games tweets a New Year's wish that reveals the company sold over a million copies of
Torchlight 2, the action/RPG sequel (thanks Joao). Here's word:
We had an amazing 2012, and proud to say that #Torchlight2 has sold over 1 million units! Thank you! Happy New Year's Eve everyone :)
Happy New Year! Here's to 2013 being different from the years preceding it in more than
just trivial ways. We had a quiet New Year's Eve here in the BlueTower, which was great. This turned out to be by choice, as I solved the problem of our car refusing to start. I expressed concern that we had a bigger issue than a dead battery since the engine cut out after turning on the lights following a jumpstart, but that may just have been due to how far gone the battery was, as the terminals were caked with corrosion. A little cleanup and a new battery have set things right for the moment, though if there is some sort of alternator issue or minor drain at work, it may take a while for the new battery to fail, so we shall see. I hope everything worked out as conveniently for all of you as well, and that everyone had a safe and happy celebration.
EA has updated its list of
Service Updates, revealing multiplayer servers that are hitting end-of-life (thanks
Polygon). They say such decisions are never easy, explaining: "We would rather our hard-working engineering and IT staff focus on keeping a positive experience for the other 99% of customers playing our more popular games. We hope you have gotten many hours of enjoyment out of the games and we appreciate your ongoing patronage." They also announce a change for their free-to-play games, saying they will all begin using the same virtual currency called "Play4Free Funds," a name which may strike users as ironic when they pay for them. There are only a few PC titles impacted:
The Sims 2 for PC/MAC and TheSims2.com will shut down on January 14,
FIFA Soccer 11 for PC and consoles will conclude on January 11, and
FIFA Manager 11 for PC ends on January 3.
An email from Amazon to customers who have preordered
Grand Theft Auto V says the console edition of the open world action sequel is due on March 26, 2013, reports
Guru3D, where they reproduce the mail showing a March 27th delivery date. This is unconfirmed, and historically release dates revealed by retailers have been a mixed bag in terms of accuracy, though it bears noting that that date would fit the game's
previously announced spring release window. They also say "The PC version is still scheduled a few month [sic] later," though there is no indication of where that tidbit originated. Thanks
HARDOCP.
Capcom-Unity announces an opportunity for those in the Bay area to get hands-on play on
DmC: Devil May Cry at their offices, which will include the chance to see some previously unrevealed areas in the Devil May Cry brawler. They also note that since the game will be rated M, participants must be 17 years of age or older, or be accompanied by an adult guardian.
The industrious folks at GfK Chart-Track continue to work through the holidays to keep us up to date on the bestselling games in the U.K. The
full-price PC entertainment chart has 19 of last week's 20 listings returning, with Katy Petty sneaking her sweet treats back onto the #20 spot, and
Football Manager 2013 retaining the number one position. The
all platforms chart is steady too, though
Far Cry 3 moved into the top spot this week.
Look at that, another New Year's Eve is upon us! Here's wishing you a good one and hoping however you celebrate turns out to be safe as well as happy. It looks like our chances of remaining safe here have been bolstered by the fates, as our car refused to start over the weekend. The battery was dead, so I jumped it, but the engine cut out when we tried to turn on the lights, so the drained battery seems to be a symptom of a more significant electrical issue. I may pick up a new battery today anyway, but it seems likely we need a repair, which is not likely to happen before Wednesday, so any going out we do between now and then will have to involve cabs and other public transportation.
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