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'Final Fantasy XV' hits the road in 2016
Final Fantasy XV has been in development for what seems like an eternity. But being New Year's Eve (or Day, depending on where you live), changes are afoot: Final Fantasy XV and its all-dude bro'd-trip will release in 2016. The news comes by way of a Square Enix blog post written by none other than the game's director, Hajime Tabata. "In development, previous phases required wisdom and strength," he writes. "However, moving toward the final phase will focus on effort and willpower." Sure!
The playable poetry of 'That Dragon, Cancer' lands in January
Joel Green loved pancakes. He was, and continues to be, the inspiration behind That Dragon, Cancer, a low-poly adventure game created by his father, Ryan Green, as Joel battled cancer over four years. Joel Green died in March 2014 at the age of 5.On January 12th, That Dragon, Cancer will land on PC and Mac via Steam, plus Ouya -- and Ryan Green wants everyone to have a pancake party in celebration. Breakfast-food fans and adventure-game lovers can pre-order That Dragon, Cancer and sign up to host a January 12th pancake party on the game's official site.
'Ratchet & Clank' hits PS4 on April 12th
The PlayStation 4 version of Ratchet & Clank, a mega-remaster of Insomniac's PlayStation 2 game, lands on Sony's new console on April 12th. That's just before the Ratchet & Clank movie hits theaters on April 29th. Ratchet & Clank on PS4 is more than a simple visual upgrade: It's a completely new game based on the PS2 version, with an expanded story, more planets to explore, new weapons, fresh controls and other goodies.
Make sweet, sci-fi music with 'Amplitude' on PS4 in January
Amplitude blends rhythm gaming with sci-fi spaceship action, and it's heading to PlayStation 4 on January 5th, for $20 via the PlayStation Store. This is the new, Kickstarted version of Harmonix's beloved 2002 PlayStation 2 franchise -- Amplitude raised $844,127 on Kickstarter in 2014, partially because the crowdfunding cards were stacked in its favor.
'Gravity Rush Remastered' launch date shifts up a week in Europe
Sony is doing the fine people of Europe a solid and pushing up the release date of Gravity Rush Remastered from February 10th to February 2nd. This is the new-and-improved, PlayStation 4 version of Gravity Rush, originally a (truly incredible) Vita game. Gravity Rush Remastered includes updated graphics, motion-sensing controls, and extra missions, costumes and challenges. The game is due to hit PS4 on February 9th in the US, in both digital and physical forms. A sequel, cleverly called Gravity Rush 2, is also on its way to PS4 -- and PS4 only, with no Vita version in sight.
'Deus Ex: Mankind Divided' is delayed to August 2016
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is due to hit PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on August 23rd, 2016 -- though it was originally scheduled to launch on February 23rd. Eidos Montreal head David Anfossi announced the delay in a blog post titled, "No compromise on quality." He says, in part, "We're confident and proud of the game so far. However, as we are now playing through the game in full we can see that it will require more time in post-production for tuning, iterations and refinement to meet our high standards." Anfossi offers an apology and gratitude for fans' continued support.
Netflix's first original feature film will be shown in UK cinemas
Netflix has earned a reputation as a producer of high-quality TV shows and documentaries, and now it wants to do the same with feature films. Beasts of No Nation, a war drama featuring Idris Elba, will be available to stream on October 16th, but Brits will also have option to watch it in cinemas from October 9th. Netflix has struck a deal with Curzon Cinemas, a chain specialising in independent and art house films, to get its first major movie up on the big screen. It's also set to premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on October 8th -- with more mainstream exposure, there's a greater chance it'll pick up some awards and legitimise Netflix's filmmaking efforts. Beasts of No Nation is based on a 2005 novel by Uzodinma Iweala, and stars Abraham Attah as a young boy swept up in the middle of an African civil war and forced to become a child soldier. The first trailer shows promise -- it's a cut above what we're expecting from Adam Sandler's The Ridiculous Six, anyway.
Telltale's 'Minecraft' adventure game arrives on October 13
Minecraft, but as a point-and-click adventure game? When Telltale's Story Mode title was first announced, it left many of us scratching our heads. Minecraft is hardly known for its rich narrative, and its open-ended gameplay couldn't be further from the tightly woven, decision-driven moments found in most Telltale games. However, since then we've had a steady clip of trailers and screenshots that give us an idea of how it'll all shake out -- and now we've got a release date too. Minecraft: Story Mode launches on October 13th with the first episode, "The Order of the Stone." It'll be available on PC, Mac, PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360 -- iOS and Android will join them on October 15th, followed by Wii U and PS Vita sometime in the future. Retail versions will be dropping on October 27th -- Telltale is calling it a "Season Pass Disc," which means you'll get instant access to the first episode and download codes/patches for the latter four episodes that wrap up the series.
'Uncharted 4: A Thief's End' hits PS4 on March 18th
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, the final game in Naughty Dog's Indiana Jones-style adventure series, will hit PlayStation 4 on March 18th, 2016. We got a taste of the game right after E3 2015 with an extended, action-packed trailer that features protagonist Nathan Drake shooting up bad guys, driving through a mountainside city and surviving all manner of seemingly lethal evasion tactics. There are a few versions of the game up for pre-order this week, including the Special Edition, which costs $80 and includes a steelbook case, an art book, in-game currency, a sticker sheet and the game on Blu-ray.
'Devil's Third' for Wii U headed to the US, thanks to Nintendo
If you're a Wii U owner in the US, there aren't too many games to look forward to in 2015. After Star Fox Zero, Super Mario Maker and Yoshi's Woolly World, the company's release schedule looks pretty barren. One of the games that could make up the numbers is Devil's Third, a third-person action shooter that's finally been confirmed for the Americas. The debut title from Tomonobu Itagaki's Valhalla Game Studios has already been announced for Japan and Europe, but until today there had been little mention of a US release. Nintendo has stepped up to publish the game in the fourth quarter of this year, while Valhalla handles the "free-to-start" PC version. Any additions to the Wii U library are welcome, but initial reactions to Devil's Third haven't been positive. No matter, there's always Xenoblade Chronicles X if you're looking for games to fill out your collection.
Music releases move from Monday to Friday in the UK
The weekend is often the perfect time to listen to new music. Maybe you're getting ready for a night on the town, or sitting in the garden soaking up some rare summer sunshine. Whatever your plans, wouldn't it make the most sense if new music was released on Friday? Well, until today most albums and singles were released on Monday in the UK. Which was always a little confusing, given the date fluctuated depending on where you were in the world. Australia? Friday. The US? Tuesday. Thankfully, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has pulled the record labels, artists and retailers together to settle on a new, global release date: Friday. So now, when the next big album drops, there shouldn't be a scenario where it's available in the US version of iTunes and not the UK. To coincide with the shift, the UK is also moving its official charts (including the popular charts show on BBC Radio 1) to Friday, rather than Sunday. So say hello to "New Music Fridays" and wave goodbye to "Not Very Convenient Music Mondays."
Xbox One's Kinect goes for $150 on its own October 7th
Ever since Microsoft cut its motion- and voice-sensor from the Xbox One package, the second version of Kinect has been in limbo. Sure, you could still get one if you shelled out $500 for the deluxe version of Xbox One, but there was no way to pick one up on its own. What if, say, a new Dance Central game for Xbox One were to be announced? Microsoft always said it would offer the device standalone, and now it's got a release date and price: October 7th for $150 ($50 less than the Windows version, for those wondering). Even better: Kinect on Xbox One comes with the aforementioned new Dance Central game. Not a terrible nod to the most important third-party game studio making Kinect games.
Watch Dogs arrives on May 27th
When Ubisoft showed off Watch Dogs for the first time in 2012, there was no such thing as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Well, okay, they existed in some sense of the word, but both consoles were far from publicly ready, making Watch Dogs an unbelievably pretty game for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Unbelievable to the point that many journalists were incredulous about it not being touted as intended for next-gen, but Ubisoft couldn't say it was headed to unannounced consoles. In so many words, Watch Dogs was essentially the first "next-gen" game shown off ... even before the consoles were unveiled. It's somewhat hilarious then that we're here to tell you today that Watch Dogs now has a release date -- May 27th -- after being delayed past the actual launch of the new consoles. It's unclear if that means all versions (Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC and Wii U) will arrive on the same day, though the Wii U version was already given a release date sometime after the other versions. Sorry Wii U, owners!
Minecraft creeps to PlayStation 3 on December 17th
The extensive console exclusivity period Microsoft enjoyed with Minecaft on Xbox 360 is coming to a close, as the first-person world-building game digs in on PlayStation 3 tomorrow. Like its 360 brethren, Minecraft on PS3 is limited by the console's minuscule RAM -- the procedurally-generated worlds you'll explore are just a wee bit smaller than what's possible on a computer. Of course, PlayStation 3 isn't the last stop for the Minecraft train: Vita, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions are all expected at some point in 2014. It's unclear whether the PlayStation version of Minecraft will experience the same flood of add-on, PlayStation-specific content as DLC post-launch, but developer Mojang says that, "would be cool!" We can't help but agree. As far as price is concerned, Mojang and Sony aren't saying; we're gonna take a wild guess that it'll be about the same as on 360, where it's $20.
Award-winning Netflix original series House of Cards returns on Valentine's Day 2014 with a second season
In what we can only hope will be a dog murder-free second season, Netflix announced this morning that original series House of Cards returns on February 14th, 2014. Apparently Netflix is big on releasing original programming alongside holidays -- smart, considering the binge-viewing around said time periods. It's a big date for the Kevin Spacey vehicle, with the entire 13-episode season launching on Netflix at once in all territories Netflix is available (the US, Canada, the UK, Latin America and Ireland). The show received a smattering of Emmy nominations earlier this year -- HoC is one of several major plays Netflix is making into original programming. Both Orange is the New Black and Arrested Development's revival led the Netflix initiative in 2013, and it looks like the same series that popularized original Netflix content will continue that push in 2014. A new teaser popped up today alongside the Valentine's Day launch news, featuring Claire in a not uncommon place: smoking a cigarette by the window. See it for yourself below! Update (12/13): Just as season two of Lilyhammer pops up on streams around the world, Netflix has released a two minute teaser trailer for season two of House of Cards. Check it out after the break.
Angry Birds Trilogy slingshots to Nintendo's Wii U and Wii consoles on August 13th
As if its flock of angry fowl weren't already near-ubiquitous, Rovio's today announced an August 13th release date for the Wii and Wii U versions of Angry Birds Trilogy. The Finnish company had previously committed to the two Nintendo ports earlier this year, prompted by the success of the title on the 3DS, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Rovio's not just pushing out a repackaged redo, either -- this collection bundles the original Angry Birds game with Seasons and Rio, while also adding some new levels. And given the finger-flicking origins of the franchise, gamers will be able to make use of the Wii U's GamePad for that famed asymmetric play (read: GamePad-only) and touch controls. If you haven't already exhausted your lust for flipping Rovio's birds, then the dog days of summer should see you and that Wii U making nice. Of course, by then you could also be flinging zombie-like Pikmin with reckless abandon. What's a Wii U owner to do?
Wikipad slated for June 11th US launch at $250, worldwide 'to follow this summer'
The 7-inch Android tablet with a game controller cradle -- the Wikipad -- launches in the United States on June 11th for $250, with a worldwide launch following later this summer. As for the initially announced 10.1-inch variation, that remains unclear -- it's not even mentioned in Wikipad's press release from today. The same can be said for Gaikai / PlayStation Cloud support, though it's possible we'll hear more when Sony's ready to unveil its streaming plans; Wikipad's in a weird place in that relationship, having worked with Gaikai on streaming ahead of Sony's purchase of the company. We've been repeatedly promised by Wikipad representatives that the functionality is still on the way. The device is perhaps the largest outside of Sony internal products to carry PlayStation Mobile support, which gives owners access to a variety of classic PlayStation titles (think Crash Bandicoot, Jet Moto). Of course, at $250, the Wikipad costs the same as Sony's own PlayStation Vita, which packs an arguably much nicer (though smaller) OLED screen and access to a much larger library of PlayStation games. The choice will be in consumers hands come June 11th.
Anomaly 2 coming May 15
11 Bit Studios has announced that Anomaly 2 now has an official release date. The game will be available for the Mac (along with Windows and Linux) on May 15. Anomaly is, of course, a popular iOS game these days, though the series started on the PC and it's returning there for the sequel. Previously, the game was available through a "secret pre-order," but there's a new bonus for a regular pre-order right now: If you get the game before it comes out for US$14.99, you can get a second copy to give to a friend for free. The new version of the "tower offense" series has more levels, more units and more power-ups to play with, as you guide your troops in and around alien towers on a multitude of levels. The game also adds multiplayer into the mix, where one player can control units, and a second player can lay down towers, each trying to collect the most resources before the game ends. Anomaly 2 looks like a lot of fun, and there's even a new trailer to prove it. We'll look forward to the game's release on May 15.
Galaxy S 4 availability hinted at in Staples document, pegged for April 26th on AT&T
Scrambling to find a launch date for the Samsung Galaxy S 4? Staples may have just dropped a hint. According to a leaked store training sheet, AT&T will be offering the next Galaxy phone on April 26th, followed by T-Mobile on May 1st and Verizon on the 30th. Bold lettering warns these dates are tentative but they are familiar, matching both the UK launch date and T-Mobile's own declarations. Naturally, we try to take these things with a grain of salt, though it's worth noting that the document asks stores to prepare GS 4 reservation signage on 4/15, one day before official pre-orders begin. It isn't an iron-clad case for the phone's launch by any means, but for the eager Galaxy fan, tentative is better than nothing. Skip on past the break for a peek at the full page. [Thanks, anonymous!]
SimCity enables budding city developers on Mac starting June 11th, 'update 2.0' in the works
SimCity's reboot has seen its fair share of tumult since launching for PC earlier this year -- massive queues to log in, downed servers, and a messy (attempted) public relations cleanup. Things have more or less leveled off for the game since its rocky start, and its developer, EA Maxis, is now ready to launch the game on OS X. Or rather, as we read this, "You can finally delete that version of SimCity you've got on your Windows partition and play it natively in OS X." Huzzah! The OS X version of SimCity launches on June 11th, and you can snag it for free if you've already purchased a PC version (and vice versa). Even better, both PC and Mac players can play together, cross-platform. Similarly thrilling, the game's "cheetah" speed (its fastest speed) is back, and EA Maxis is promising a 2.0 version of its game. Beyond fixing a variety of bugs, it's unknown what's in the update, but we're fairly confident it won't enable an offline version of the game (as so, so many players have requested) given EA's repeated refusal to enable as much. When pushed on a release date for the update, EA reps told Engadget it'll arrive "well ahead of the June 11 Mac launch." Sounds to us like that Mac version will ship with Update 2.0 enabled, but EA wouldn't confirm as much.
