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PlanetSide 2 implant changes aren't a 'money grab,' Smedley says
Gaming blog In An Age is tracking the recent saga of PlanetSide 2's implant system, noting that the team quietly nerfed the drop rate of free implants and downwardly adjusted the power of tier 1 through 3 implants in order to push sales for the new tier 4 implants. Implants offer temporary buffs or abilities for characters and require an energy cost to activate. SOE President John Smedley defended the move on Twitter: "Sorry, but we are actually trying to make money. I don't consider it a money grab." In a later tweet, he clarified that the team "made the drop rate [for implants] too high a while ago." Commenting on accusations of promoting a pay-to-win environment with these changes, CM Tony Jones responded on Reddit, "Depends on how you define P2W. If implants are P2W, then yes, you may not like everything in the future."
Rumors of a major Destiny expansion swirl
Speculation on what's coming next for Destiny is a cottage industry for fans, and an old image from October is making the rounds as a possible reveal of the game's future plans. The image may or may not be legitimate, but it suggests that the second expansion/DLC pack for the game is launching on March 10th, 2015, with three new story missions and a playable area (the Reef) that is briefly visited by characters but is not currently a playable region. The image then suggest a major expansion, Plague of Darkness, launching in September 2015. Speculation is that this would serve as a sort of re-launch of the game, with bundled versions available as well as standalones for players who have already played the game; the expansion would feature another subclass for all three classes as well as a dozen new story missions and new playable areas. Take a look at the compiled information and decide for yourself how likely the rumor is in the end.
EVE Online and DUST 514 celebrate the holiday season
The year is wrapping up and EVE Online players are getting presents to celebrate. CCP Games has posted a short recap of the past year and an announcement of the holiday gifts players can expect to receive as a paid subscriber. That includes snowballs, fireworks, jackets, and a set of trinkets to commemorate the past year. Players can also look forward to 20 free days of multiple character training as a final additional gift. All of these promotions are available until January 11th. Meanwhile, for those of you who prefer to explore this particular universe via a console shooter, DUST 514 is having a holiday event with its 12 Days of DUST. Starting on December 25th, each day will bring a new reward to players who finish three daily missions, so you'll have to keep playing through January 5th to unlock all the rewards. A special reward is awaiting those who clear everything, so get strapped in and ready to shoot if you want to celebrate the holidays that way.
Destiny: The Dark Below is live today [Updated: Crota has already been defeated]
Destiny isn't leaving players in the dark today; the game is actively sending players into the dark. Why? Because The Dark Below launches today, bringing along with it updates and expansions for several parts of the game along with some exclusive content for players who buy early and/or play on a PlayStation system. The new content includes a new raid, three new competitive arena maps, new loot, new story missions, and another cooperative Strike. Players who purchase before January 15th, 2015, will also receive an exclusive vehicle, and PlayStation players get a special shotgun and access to an additional Strike exclusive to the platform. So if you're ready to start shooting the Hive in the darkest places you can think of, jump in today; we've placed the trailer just after the break. [Source: Bungie press release] [Update: Aaaaaaand the new raid has already been beaten.]
Destiny's 10-year plan includes character-hopping to sequels
The strange approach of Destiny that has the game with one foot squarly planted in MMO territory and one firmly in the realm of standard console shooters has never been illustrated as strongly as in this story from IGN. In the interview, Bungie said that players will be able to save and import characters and progress between Destiny and a proposed sequel while ignoring how MMOs simply build upon game worlds so that importing isn't necessary. One of the devs even expressed the revelation that players tend to form attachments to their avatars: "If you take a look at the way people have played other games for a long period of time, they've had a relationship with the same character for a very long time." Bungie said it has "a 10-year plan for the expansion and evolution of this franchise."
PlanetSide 2 opens beta signups for PlayStation 4
It's been a while since PlanetSide 2 fans have heard much about the game making the leap to the next generation of console hardware. But that's changing today, as the game has opened closed beta signups for testing its PlayStation 4 version. As always, the closed beta signup is no assurance that you'll actually get to test the game, but it does mean that it's closer than ever to being a reality. Signups currently require nothing more than an email address, although it's probably a good idea to have a PSN ID beforehand. (And a PS4.) The last word on the beta was that it should be coming before the end of the year, according to creative director Matt Higby. We'll keep hopeful players posted as we get more information.
Drawn to Death is David Jaffe's sketchbook arena shooter
Drawn to Death is the first project revealed by David Jaffe's new studio, Bartlet Jones Supernatural Detective Agency. The PS4 exclusive is a multiplayer arena shooter that takes place within a high school student's notebook. Players pick a sketched character and drop them into environments drawn upon the book's pages. Each character will have its own behaviors, passive tendencies, buffs and special attacks, though some abilities will never be announced, leaving Drawn to Death's community to uncover them on its own.
Resogun saves the last humans on PS3, Vita this month
Carousel-scrolling shooter Resogun will reach PlayStation 3 and PS Vita on Tuesday, December 23 in North America. The game will launch nearly a week earlier in Europe on Wednesday, December 17. Resogun first arrived as a launch title for Sony's latest home console, PlayStation 4, in November 2013. While originally developed by Housemarque, the PS3 and Vita ports are courtesy of Climax Studios, the developer behind the PS4 and Vita version of Housemarque's Dead Nation. PlayStation Blog notes that the PS3 and Vita versions of Resogun run at 30 frames per second as opposed to the 60 fps seen in the current-gen version of the game. The game will be Cross-Save and Cross-Buy compatible, so those that own the PS4 version will be able to download it on the other two systems for free instead of ponying up $14.99. Resogun on Vita will feature ad-hoc cooperative multiplayer and the ability to customize controls in order to use the system's touch panel options. [Image: SCEE]
Firefall's getting a LFG window, better crafting
Want to know what's coming in the next Firefall patch? Head to the sci-fi shooter's official website, then, and read all about it. Red 5 has apparently taken crafting feedback into account, as it's drastically reducing the high costs of participating and it's giving players the ability to choose prefixes on crafted items. A new looking-for-squad window will also debut in the next patch, as will a large open-world boss battle, campaign reward tweaks, and more!
Space shooters Ultratron, Titan Attacks flying to new platforms
Curve Digital will publish two of Puppy Games' arcade-style space shooters on new platforms: Ultratron and Titan Attacks. Ultratron will reach PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Wii U and Vita early next year, and features twin-stick "arena shooter action." As for the Space Invaders-like Titan Attacks, Curve will distribute the game on 3DS in early 2015 as well. Titan Attacks launched on PlayStation systems earlier this year. Ultratron arrived on Steam in March 2013 and is considered a "throwback" to Vid Kidz' 1982 arcade shooter, Robotron. The game features a "full upgrade system" and adaptive difficulty settings. Ultratron will be Cross-Buy-enabled on PlayStation systems, and is expected to launch in the same week on Wii U and Xbox One. Head past the break to check out a trailer of the game's PC version. [Image: Puppy Games]
Destiny previews The Dark Below and still offers no raid matchmaking
The first expansion to Destiny, The Dark Below, is launching on December 9th. Some players will get new content out of it. That's not editorializing; the official preview of the mechanical changes says outright that the update will bring new content for some and new play mechanics for all. Mechanically, the updates focus around upgrading Exotic equipment, raising character levels to 32, and the addition of Legendary gear that sits below raid equipment and Exotics. Bungie has also reaffirmed its commitment to not adding in any sort of matchmaking service for the game's raids while praising third-party sites that allow players to find others who wish to take on these raids. This is the equivalent of refusing to own a clock while complimenting your neighbor's sundial. Despite this fact, the developers are aware the demand for this content exists, and the team states it's looking into designing content for this particular audience.
Firefall's hosting another Chosen Offensive on Dec. 7
Firefall fans, it's time for another Chosen Offensive event. It's all happening on Sunday, December 7th from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST. "For the duration of the event, Chosen encounters will spawn throughout Coral Forest and Sertao including Chosen Incursions, Chosen Thumpers, Chosen Death Squads, and more," Red 5 explains via its website. "In Devil's Tusk, Chosen Encounter spawns will be ramped up above their regular rates, and Darkslips will appear and lay siege to the area's POIs. In addition, Firefall developers will be taking the form of powerful Chosen bosses to spread terror and destruction through the world."
Warface quitting the Xbox 360 in February
Warface has a sad face, at least on the Xbox 360. Crytek announced today that it is closing its free-to-play shooter on Microsoft's last-gen console. New players will no longer be allowed, but existing players may continue to shoot each other until the February 1st closing date. Warface isn't dead, apparently, as Crytek's statement alluded to a "vibrant community enjoying regular new content and co-op and versus action" on the PC.
Destiny nerfs Suros rifle, tweaks exotic upgrades
Bungie may not have made an MMO with Destiny, but it's aping traditional MMO nerf/buff cycles with the game's latest patch. Version 1.1 bumps up the usefulness of the Thorn and Bad Juju guns while nerfing the popular Suros Regime auto rifle. Destiny's gear system has also been tweaked, as exotic armor and weapon upgrades no longer need ascendant materials. Instead, you'll need exotic shards, which you can get from deconstructing exotic gear or buying them outright from an NPC vendor. Click through the links below to read the full patch notes.
Bungie's COO thinks Destiny and games like it are hard to review
Bungie continues to hype its Destiny shooter post-launch, with the latest bit of messenging courtesy of COO Pete Parsons and an interview at GamesIndustry.biz. "The launch of Destiny was the starting line," Parsons says, before going on to explain how Bungie's Destiny operations center "looks like a NASA control room" and how "it's very difficult to sit down for nine hours, 11 hours, and write up a review of game like Destiny." Parsons takes that notion a step further and asks how similar titles will be reviewed in the future when game journos face "a nearly impossible challenge" due to an inability to experience PvP, the campaign, and endgame activities on a deadline.
Defiance gets new Aftermath content, Thanksgiving event
Defiance has received a free update called Aftermath that builds "off of the climactic season two TV finale," according to a Trion press release. There's new content that will "carry players across various locales from Silicon Valley to Paradise as the world teeters on the verge of all-out war between the Earth Republic and Votanis Collective," and it includes new events, contracts, pursuits, and enemies. Don't forget about the Thanksgiving-themed New Frontier Harvest, which runs from November 26th through December 10th. As well, don't forget about the Aftermath trailer that's waiting for you behind the break. [Source: Trion press release]
Destiny's Dark Below gameplay previewed in new video
Bungie's response to last week's Destiny expansion leak takes the form of a new dev diary video. Joystiq reports on the "one way trip" nature of The Dark Below's design on display in the new clip. The vid also introduces Eris Morn who serves as a quest giver and offers insights based past encounters with the expansion's baddies. The Dark Below will cost you $20 when it launches on December 9th, unless you already have the $35 Destiny season pass, of course. Game Informer holds exclusive rights to the diary video, so you'll need to follow the links below to watch it.
Project HON trailer offers half an hour of mechanized action
Project HON appears to be more or less the sum total of everything you could expect to see from a mecha shooter. What's the story? What's the main game mechanic? What's the business model? The correct answer to all of those questions, as you can see in the trailer past the cut, is that none of those questions matter right now because just look at how gorgeous it all is. And it's not just the Unreal Engine 4 graphics on display. Over the course of the video you will see a robot that transforms into an aerial weapon platform or a motorcycle, a robot wall-running while shooting, and giant robots that climb into and dock with even bigger robots to have a Pacific Rim-style smackdown fight. No other details needed. Jump on past the break to watch the full trailer; let's not sully this moment any further with words.
Warframe's Archwing update hits consoles
Ready to go to space in Warframe? Just kidding! You're already in space. The whole premise is robotic space ninjas, after all. But the Archwing update that just dropped for consoles yesterday lets you slip past obstacles like "not being able to fly in space" by... well... allowing you to fly in space. The Archwing is a harness that lets you fly in space. This, from a practical standpoint, means that you get to enjoy spaceflight antics without spaceships. Aside from the eponymous Archwing systems, the update also adds a new (equally eponymous) Warframe, more visual customization options, and a new reputation system allowing you to represent one of six Syndicates. So if you're floating about on consoles with Warframe, you too can now enjoy all of the fun of spaceflight without a spaceship. Hopefully not including the harness accidentally detaching whilst you're accelerating, leading your body to go hurtling off into space at a trajectory you can no longer control forever. [Source: Digital Extremes press release]
The opening cinematic for Destiny's first DLC has been leaked
You remember Destiny, don't you? Come on, folks, it was only a few months ago. Science fiction shooter? Made by Bungie? It had a cave that you shot until candy came out? Well, the opening cinematic for the game's first major DLC, The Dark Below, appears to be out in the wild via a leak. You can watch it just past the break, complete with ominous chanting and creepy voice over explaining what the title actually means. The DLC is planned for launch on December 9th for $20, or included as a part of the game's Season Pass for $25. There's no way to confirm if this is indeed the trailer, but it certainly looks legitimate, and it lays out a reasonable story pitting players against the Hive and its ultimate designs on Earth. You can check out the trailer for yourself just past the cut.
