Archived News:
Take-Two Interactive Fiscal Third Quarter 2014 results are online, with the
usual eye-popping numbers that surround the release of a new Grand Theft Auto
game, saying that Grand Theft Auto V has sold over 32.5 million units to
date. They are raising their outlook for the full year, which they say will be
record setting, and lay claim to being "the top video game publisher of 2013."
Here are the big numbers: "For fiscal third quarter 2014, GAAP net revenue
increased to $1.86 billion, as compared to $415.8 million for fiscal third
quarter 2013. GAAP net income from continuing operations was $578.4 million, or
$4.69 per diluted share, as compared to $70.9 million, or $0.66 per diluted
share, for the year-ago period. As of December 31, 2013, the Company had cash
and cash equivalents of $972.2 million."
A
Steam Community announcement from Friday outlines plans to beta test Steam
music soon, a service that will make it easier to enjoy your own music
collection while playing games. Here's an outline of what the beta will involve:
"With this beta, we’re getting started with what we believe to be the most
fundamental set of features to offer a great music listening experience within
Steam. As always, our next steps for the feature will be influenced by your beta
feedback, so please share your feature requests, thoughts, and experiences in
the music discussions. Happy listening!" Those interested in the beta should
join the Steam Music
group. Thanks
Gamasutra.
The Enemy Front website
now says this World War II shooter is expected for release this summer for
Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, a far cry from the 2012 release window the
game was announced with, though that was
before the departure of
designer Stuart Black. Narrowing this further, there's a flier from the game
on EGMNOW that suggests it's coming in June. Thanks
Videogamer. Here's a reminder about the game: ENEMY FRONT is the first
truly modern WW2 FPS, featuring stunning visuals, open-ended levels and a richly
interactive combat experience that breaks out of the standard model of highly
linear scripted FPS experiences, giving the player full freedom to own their
playing style. Intense Combat, Sniping, Stealth and Sabotage – all are viable
approaches for the player, maximizing player engagement and
replayability.
Heat Signature is an upcoming game from designer Tom Francis, since the release of his
breakout game Gunpoint has allowed him to cast
aside the shackles of game journalism to take up game development full time
(thanks
Rock, Paper, Shotgun).
Tom's website is
how to keep up with this, and there are already a couple of videos there
explaining this is
a stealth space game about temperature and
a game about sneaking aboard randomly generated spaceships. He also notes
that his main focus is still a prototype
grappling hook game, even though that sounds less fleshed out than this.
Here's word: So you can jet around an infinite galaxy super fast, but your
thrusters generate heat, and enemies can detect that from far away. The closer
you want to get to them, the cooler you have to stay, and the more precise you
have to be with your thrusters. And to take them out, you have to physically
clamp onto their hull and shut down their systems.
Continue here to read the full story.
- Aqua Kitty - Milk Mine Defender on
Steam. Save 10%.
- CastleMiner Z on
Steam. Save 15%.
- Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut on
Steam. Save 75%.
- Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 on
GameStop PC
Downloads. Save 35%.
- RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Platinum on
Steam. Save 75%.
- Sword of the Stars: The Pit Soundtrack on
Steam. Save 25%.
- Wasteland 1 – The Original Classic on
GOG.com.
Save 60%.
- Weeklong Deals on
Steam.
Link of the Day:
This
Is An Incredible Parallel Parking Job. I'm guessing it's staged from the
junkers he passed, but hey.
Thanks nin.
Respawn Entertainment's Vince Zampella has tweeted out a couple of reassurances
that the recently confirmed
Titanfall beta that should launch on February 14th will not be exclusive to
preorder customers of the mech shooter,
saying
the beta is "NOT pre-order only"
and that
it "will not require a pre-order, but no more details than that yet... =/"
Thanks
Polygon.
Amazon.com now lists a May 31st release date for the digital edition of
Dark Souls II, specifying that this is only for customers with U.S. billing
addresses. This is still unconfirmed, though, as Namco Bandai/Bandai Namco has
not yet revealed an official release date for From Software's action/RPG sequel.
Thanks
Destructoid.
Telltale
tweets that the continuation of their episodic Walking Dead series is
shambling ever closer, saying: "The next chapter of #TheWalkingDead Season 2 is
just around the corner. Stay tuned for info!
pic.twitter.com/1TzLFut559." Thanks
CVG.
Battlefront.com is now
accepting preorders for Combat Mission: Red Thunder, the next
standalone installment in the Close Combat series of World War II strategy
games. Preorders get a 10% discount over their normal download and digital
distribution combo, a special tin case, two printed manuals, and more. Here's
word: Battlefront.com is proudly announcing today a major new title in its
series of tactical WW2 combat simulations: Combat Mission: Red Thunder! For the
first time in ten years, Combat Mission returns to the Eastern Front. And with a
vengeance.
CM Red Thunder jumps right into the thick of the hard fought battles during
Summer 1944 when Operation Bagration took the Soviet forces from the swamps of
Belarus to the gates of Warsaw. Experience the most balanced period of tactical
warfare on the Eastern Front, even as the Axis' strategic ability to wage war
began to collapse. Play out historical battles and campaigns or create your own
customized Quick Battles. All new units, new terrain, and new features make this
a must have for all Combat Mission fans.
The top three titles remain unchanged on a fairly static
full-priced PC game U.K. sales chart on GFK Chart-Track where Football
Manager 2014 continues to kick ass at number one on a chart which is 45%
The Sims 3 titles. On the top 40
all platforms/all prices chart there's a brand new (sort of) game in the top
spot as Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition debuts at number one. Here's
the write-up:
Square-Enix’s ‘Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition’ debuts at No1 as a
next-gen PS4/XB One re-launch of last years ‘Tomb Raider’ re-boot (debuted in
week 10, 2013 as what turned out to be the fourth biggest week 1 seller on the
All Formats in 2013).
EA’s ‘FIFA 14’ (-4%) drops to No2 and is less than 500 sales behind. Given the
scarcity of releases at this time of year, ‘FIFA 14’ will be hoping to re-take
No1 next week which would give the title entrance to the small elite club of
products that have aquired 10 weeks at No1 on the All Formats Chart (currently
10 titles).
The rest of the Top 10 remains pretty much unchanged, with Activision’s ‘Call of
Duty: Ghosts’ down 1 place at No3 (+19%), EA’s ‘Battlefield 4’ down 1 place at
No4 (-5%) and Warner’s ‘LEGO Marvel Super Heroes’ also down 1 place to No5
(+11%).
The Steam Hardware & Software
Survey January results are online, revealing trends among the Steam user
base.
There are no dramatic changes that jump out from this, though
The Next Web notes that Windows 8 and 8.1 adoption has crept past the 20%
mark. Thanks
HARDOCP.
A new video development
update shows off more of Limit Theory,
the upcoming procedural space game from a one-man development team (thanks
JDreyer). The clip accompanies a
Kickstarter update with the latest on this impressive-looking
project: January was the first month in which we saw a real connection
between the world and the player (at least, since LTP). The HUD is that
connection, and with a solid framework in place, the window is now open for a
whole new level of interactivity. Having built the scanner gameplay and UI in
about a day, I hope I've at least partially convinced you that powerful tools
are the key to building a great game. With the completion of this month, those
tools - the UI, the renderer, the HUD overlay, the node interactions - have
never been in better shape.
Going forward, I can only reiterate what I said last month: 2014 is going to be
big. I hope you'll all agree that we're off to an auspicious start
:)
Continue here to read the full story.
Happy Groundhog Day, as today marks the convergence of two of the Blue Tower's
favorite occasions, with it also being Super Bowl Sunday. Word is our local
Staten Island Chuck and nearby
Punxsutawaney Phil each saw their shadows, scientific proof we should expect
six more weeks of wintery weather, though
Shipoke Sheena contradictorily says to expect an early spring, and she's not
phar phrom Phil, if you'll phorgive the phorced alliteration. I hope she turns
out to be right, because the six or so weeks of winter we've gotten so far
around these parts have been pretty rough, and some warmth and sunshine will be
welcome. Speaking of welcome, yes, the Super Bowl is tonight, and I certainly am
looking forward to that, as always. This year's game holds a lot of promise,
too, as it embodies so many classic conflicts: The AFC's one seed versus the one
seed from the NFC, offense versus defense, the old QB versus the kid, the run
versus the pass, good versus evil, orange orange versus lime green ... this one
has it all.
R.I.P.:
Sources: Philip Seymour Hoffman dead of apparent drug overdose. And
Philip Seymour Hoffman's Everyman greatness.
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