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Archived News:
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Reports Results for Fiscal First Quarter
2015, showing a loss for the period, but noting the results are better than
expected, and shows "Non-GAAP revenue growth without the benefit of any major
new releases." Word is: "For fiscal first quarter 2015, Non-GAAP net revenue
grew 5% to $151.6 million, as compared to $144.3 million for the year-ago
period. Non-GAAP net loss narrowed to $11.2 million, or $0.14 per diluted share,
as compared to $47.1 million, or $0.54 per diluted share, for the year-ago
period." In the discussion of the up and downs of their business, they reveal a
delay to Evolve, presumably to ensure the upcoming first-person shooter
is intelligently designed. Evolve was expected in
October, but it has now been pushed back to February 10, 2015. Here's word:
Here's word on that: Announced that Evolve™, a new intellectual property
for next-gen consoles and PC developed by Turtle Rock Studios, the creators of
the cooperative shooter classic, Left 4 Dead, won more than 50 editorial honors
at the 2014 Electronic Entertainment Expo, including the coveted Game Critics
Award top honor for Best of Show. The title is now planned to launch globally on
February 10, 2015.
Activision Blizzard announces
second quarter 2014 financial results calling them "better-than-expected" as
they raise their financial outlook for the full year. Here are some numbers for
your crunching pleasure: "For the quarter ended June 30, 2014, Activision
Blizzard’s GAAP net revenues were $970 million, as compared with $1.05 billion
for the second quarter of 2013. On a non-GAAP basis, the company’s net revenues
were $658 million, as compared with $608 million for the second quarter of 2013.
For the second quarter of 2014, GAAP net revenues from digital channels
represented 49% of the company’s total revenues. On a non-GAAP basis, net
revenues from digital channels represented a record 73% of the company’s total
revenues. For the quarters ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, Activision Blizzard’s
GAAP earnings per diluted share were $0.28. On a non-GAAP basis, the company’s
earnings per diluted share were $0.06 for the second quarter of 2014, as
compared with $0.08 for the second quarter of 2013." Their accompanying list of
highlights says that Diablo III is still the bestselling PC game for some
unspecified period, and that subscribership for World of Warcraft is down to 6.8
million (putting its population somewhere between Togo's and Paraguay's). Here's
word:
- As of June 30, 2014, Blizzard Entertainment’s
Diablo III: Reaper of Souls remained the #1 PC game in dollars in both North
America and Europe and, including its expansion and digital sales, Diablo
III has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide across all platforms
since its release in 2012.
- As of June 30, 2014, Blizzard Entertainment’s
World of Warcraft remains the #1 subscription-based MMORPG, with
approximately 6.8 million subscribers. There was a decline in subscribers
quarter over quarter, which was disproportionately concentrated in the East
and was similar to the seasonal decline experienced during the second
quarter of 2012, prior to the launch of the most recent expansion later that
year.
Deep Silver announces that Sacred
3 is now out in North America, with versions of the action/RPG sequel
available for Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. A
new official launch
trailer show off the game, and here's an outline of what it's about: Sacred
3 features classic arcade Hack ‘n’ Slash action centered around drop in, drop
out cooperative multiplayer for both offline (2 players) and online (4 players)
play. The game brings back fan-favourite characters such as the Seraphim,
Ancarian, Khukuhru and the Safiri, as well as introduces a new character,
Malakhim. Each character class features its own unique skills and weapons, which
can be upgraded to match the player’s very own combat style. As they master the
art of war, players will fight their way through enemy hordes and try to
outshine their fellow companions on their way to become the greatest hero of
all. The inclusion of mission stats and online leaderboards will continue to
drive competition both locally and online. Victory Is Ours. Glory is Mine.
Continue here to read the full story.
Steam News announces the
release of The
Expendabros, a cross between the mindless throwback action of Broforce
and the mindless throwback action of The Expendables, a concept that's just one
Chuck Norris away from the kind of critical mass that could destroy humanity.
Since you can't place a price on something like this, the game is free. Here's
a launch trailer and word: The Expendabros
is Now Available on Steam and is free to play!
The Expendabros have assembled and set their sights on the forces of ruthless
arms dealer Conrad Stonebanks in the forests of Eastern Europe. Battle in a
flurry of bullets and non-stop action through ten full-throttle missions set
amongst the picturesque tree tops and the absurdly dangerous lumber mills
teeming with enemy soldiers, excessive artillery, and inconveniently placed
circular saws.
Continue here to read the full story.
EA Maxis now offers a free trial
version of SimCity, the most recent installment in their urban planning
series. They introduce this saying it's free for a limited time, and they are
serious, as the trial is good for a total of four straight hours, and the clock
starts ticking as soon as you first launch it, and continues running even if you
stop playing. This will require Origin be running in online mode as you play.
The trial is for Windows only, and
this FAQ is
intended to answer any questions this may raise. Thanks IncGamers.
This forum thread
about Toxikk discusses the underpinnings of this recently
announced first-person shooter and its claims of old-school 1999-style
gaming. A preliminary discussion of dedicated server and LAN support indicated
support for neither is planned, and there is a concerted effort from some of the
participants to convince them to reconsider this, noting that both features are
central to what the audience for such a game would expect. The latest word from
the developers is they are willing to listen to the feedback on this and discuss
alternative approaches. Thanks Joao.
Developer Spry Fox announces Road Not Taken is now available for Windows,
OS X, and PS4, with the PC versions offered
on Steam with a 20%
launch discount. Here's a bit on what they describe as a roguelike
puzzler: “It starts out looking like a simple puzzle game, but underneath
is a mysterious procedurally-generated world that is loaded with secrets.”
explained Daniel Cook, Chief Creative Officer of Spry Fox. “We tried to create a
life in miniature, where there’s no ‘best’ way to play. It’ll take the average
person dozens of hours to master all the various encounters and strategies in
Road Not Taken. And like most good roguelikes, it is not a forgiving game. You
can expect to die repeatedly.”
Players walk Road Not Taken as an enigmatic ranger and newcomer to a town which
every winter loses several of its children to the freezing, treacherous nearby
forest. Every year, your hero can opt to brave the brutal blizzards and
challenging labyrinths of the forest to rescue these trapped younglings. But
with a lifetime of only 15 years, and endless puzzling possibilities presented
by the constantly shifting routes, objects, obstacles, hazards and predators of
the forest, each venture into the woods is a test that requires careful thought.
Your actions (or inaction) will impact not only your own life’s story, but those
of the friends you make, loves you forge and village you call home.
That journey is bolstered by Spry Fox’s dynamic puzzle structure, deep crafting
system and distinctive artwork for Road Not Taken, featuring beautiful 2D sprite
design and evocative sound and music effects.
This
video is a new developer diary for Armored Warfare where some of the folks
from Obsidian introduce their upcoming vehicle-oriented combat game, focusing on
the large scale of the maps they are building, the realism of the game's
projectiles, weather conditions and their weather system, and more. Those
interested in what they see are encouraged to head over to the
official website and register for the beta.
Continue here to read the full story.
CapCom Unity has word that the console editions of Ultra Street Fighter IV
is now available, and that the Windows edition of the fighting game re-remake is
due on Friday. They offer a new
full retail launch
trailer to celebrate the news. Continue here to read the full story.
- DC Universe Online DLC on
Steam. Save 75%.
- Meridian4 10-Year Anniversary Sale on
Steam. Save 75%.
- State of Decay on
Steam. Save 66%.
- Wasteland 2 on
Kotaku. Thanks nin.
Origin
announces that
Wing Commander 3: Heart of the Tiger is being offered free as the latest
installment in their "on the house" program (thanks
IncGamers.com). This science fiction movie stars Malcolm McDowell; Mark
Hamill; John Rhys-Davies; Josh Lucas; Tim Curry; former porn star Ginger Lynn;
and John Schuck as Hobbes, a role that required he spend a grueling zero minutes
a day in the makeup chair. As a bonus, the movie also includes a full-featured,
first-person space shooter, with dogfights, capital ship missions, and
more. Since we're not sure our description in 100% accurate, here's
theirs: Professionally scripted and filmed in Hollywood, ORIGIN's
multi-million dollar production combines the entertainment of film-making with
the interactivity of computer gaming. The result is far more than an action
packed and spectacular spaceflight experience.
Become immersed in a futuristic adventure that combines Hollywood's movie making
expertise with the adrenaline-pumping game play of a space combat simulation.
You are the star, your actions will determine the eventual outcome of the Terran
Confederation. Adrenaline, romance, humor, danger - Wing Commander III has all
this and more.
This sequel completes the turbulent chronicles of the Terran-Kilrathi war. The
final showdown is near and only you can write the ending.
CapCom Unity announces plans to bring an enhanced remake of the Resident
Evil REmake to Windows, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 3
early next year, a modernized version of the 2002
beer-like game that improved upon the original Resident Evil from 1996. They
offer some screenshots, including side-by-side character comparisons, showing
the spiffed-up graphics this will feature, and describe an unusual pan-and-scan
feature that will allow the game to be played in widescreen using the original
4:3 graphics without cutting off any important action. Here's a bit from the
announcement: Since its 2002 release, this re-imagined take on the PS1
original has remained one of the most beloved (and requested) titles in the
series' history. From its incredible graphics and sound to numerous gameplay
refinements, it turned an already amazing game into a must-play experience. The
version you'll play next year, however, has additional enhancements to make it
the definitive vision of the Mansion Incident.
Epic Games announces the formation of Epic Games UK, saying their long-time
collaborator Pitbull Studio will form the basis of this and help drive Unreal
Engine 4 development in the region. "Pitbull has been essential in helping us
develop the best tools and technology for building the next generation of
games," said Tim Sweeney, Epic's founder and CEO. "They’ve been invested in
UE4’s evolution since its early beginnings, and their dedication is
unflinching." There are a bunch of jobs listed on the
Epic Games Careers page, a number of
which are in Guildford at the new studio.
The
Roberts Space Industries July 2014 Monthly Report is online, recapping last
month's progress in developing Star Citizen, RSI's upcoming space game
(thanks MammonLord). There is also an update to
the recent
post
on expanding multiplayer access, saying access is now open through Star
Citizen #350,000. Finally, a new
Letter from the Chairman on the Roberts Space Industries website celebrates
Star Citizen passing the $49 million mark in crowd-sourced funding, triggering
the Xi’An Space Plant goal for all current backers. In spite of the largess of
their backers, they explain why they are still working on funding the game: That’s
all thanks to you, Star Citizen’s backers. We’ve had a lot of questions about
why we still need to continue crowd funding. The answer is that that money is
letting Star Citizen tackle longer term features and content sooner than we
normally would. To sustain this level of development, we need to keep bringing
in additional funds. Star Citizen is still much less than the other published
backed AAA games that have similar levels of ambition (some would even say a
little less :-) ) like GTA V, Watch Dogs or Destiny.
We know that Star Citizen is an incredibly ambitious project, after all its
basically several high fidelity AAA games all rolled into one; a MMO Space Sim,
a First Person Shooter, a rich Single Player story and a fully-fledged Trading
and Economy game. I’m pretty sure this level of ambition is why the majority of
you backed. If I had pitched Star Citizen to a typical publisher, told them I
wanted all these features and wanted to make it just for a PC I would have been
laughed out of the room. (Of course, you all showed publishers that a AAA space
sim for the PC is no laughing matter!)
Our plan is to scale the team based on the crowd funding, with the goal to be
able to double down on development wherever it’s possible to do so. If we need
more artists to produce additional ships, we’d like to be able to hire them. Or
if we need more engineers to get a head start on some longer term technical
issue before it blocks other parts of development, we want that option! It’s the
new players hearing about Star Citizen and Arena Commander for the first time
and jumping in as well as sales like the M50 that enable us to continue to chase
our shared dream of the BDSSE to the highest fidelity. So thank you for your
support.
Here's a
community announcement with news that Guns and Robots is now
available on Steam,
offering a free-to-play MMORPG featuring both guns and robots. Here's word: Guns
and Robots brings robot action with massive customization. Players get cartoon
bright 3D graphics in attractive environments and challenge each other in open
arenas. Players begin their thrilling experience through the game by creating a
robot. Modification takes place in the garage where players can assemble their
bad ass robot creations. Guns and Robots features unlimited ways for players to
customize their robots and upgrade them. All items are upgradeable in the Tech
Tree where players can upgrade up to ten times their arsenal. They can also
paint modules or parts of their creations and choose from rich palette of
available colors.
Well we played around with recording our co-op gaming last night. The good news
is that using NVIDIA's shadow-play beta, the recording worked smoothly, but the
bad news is that there was something wrong in my audio settings, and the
recordings only contained my voice, and nothing from my companions, and no game
audio, so this it going to require more than zero advance preparation if it will
work. My sense of things as we went along was mixed... the good news is we
quickly lapsed into our normal ways with little self-consciousness, but the bad
news is this lead to lapses in conversation and breaks in the action that should
arguably be edited out to avoid things being too boring. Clearly further
experimentation is required.
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