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Xbox chief says the Bethesda deal will deliver 'great exclusive games'
Phil Spencer claims Xbox's 'creative capability' will be the best it's ever been.
Confused about which console to buy? Just wait.
After months of speculation, we now have a clear picture of the next-gen consoles. If you haven't decided which to get, maybe you simply don't need one yet.
Jay Z's albums are disappearing from Apple Music and Spotify
If you were hoping to make Jay Z's "Lucifer" part of your "getting ready to go out" playlist tonight that could be tricky depending on the streaming service you use. That's because as MacRumors and 9to5Mac noticed, Beyoncé's husband has started pulling his solo catalog from the likes of Apple Music and Spotify in favor of his Tidal service. As of press time, Spotify still had singles and his collaboration with R. Kelly Unfinished Business on offer, but a bulk of Shawn Carter's albums are missing. A Spotify spokesperson confirmed the move, saying that "some of his catalog has been removed at the request of the artist."
'Hitman' blows his cover next week on PlayStation 4
The cold, calculated killer known only as Agent 47 returns to do what he does best sooner than we thought. That's assuming you have a PlayStation 4 and have pre-ordered the next game starring the cloned assassin, of course. While it might be going a different direction in terms of structure (multi-season, downloadable and episodic versus a traditional retail release), publisher Square Enix is sadly clinging to old methods of promo.
Tidal's Rihanna exclusive drove a ton of interest in the app this week
Rihanna released her long-awaited new album ANTI earlier this week, her first release since 2012's Unapologetic. It was a surprise launch, and it had a twist: Rihanna offered it up for free in partnership with Tidal and Samsung. They offered 1 million free copies, which ran out less than two days after the announcement; to get the album, you had to install the Tidal app and get a download redemption code. The album is now out to buy on iTunes, but Tidal retains the exclusive streaming rights for Rihanna's latest, at least for now -- you can't stream it on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play Music or the rest.
Amazon Launchpad helps startups get products to customers
If you're an inventor, then your expertise probably lies in developing hardware and software rather than knowing the ins-and-outs of the logistics business. Amazon is hoping to help these individuals with Launchpad, a system that lets startups harness the company's vast marketing and transportation resources. Essentially, if you run a venture capital-backed startup or have made a splash on Indiegogo, then you can send Amazon a box of devices and Jeff Bezos will take care of the rest. For instance, Launchpad will be one of the first places that you can buy Thync's mood-changing wearable and Eero's distributed WiFi hardware.
Apple's new music service will reportedly cost $10 a month
Rumors that Apple is going to debut its retooled music offering at WWDC next week are nothing new. However, in a report by The Wall Street Journal comes word that the streaming service will be priced at $10 a month when it's announced in a matter of days. That would put the unlimited Beats Music/iTunes listening option right in line with Spotify, Rdio and Tidal in terms of pricing. Previous reports indicated that Apple thought Beats' price was too high, but it seems knocking a few dollars off of the monthly subscription may not be part of the strategy to lure new users.
Foresee a trip to GameStop if you want the Shulk Amiibo
Shulk is the first Amiibo unearthed as retailer-exclusive in the US, according to a listing on GameStop. The figurine of the Xenoblade hero is one of 11 coming to North America in February 2015, and yesterday Nintendo said "some of our retail partners will be releasing a certain number of these as exclusive figures, so stay tuned for details." Nintendo didn't say which Amiibos are exclusive to which retailers, but we're guessing that "certain number" isn't 1. Anyhow, the other ten toys due in February are Rosalina & Luma, Bowser, Lucario, Toon Link, Sheik, Ike, Meta Knight, Sonic, King Dedede and Mega Man.
Valve won't develop exclusive games for SteamOS, Steam Machines
Half-Life 3, if it exists, will not be exclusive to Valve's SteamOS or Steam Machines, nor will Portal 3, Left 4 Dead 3 or Team Fortress 3, if those games are in the works. Valve will not develop a game exclusive to SteamOS or Steam Machines, designer Greg Coomer told IGN. "You won't see an exclusive killer app for SteamOS from us," Coomer said. "We're not going to be doing that kind of thing." Valve spokesperson Anna Sweet added, "That would go against our whole philosophy, to launch something that's exclusive to SteamOS or Steam Machines." Sweet doesn't even want third-party games to be exclusive to Steam products: "Whenever we talk to third-party partners, we encourage them to put their games in as many places as possible, including not on our platforms. Because we think that customers are everywhere, and they want to put their games wherever customers are." Engadget did some open-box surgery on the Steam Machine prototypes Valve is sending out to 300 beta testers, and it went hands-on with the Steam Controller. Coomer told Engadget to expect more information on Steam Machines at CES in January.
Xbox One getting 15 exclusive games in its first year from Microsoft Studios [Update]
Update: The exclusive games are coming from Microsoft Studios specifically, as the announcement was made by studio head Phil Spencer. There may be more exclusive games for the system in its first year, depending on the Xbox One's third-party support. The Xbox One will receive at least 15 exclusive games in the system's first year, Microsoft announced at today's next-gen Xbox reveal event. Of the 15 games, eight of them will be brand-new franchises. At the event, EA's Andrew Wilson revealed that four EA Sports games in the FIFA, Madden, EA Sports UFC and NBA Live series will launch with the Xbox One, though none were named as exclusive to the system. Remedy announced Quantum Break at the event as well.
RIFT launch-day roundup
The day many MMO gamers have been waiting for is here -- it's time for the official launch of Trion Worlds' epic fantasy MMO, RIFT! For those of you who decided not to take the pre-order plunge and will instead be starting with the second wave of players, we've assembled a pile of posts to help speed you on your way. From some of our spotlight columns and impression postings on the game to exclusive soul reveals and more, there's a little something for everyone. So grab your favorite beverage, fire up your installer or downloader, and settle in for some of the highlights of our RIFT coverage. Of course, if you manage to make it through all of these posts before you're able to log in and play, there are tons of other great information in our RIFT archives to check out as well! Enter At Your Own Rift: The first day FAQ For this week's Enter At Your Own Rift, we'll take a look at a few common questions that players might have. Are you wondering about how to form a guild? Have you already made a soul build that you regret and want to reset? Are you lost trying to find an auctioneer or a mount merchant? Read on for some answers! Ten levels of RIFT: A guide to your first day in Telara With two RIFT beta events under my belt, I was given the supreme honor of creating a guide to the first 10 levels of the game. Naturally, I fell apart under the stress, assumed the fetal position for a couple days while whimpering about "frame rates," and then was prodded into action by our editors. That's quite literally "prodded," mind you -- Massively purchased a pair of cattle prods last year at a police auction. It's going to be years until the scorch marks fade from my spine.
Massively Exclusive: Darkspore reveals the Viper
Unless you're relatively new to gaming, you've undoubtedly heard of Maxis -- the developer behind the The Sims. Maxis and Electronic Arts have decided to use concepts from Spore to create a brand-new dungeon-crawling isometric online RPG called Darkspore -- and we've secured an exclusive first look at the Viper hero that gamers will be able to play in this upcoming title. With venomous damage-over-time attacks, enormous blades built into its muscular body, and the ability to add even more spines covered in poison, this beast is deservedly subtitled the "toxic ravager." It's got lots of damage, lots of carnage, and by the looks of it, lots of fun! While this is one of those borderline-in-the-MMOeque-neighborhood type of games, we understand the world is persistent, and players will be able to gather gear and customize their characters as they level up within the powerful Spore engine. Darkspore will feature both a single-player mode and groups of four players in the basic co-op multiplayer modes. We haven't heard concrete numbers on PvP battles, so perhaps the game will cross into the truly massive at that point. For now, you can check out the exclusive video for Darkspore's newest hero, Viper, behind the break.
Trion details RIFT collector's edition
Start salivating, RIFT fans, as Trion has taken the wraps off its collector's edition plans for the upcoming fantasy MMORPG. The limited packaging will feature the requisite in-game items including a level 20 turtle mount, a satchel that boosts inventory space, and a Bogling Wastrel pet. If you opt to purchase the retail box version of the collector's edition, you'll get the aforementioned items plus the Telara Chronicles graphic novel hardcover, a RIFT-emblazoned gaming mouse, the official game soundtrack, and an 8GB USB drive featuring the RIFT logo. Pre-order customers will be able to select one of three unique pets, and depending on their pre-order retailer of choice, they'll also receive exclusive weapon enhancements. Full details are available via the official RIFT website.
Exclusive: Aion's Beshmundir Temple goes hard mode
Assault on Balaurea has been a part of Aion for nearly two months now. Are you getting bored yet? If you feel like you've done all of the new content so much that it's a snooze, get ready for a new challenge. Beshmundir Temple is going into hard mode. Aion developers have been hard at work on this for a long time, and they've prepared a huge guide for the PowerWiki. You'll find advice, walkthroughs, details on the named bosses, and much more. The guide will be released next week, but Massively got an exclusive look at it ahead of time. We've formatted it all up into a handy overview for you, so follow along after the jump for a look at what Beshmundir Temple hard mode has to offer!
Sony's Dyer emphasizes first-party PS3 strength over third-party exclusives
In a new interview with Industry Gamers, SCEA's senior vice president of publisher relations, Rob Dyer, shared a candid view on platform-exclusive titles -- particularly when they're on that other platform. "Look, we're not going to get the exclusive games," he said. "The Mass Effects, Gears of Wars and Left 4 Deads aren't going to happen nearly as often. But we have our own first-party development and exclusives like Final Fantasy XIV and Agent. Exclusives just aren't as commonplace as they were during the PS2 days. What is going to be the driving force is either exclusive ad campaigns, like the Madden campaign, or exclusive content like we had with Batman." He went on to contrast Sony's considerable first-party firepower with the "very few" developers at Microsoft Game Studios. "So rather than putting their money behind that, they've been going to Epic or Valve or BioWare to do what they did with Mass Effect, and that's where they throw their dollars." Microsoft's money lobbing appears to have paid off for EA, as the Xbox 360 version of Mass Effect 2 sold 572,000 copies in the U.S. within six days. Did consumers care whether its development was internal, external or bought? (Will they care when the Square Enix-developed Final Fantasy XIV arrives on PS3?) According to Dyer, the PlayStation 3's growing install base now does "better for our publishing community than 360 does." Since the PlayStation 3's installed base grew by a greater percentage than the Xbox 360's, "particular" titles have taken the lead on Sony's system. Of course, with more PS3 owners leaping into the fray, more of them are buying games which may have already sold in to the larger Xbox 360 crowd in previous installments (think: Guitar Hero). "As our installed base starts catching up and gaining on 360, you're going to see the publisher side much quicker get to par than even if we had the same number of [360 hardware] units," Dyer said. That's a notable "if" -- if buying trends remain the same, if the 360 doesn't experience its own growth burst -- but it's hard to argue the PS3's improved fortunes in recent times. And who could resist all those exclusives? [Special Thanks: Michael Pachter]
Fallen Earth arrives on Impulse, offers more exclusive attire
If you play Fallen Earth and are resolutely dedicated to having as many unique pieces of clothing as possible for your character, you probably already have a couple extra copies from your need for faction-centric t-shirts and a really awesome hat. Add another one on to your list as the game moves on to the Impulse digital distribution store, offering two exclusive items for purchase: the Fancy White Boots and the Snazzy White Hat. It's unlikely that you'd purchase the game again just for a pair of boots and a hat, of course, but for new players these both promise to be quite the enticement. The boots are the more durable of the two, offering 31 primary armor, 20 secondary, and 10 tertiary, as well as a 3% bonus on all saving throws. The hat, on the flip side, offers about half of the armor and a bonus to the Scavenging, Nature, and Geology skills, excellent boosts for any new character. The game's array of extra items are all offering roughly the same overall bonus, but they give reason to pay attention as it spreads to different distribution methods, not to mention keeping the game fresh in people's mind. So if you haven't given Fallen Earth a try yet, perhaps the promise of some fancy white dancing shoes with matching hat will get you moving.
Become a fan of Massively, win cool stuff
If you're a fan of this website -- and I mean seriously, who isn't? -- then we have a special new group for you. Our brand new Facebook fan page has been created, and we want you to be a part of it!Why should you join this group? Simple: free stuff and exclusives! As a fan of our Facebook page (not to be confused with our Facebook group), you'll get special beta keys, in-game item codes and other offers earlier than anyone else! We'll also be able to alert you to special exclusives and discussions aside from what goes on in the comments of this website.Head on over to this link to join the fan page and thanks for being a fan!
Fallen Earth Twitter screenshot exclusives coming to a close
Have you been following Fallen Earth on Twitter lately? If not, you have missed out on some exclusive screenshots the team has been featuring on their Twitter feed throughout the last week.But don't fret! They couldn't just keep them entirely secret from the rest of us. Compiled into a gallery, these new screenshots show some more of the game that is still set to launch within Q2 09, last we've heard. There are some shots of ghouls, burning cars, burning ghouls on cars and our personal favorite, a collection of a few available mounts compiled into one shot (shown above). So if you're not already, go ahead and follow the Fallen Earth team on Twitter. Who knows, they may have more of these exclusives soon!
Sony 'Pub Fund' paying off for PSN-exclusive devs
Announced during GDC 2009, Sony's development-cost-matching scheme, "Pub Fund," is already garnering praise from the first company to take advantage of it. Burn Zombie Burn studio Doublesix tells Develop that the program -- which matches a PSN game's production costs in royalties, in exchange for PS3 exclusivity -- is "invaluable," not only in terms of funding, but marketing support as well.James Brooksby, studio head of Doublesix, spoke to other developers, saying, "I think there's a number of other ways in which the Pub Fund can help you, not least because Sony suddenly has a more vested interest in your product's success." Since Sony is looking for a good return on its considerably sizable investment, not everyone can get on the Pub Fund. "Obviously there will be a level of quality expected from Sony's side, so not everyone will be suitable for Sony either," said Brooksby."We put a lot of money into the marketing of Burn Zombie Burn," Brooksby said. "And our own funding, along with Sony's, helped achieve great exposure for the game." That exposure has left the developer "absolutely delighted" with BZB's sales to date, and, according to Brooksby, the team is already at work on its next title -- no doubt with the assistance of the Fund.
David Reeves talks exclusivity, unannounced games and PSP
Eurogamer recently sat down with David Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, to discuss his views on the PS3, PSP and where they both stand. With regards to exclusive games, Reeves toed the company line, stating that "you can't live on exclusivity forever; in the end, you've got to be master of your own destiny." By investing in third-party partnerships -- and first-party acquisitions like Guerrilla Games -- Sony removes the need to rely on publishers for exclusive content. "We don't have to go to Capcom or Take-Two and ask for an exclusive. And I don't think we could afford it anyway. In the cold light of day, I would do exactly as those publishers have done and go multi-platform." When asked about any unannounced PS3 titles for later in the year, he indicated that "there are a couple." Look for those to be announced soon, possibly in "the next four to six weeks." Reeves goes on to discuss the PSP, saying that the system's need for "better and more original games" has not yet been met, but that "the line-up for PSP in 2009 is two or three times stronger than it was last year." It sounds promising, especially considering the number of great Japanese games that are in development for the system. Hopefully we'll see them heading West this year, too.
