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Over 60 games discounted in PlayStation Anniversary Sale
To celebrate the twentieth birthday of the PlayStation brand, Sony is hosting a digital sale on a wide swath of games for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Vita and PSP. Highlights of the sale include Killzone: Shadow Fall at $24, Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City and Vice City Stories at $4 a piece and Mass Effect 2: Ultimate Edition at $14. If you prefer games from the original PlayStation era, you'll find digital re-releases of Final Fantasy 7, 8 and 9 each priced at $6 and Jet Moto at $3. As with all PlayStation Network sales, these discounts are even larger for PlayStation Plus subscribers. For a full rundown of all the games on sale, visit the PlayStation.blog. The PlayStation 20th Anniversary Sale ends on January 19. [Image: Sony]
All but one of Sony's arguments against Killzone lawsuit dismissed
A federal judge has ruled that a class action lawsuit concerning the resolution of Killzone: Shadow Fall may proceed once the lead plaintiff files an amended complaint, according to a release from the US District Court. Lead Plaintiff Douglas Ladore's initial complaint, as reported in August by Courthouse News, alleges that Sony's claim of "razor-sharp 1080p native resolution" is false advertising, as Ladore claims Shadow Fall's multiplayer becomes "blurry to the point of distraction." Shadow Fall developer Guerrilla Games released a statement addressing the game's resolution, explaining that a technique called "temporal reprojection" is used in multiplayer, which "combines pixels and motion vectros from multiple lower-resoultion frames to reconstruct a full 1080p image." The statement added, "If native means that every part of the pipeline is 1080p then this technique is not native." In the recent ruling, US District Judge Edward Chen dismissed all but one of Sony's arguments - Chen agreed Ladore's negligent misrepresentation claim cannot stand in its current state, as Ladore did not present a non-economic loss (such as personal injury or property damage) suffered in relation to his purchase of Shadow Fall. However, Chen granted Ladore 30 days to file an amended complaint, in case he can "sufficiently allege that he or other putative class members suffered such non-economic damages." [Image: Sony]
Killzone turns ten, deploys DLC gifts for Shadow Fall
Guerrilla Games is giving away a collection of Killzone: Shadow Fall DLC to commemorate the tenth anniversary of its multiple console generation-spanning Killzone franchise. Classic Killzone 2 multiplayer map "Radec Academy" returns in Killzone: Shadow Fall as a free download this week, supporting both competitive and cooperative matches. A second co-op map, "The Weapons Facility," is also available for free today. This week additionally marks the launch of Shadow Fall's 10th Anniversary Expansion Pack, which bundles new voice modules, character skins, icons, and crosshair customization options. The 10th Anniversary Expansion Pack is available as a free download for Shadow Fall Season Pass buyers, and is priced separately at $9.99. [Video: Guerrilla]
Killzone: Shadow Fall drops three new multiplayer maps
Sony dished out three free maps for Killzone: Shadow Fall today, the publisher's FPS that launched with the PS4 last November. One of the maps is The Statue, a competitive affair that takes place at a Scolar Visari memorial statue surrounded by scaffolding. A trailer for The Statue map can be found after the break. The other two maps, The ATAC Tower and The Canal, feature cooperative multiplayer action. Players that want to check out those two levels must also own Killzone: Shadow Fall Intercept, either in its add-on expansion form or the standalone version. The DLC launched in June, while the lone Intercept download arrived last month. For an extensive look at Intercept, check out our archived stream of the DLC from July. [Image: SCEA]
Sony sued over Killzone: Shadow Fall's 1080p promises
A California class-action lawsuit alleges Sony Computer Entertainment America engaged in "deceptive marketing" of Killzone: Shadow Fall for PS4 when it advertised the game running in 1080p. After launch, Digital Foundry found that the multiplayer portion of Shadow Fall runs in upscaled 960 x 1080 resolution, a step below 1080p – and law firm Edelson PC and plaintiff Douglas Ladore see a case there. The suit, on behalf of Ladore and "all others similarly situated," seeks damages of more than $5 million. It also calls for Sony to more accurately advertise Shadow Fall's multiplayer resolution. "Sony admitted that it did not in fact design Killzone to display multiplayer graphics in 1080p, but instead used a technological shortcut that was supposed to provide 'subjectively similar' results," the suit argues. "But Sony never advertised and convinced consumers to buy a technological shortcut."
Killzone: Shadow Fall co-op DLC goes solo
If you watched our recent stream and thought to yourself, "I'd love the Intercept co-op multiplayer DLC, but don't want to buy Killzone: Shadow Fall," you're in luck as the downloadable addition is now available à la carte. As we (poorly) demonstrated in the stream, Intercept plays out like a cross between the Horde Mode of Gears of War and a more close-quarters interpretation of the point-capture system seen in Battlefield 4's Conquest Mode. In a team with up to three others, players fight off waves of heavily-armed enemies (and occasionally bosses) while attempting to hold points on a relatively claustrophobic map, all the while gathering resources for each useful action which can then be traded for better weapons, air strikes and even jet packs. The attractive Killzone: Shadow Fall engine runs very smoothly during the chaos of four-person firefights and it's all too tempting to spend your precious moments admiring the scenery instead of lining up your next shot. The standalone Killzone: Shadow Fall Intercept DLC is now available from the PlayStation Store at a price of $20. Intercept includes four gratis multiplayer maps at launch, and developer Guerrilla Games claims that "additional free maps" are in development. [Image: Sony]
Joystiq Streams: Killzone Shadow Fall Intercept brings us together [Update: Relive the stream!]
Update: The stream has ended. Watch the replay above and subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more! Joystiq Streams simply can't stop shooting things on Joystiq.com/Twitch. We tried not to, we really did. First we tried to play The Crew beta, but technical issues forced Anthony John Agnello and Xav de Matos to retreat to the warm climes of Far Cry 3 co-op. On Wednesday, Joystiq succumbed fully to Destiny's charms, so Susan Arendt, Jess Conditt, and Xav put the beta through its paces on Xbox One. Now it's time for Killzone: Shadow Fall Intercept, the new cooperative campaign for PlayStation 4's signature shooter. Starting at 4PM EST, Joystiq Streams will play through Killzone: Shadow Fall Intercept with an all-star cast. Danny Cowan and Earnest "Nex" Cavalli will be on hand for some Helghast-flavored firefights, while Xav de Matos pulls off a streaming hat trick for the week. Anthony John Agnello will be hanging in the chat, feeding your myriad questions to the squad. Joystiq Streams regularly broadcasts at 4PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch every Tuesday and Thursday. Little secret: We stream a lot outside that regularly scheduled programming, so make sure to follow us on Twitch to know when we go live! [Image: Sony Computer Entertainment]
Get hell-gassed in Killzone: Shadow Fall DLC, now with farts
Luckily, smell-o-vision doesn't exist in video games yet. The "Fun & Games Spotlight Pack" for Killzone: Shadow Fall contains fart, planking and comedy spotlight moves, allowing players to taunt with toilet humor. The Fun & Games Spotlight Pack is $2 on the PSN Store. Finally, farts in 1080p. This is true next-gen. [Image: SCEA]
Killzone: Intercept using the buddy system on June 25
Shooting up Helghasts is about to become a co-op affair, with Killzone: Shadow Fall's wave-based multiplayer component, Intercept, launching as DLC on June 25. As a reminder, anyone that owns a season pass has already paid their way for Intercept. If your interest is piqued but you don't own Shadow Fall, you can still wait around for the standalone release of Intercept, which is due later this year. The related PlayStation Blog post also details Petrusite capsules, which can be returned to the team base in exchange for bonuses like an instant restock on health and ammo. They'll also let you go full Oprah by doling out jetpacks or mini guns to your entire team's load out. You might need it though, as your opposition can call in "special Helghast champions with unique abilities" to make things as difficult as possible. [Image: Guerrilla Games]
Joystiq Weekly: 'Mario Kart 8' in review, co-op 'Killzone' and a new Jurassic tour
Welcome to the Joystiq Weekly wrap-up where we present some of the best stories and biggest gaming news from our sister-publication.
Joystiq Weekly: Xbox One's Kinect, Mario Kart 8 review, Godzilla's past and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. If machinery works the way The Brave Little Toaster suggests, you gotta feel for the Kinect - the solid experiences it supplements are often drowned in complaints about its underwhelming games, as well as its general inaccuracies as a listening, motion-tracking controller. We imagine Microsoft reassured the device about its playground reputation by including it with every Xbox One out there, but then ... well, this week happened. Kinect might be destined to just stay at home now, waiting for a band of appliance-shaped adventures to accept his flaws so it can tag along with for their straight-to-Blu Ray sequel. Hey, on the upside, at least that terrifying air conditioner died off before Kinect was ever able to meet him. Can you imagine being left alone in a house with that thing as a kid? Talk about new legitimate fears. Anyway, now that we're done painting a bleak picture of Kinect's secret social life, there's a lot more to this week than technological popularity contests. It's financial season, with Ubisoft, Take-Two and the NPD Group throwing numbers everywhere, we've got reviews for Mario Kart 8 and Super Time Force, and there's also a dip into Godzilla's past of ruining virtual metropolises. It's all stacked neat and orderly for you after the break!
Make Killzone: Shadow Fall a friend zone with new co-op mode
Killzone: Shadow Fall gets a new four-player online co-op mode next month, and Guerrilla Games is also releasing it later this year as a "standalone version" that presumably won't require the original PS4 game to play. The "Intercept" expansion launches in June as a free download for season pass holders, but there's no word on a purchasable version for those without the pass. We've reached out to Sony to clarify all the details. Intercept centers around an infiltration and reconnaissance mission, with you and three pals relaying Helghast intel back to HQ through uplinks. That itself sounds like a horde mode, with your team defending uplinks from enemy captures and providing them with enough time to establish transmission. Establishing an uplink is tied your team's overall score, and this can be upped in various ways including successful defenses, "banking" personal actions like kills and recaptures, and calling on a good old artillery strike. Players also take on one of four "combat roles" in Intercept: The Assault role focuses on close quarter gunfire, Marksman on longer ranges, Tactician on maintaining defense, while the Medic patches everyone up. The mode also comes with four arena maps derived from locations in the single-player game, to join the new free multiplayer map released earlier this week. We'll have to wait a bit to see Intercept in action, but Guerrilla Games says it's prepping to reveal gameplay, with more info on that to come next week. [Image: Sony Computer Entertainment]
Killzone: Shadow Fall adds new Canyon multiplayer map
Killzone: Shadow Fall players now have a new battleground to conquer with this week's release of The Canyon, a multiplayer map available from the PlayStation Store as a free download. Located within the smoking crater of Pyrrhus on planet Helghan, The Canyon features wide-open areas that encourage long-distance firefights and narrow passageways for players who prefer close-quarters combat. The Canyon also marks the introduction of gravity wells, which players can use to ascend to new heights quickly. The Canyon is available as part of Shadow Fall's free Hangar / Cruiser map pack. [Image: Sony]
PSA: Killzone: Shadow Fall 'Insurgent' DLC now available
Attention all PlayStation 4 owners still tearing up planet Vekta with your pals: Killzone: Shadow Fall's first big multiplayer expansion is now available. "The Insurgent Pack," released Tuesday in the weekly PlayStation Store update, includes new game modes, weapons, and an entirely new multiplayer class to try out in the game. Shadow Fall's new class type is the Insurgent. While the glowing eyes certainly make the Insurgent familiar amidst Killzone's glowing-eyed horde, he does bring two new abilities to the table, including the ability to steal weapons from downed enemies and a hacking ability for turning enemy turrets friendly. Assault, Scout, and Support classes have also received new abilities in the update. The two new modes in "The Insurgent Pack" include the Multiplayer Collectibles Mode, which populates multiplayer maps with hidden crates to hunt down. Find the crates, rack up points to unlock rewards. The Campaign Elite mode is the sole significant single-player update in the package, a new difficulty mode that tasks you with finishing the game with only three lives. The new modes and everything else in the pack cost $9.99. [Images: Sony Computer Entertaintment]
Killzone Shadow Fall drops new weapons and modes in April DLC
Killzone: Shadow Fall's first multiplayer expansion will launch in April with new weapons, abilities and game modes for the PS4 launch game. Titled "The Insurgent Pack," the expansion is headlined by the addition of the insurgent character class, which features hack and steal abilities. The assault, scout and support classes will also receive new abilities: Assault characters will gain access to a guard drone, scout players get an e-pulse emitter and support characters can send out a tactical echo emitter to stall infiltrating enemies. Insurgent Pack owners will also receive a single-player "elite mode," limiting them to three lives on hard difficulty in the Shadow Fall campaign, in addition to collectible crates that will spawn once per online match for a limited time. The DLC also includes the M82 assault rifle from Killzone 2 and Killzone 3, as well as the L512 SMG Pistol and Sta14 sniper rifle. Lastly, Sony announced that two of the free multiplayer maps for the game are now available to play on PSN. They arrive just as the game's multiplayer mode becomes free this week. [Image: Sony Computer Entertainment America]
Killzone: Shadow Fall multiplayer goes free for a week on March 3
Sony Computer Entertainment and Guerrilla Games are planning a party, and everyone's invited, Helghast and Vekta alike. To celebrate the release of Killzone: Shadow Fall's first free map update, the two companies have announced that Shadow Fall multiplayer battles will be free to any and all PS4 owners for a week starting March 3. Those wanting to get in on the fray need neither a PlayStation Plus subscription nor a copy of Shadow Fall, as a free client will be available for download. Those who play the free trial will be able to compete on global leaderboards in Capture and Team Deathmatch, and all clans - including those made up of trial players - are eligible to win the Clan Community Challenge. The details and prizes of said Challenge haven't been revealed yet, but you know how these Helghast are - they don't uncloak until they're good and ready. [Image: Sony]
Killzone, Knack and other PS4 game deals at Best Buy
A $60 game is an expensive proposition, but you knock $20 off the price and things get tempting. Best Buy is looking to do just that with a PS4 launch game sale and is offering up Knack and Killzone: Shadow Fall for $40, with free shipping on all orders over $25. Best Buy is also knocking some ducats off Call of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4 (both the Standard and Limited editions) and Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition. All of these games are available for $50 with free shipping. While we'd have a hard time suggesting Knack for any price, Killzone: Shadow Fall is a tempting deal. In our review, we said Killzone: Shadow Fall has some interesting sci-fi moments but is ultimately a game residing on "the border between good and great."
Clans gang up on Killzone: Shadow Fall next month
Killzone: Shadow Fall's most-requested feature is clan support and developer Guerrilla Games plans to add the functionality next month. Version 1.09 of Killzone: Shadow Fall will drop in early February, adding clan support to the game and the official website. Clan names will display in-game and basic clan management options will be available through the website, allowing players to create clans, add and remove clan members, and promote clan members to officer status. Subsequent free updates will expand on clan functionality based on fan feedback. Guerrilla Games will expand upon its PS4 launch game with free multiplayer maps and has already revealed the first two locales. A $20 season pass for Killzone: Shadow Fall is also available and guarantees a total of six DLC packs, the first of which Guerrilla promises to announce soon.
Killzone: Shadow Fall's first pair of free multiplayer maps revealed
The first batch of promised free multiplayer maps, based on locations seen in the single-player campaign for Killzone: Shadow Fall, is on the way. The Cruiser, a map designed for more intimate close-quarters combat, is set within a decommissioned ISA cruiser ship (see: big boat) and is largely comprised of cramped corridors. The other map, The Hangar, places players within a wide-open Helghan mining spire, which serves as particularly good sniping grounds. These maps unfortunately still haven't been dated for release. On top of the free maps, developer Guerrilla Games is also working on Killzone: Shadow Fall's first expansion pack, about which the studio promises to share more info in the near future. This first expansion pack will be available as part of the game's Season Pass content. Killzone: Shadow Fall, a PS4 launch title, resides on the border between good and great, our review said. The game's multiplayer side is punctuated by a make-your-own game type editor, with which both of these proposed maps are fully compatible. [Thanks, Denis.]
Killzone: Shadow Fall free multiplayer weekend set for Dec. 28
If you find a PlayStation 4 stuffed in your oversized Christmas stocking this year, you'll want to redeem its included PlayStation Plus subscription ASAP, as members will receive access to a free trial version of Killzone: Shadow Fall's multiplayer component this coming weekend. From December 28 through the end of the year, PlayStation Plus subscribers can jump into 24-player Shadow Fall matches from a downloadable Multiplayer Trial application. Members can get a head start by downloading Shadow Fall's Multiplayer Trial from the PlayStation Store in preparation for the weekend-long bloodbath.
