Brink
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Report: Multiplayer-less Batman: Arkham Origins to cost $50 on Wii U
The Wii U version of Batman: Arkham Origins will be missing $10 from its price tag in addition to the absent multiplayer content planned for the 360, PS3 and PC versions of the game, Kotaku reports. Amazon's listing for the Wii U version is currently priced at $49.96. Publisher Warner Bros. explained in July that the decision to skip multiplayer for the Wii U version was made to focus "on platforms with the largest MP audience." Arkham Origins' multiplayer mode is being handled by Brink developer Splash Damage and will consist of a three-team fight for territory between the Joker's henchmen, Bane's thugs and Batman and Robin. The Joker and Bane gangs will be a three-piece effort, although a henchman can be swapped for a super villain if a player earns their way into Joker or Bane's shoes. Batman & Robin, however, will fight on as a gadget-wielding duo of justice.
Review of World of Warcraft: Dark Riders
Before I even begin, I'm going to state the one thing that's been on my mind, and likely the mind of anyone else waiting for this particular title: It's about time. World of Warcraft: Dark Riders is the offshoot of the World of Warcraft comic series, specifically, the characters introduced in the 2009 special issue of the series written by Mike Costa. Yes, we have been waiting for this graphic novel for four years now. Was it worth the wait? Absolutely. Costa continues the tale started in that special issue and takes the reins of Dark Riders, skillfully weaving together one of those stories that isn't so much dependent on current game lore. In fact, it really doesn't address current game events at all. Instead, it takes the bold step of filling the gap between events that played out in WoW itself -- the disappearance of the Scythe of Elune from Duskwood and its sudden reappearance in Gilneas. And if that weren't enough, there's a wild trip through Karazhan and the questionable origin of the Dark Riders themselves, explained for the first time. But that's really just the tip of the iceberg here.
Splash Damage: Brink sales estimated at 2.5 million
Despite a rocky launch and underwhelming critical reception, Brink went on to do "all right" on the PC thanks to multitudes of patches, free DLC and a sprinkle of magical sales dust from the Steam Discount Fairy.As it turns out, all right actually means pretty damn good: "It's estimated to have sold more than 2.5 million units worldwide, which at retail would mean that it's generated around $120-140 million in revenue," said Splash Damage CEO Paul Wedgwood during an interview with Gamasutra. Not too shabby for a game we gave two stars last year."But of course, as an independent video game developer, we don't earn that kind of revenue, as we're not the publisher of the title," Wedgwood said. Splash Damage plans on changing that by opening WarCrest, its own publishing house. WarCrest will handle Splash Damage's future products, while Fireteam (another Splash Damage-founded company) handles said games' associated online services.
Brink dev says launch was rough, game found success on PC
Neil Alphonso, lead designer at Splash Damage, readily admits that Brink could have undergone a better launch. "A lot of the game's complaints were entirely valid," he said. "It was rough, but in the end the game's done alright," Alphonso told Joystiq, shortly after his GDC Europe presentation on the ambitious shooter's development. "Key is to keep supporting the game and keep tuning it more and more." Asked if the company was going to try a "Welcome Back" weekend after months of patching, he expressed that the recent Brink DLC, which was free for the first two weeks, along with the game's weekend discount on Steam, shot "the [sales] numbers way, way up." Alphonso said it's too early to discuss if the game will retain a significant portion of the new players. "We still have a lot of work to do, honestly," he said, noting improvements to the overall game and its supporting tech. "We have to support those people."
Team Fortress 2 gets to play with classic QuakeCon weapons
Team Fortress 2 just had a futuristic weapons update with Dr. Grordbort's Infallible Aether Oscillators, and now Valve is going old-school. To celebrate QuakeCon 2011, which kicked off yesterday in Dallas, TF2 is getting a bevy of Bethesda and id Software gear as part of the QuakeCon Steam Sale (a different deal each day!). The following items correspond with different daily deals, but are all available through 10 a.m. EDT August 8: "The Original" Quake rocket launcher (Soldier), free with Quake IV purchase The Wingstick, based on a RAGE weapon (Engineer), free with RAGE pre-order The Dragonborn helmet from Skyrim (Heavy), free with Skyrim pre-order The Anger hood from Brink (Sniper), free with Brink purchase/ownership A Fallout Pip-Boy (Engineer), free with Fallout: New Vegas purchase/ownership
Brink on Steam playable for free this weekend, on sale 50% off
If you've been debating about playing Brink, this deal could push you over the edge. Splash Damage's team-based FPS is free on Steam until Sunday at 1PM Pacific. The game is also 50 percent off, so if you have a good time, it'll only set you back $25. But wait, there's another option: Brink is also included in the Steam QuakeCon pack, a $495 value available for $70. It includes Brink, along with what appears to be every game available on Steam from publishers Bethesda Softworks and id Software. Give Brink a spin and see if it's right for you -- we weren't too keen. [Thanks, Ethan Lewis]
Brink's 'Agents of Change' DLC arrives on Aug. 3, still free for first two weeks
Bethesda and Splash Damage may have promised an "early July" launch window for its Brink downloadable content pack, "Agents of Change," but it won't actually be out until August 3. Despite its late arrival, the content will still be totally free for its first two weeks of availability -- but after that, it'll run $10 (800 MS Points). Arriving alongside the DLC is a massive list of updates to each version of the game, which we invite you to pore over at your convenience right here. Interested in taking a peek at the new digs you'll be parkouring around come August 3? Our gallery below has got you covered.%Gallery-129508%
Brink down to $20 on Amazon today, other Lightning Deals strike
Splash Damage's class-based shooter Brink has been marked down to a crisp $20 today on Amazon. There's also a handful of other offers on the Lightning Deals round-up, the hints for which are posted after the jump.
Brink stat page, update now live on PC
Stat tracking is now available for PC players in Brink. The mouse-and-keyboard set should head on over to the FAQ for the basics and then register in the game's stat section. The PC version of Brink also received an update today, with highlights listed after the break. No word yet on updates for the Xbox 360 or PS3 versions, nor a release date for the Agents of Change DLC.
Amazon's vorpal sword cuts $20 off Alice: Madness Returns
As if it'd taken a swig from a bottle labeled "Drink Me," the price tag on Alice: Madness Returns has diminished in size at Amazon. This week only, the retailer is offering American McGee's second excursion into Wonderland for $20 off, making it $40 on PS3 and 360 and $30 on PC. The deal is available only "while supplies last," and joins similar week-long discounts on Brink and The Witcher 2 -- which is also a fantasy game, but features far fewer flying pig snouts.
Brink's 'Agents of Change' DLC expected in early July, will be free for first two weeks
Splash Damage has announced on its blog that Brink's "Agents of Change" DLC pack, which includes two maps, five new player abilities, two outfits and two weapon attachments, is expected to arrive in early July. In addition to the launch window, Splash Damage also revealed the DLC will be free for its first two weeks of availability -- be sure to check out our previous post highlighting what's on offer. Following the DLC is a new title update, which Splash Damage says will be "highlighted by online optimizations, AI enhancements, and weapon balance tweaks" based on player feedback. No other details were provided, though we did nab some screenshots of Agents of Change in action. %Gallery-127113%
Zumba Fitness regains top UK sales spot; Ocarina of Time plays second fiddle
We've given up trying to understand. Zumba Fitness is back atop the UK charts this week, a position it's enjoyed several times before. This latest ascension for Zumba was thanks to a 51 percent increase in sales of the Wii version. Chart-Track doesn't provide an explanation for the sales boost ... probably because some things just can't be explained. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for 3DS enjoyed a second place debut on the charts, with around 20% of UK 3DS owners buying the title during its launch week. Duke Nukem Forever sales slipped 58 percent and the title drops two spots into third place for its second week at retail -- this hasn't quite been the glorious comeback for Nukem. Other premieres last week were Dungeon Siege 3 and Alice: Madness Returns, which charted at ninth and 13th, respectively. Child of Eden, the Kinect-enabled sensory experience appreciated by critics, debuted in 25th. Taste the purple of the UK top ten after the break.
Hackers target Bethesda, may have gained access to account info
We're not quite sure what the gaming industry did to earn the ire of all those Angelina Jolie types out there, but here we are, reporting on yet another attack. Bethesda was the target this past weekend, as a hacker group tried to infiltrate the studios' sites. A post on the Bethesda Blog warns that these hackers may have accessed "user names, email addresses, and/or passwords." If you frequent any Bethesda forum or have taken advantage of Brink's stat-tracking site, Bethesda says you should change your login info and be on the lookout for suspicious emails. Of course, it goes without saying that if your Bethesda login info mirrors your account name and password on other sites, be cognizant of the danger posed and change your info there, as well.
LA Noire guilty of being UK sales winner for third week in a row
L.A. Noire, despite a 56 percent drop in sales this past week, remained the top game in the UK, according to Chart-Track's All Formats chart. With little in the way of competition, Rockstar's crime procedural, which debuted as the UK's fastest-selling new IP two weeks ago, maintained its position atop a list of the usual suspects. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean caught the trade winds and sailed back into second, while Dirt 3 lost some ground and slipped one spot into third. Sims 3: Generations, the fourth expansion pack for the series and the only game that wasn't previously playing musical chairs in the UK top ten, premiered in tenth. The only other debut that made it into the Top 40 was the Bethesda published Hunted: The Demon's Forge. Despite receiving (at least in the States) what feels like little promotion, InXile's decent game still managed to come out swinging a sword in 14th place. Check out the full UK top ten after the break.
Dirt 3 debuts in second on UK charts, LA Noire still tops
L.A. Noire, which premiered as the UK's fastest-selling new IP, maintained its top position on Chart-Track's UK All Formats chart this past week. Dirt 3, the only new competitor to race into the top ten, had to settle for second. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean lost some wind in its sails and fell to third, with Brink rounding out the top five. Zumba Fitness maintained fourth, with sales up 19 percent last week. It's like Zumba Fitness was infused with that Just Dance "staying power" magic -- and as it happens, Just Dance 2, despite not being in the top ten, has been hanging around close by (at No. 11). Price promotions helped give sales boosts to some of the top ten remainders. Check those out after the break.
Brink's first free DLC detailed, stats site going live tomorrow
After announcing earlier this month that a free content pack would arrive for Ark dwellers at some point in June, Bethesda has detailed the "Agents of Change" DLC that's coming to Brink in the near future. Two new maps, five new abilities, and a handful of weapon attachments and character outfits comprise the pack, which has yet to be given a solid release date. If that weren't enough to get you parkour-shooting once again, the game's statistics site will go live tomorrow for Xbox 360 and PS3 players, while the PC version will arrive "very soon." And hey, a title update went live late last week that supposedly helps with the crippling lag people have encountered when taking the game online, so there's that! Head past the break for the entire list of free stuff coming in the "Agents of Change" DLC.
LA Noire becomes UK's fastest-selling new IP
Your friends list can probably corroborate: L.A. Noire is a hit. Chart-Track revealed today that Team Bondi's crime drama is the "fastest-selling new video game IP ever in the UK," and the 13th fastest-selling title during launch week for Xbox 360 (11th fastest on PS3). It'll be interesting to see if L.A. Noire does as well as Red Dead Redemption, which sucked the oxygen out of retail during its first few weeks. Meanwhile, Lego Pirates of the Caribbean maintained second place, while Brink slipped from its top position last week to third. Zumba Fitness won't go home when the lights go out, slipping only six percent in sales and capturing a spot in fourth. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings premiered in fifth as the only other debut to break into the top 40 last week. The sequel outsold The Witcher's UK launch nearly three to one, according to Chart-Track -- remember that those figures don't include digital sales. Investigate the rest of the UK top ten after the break.
Brink patch scheduled for next week, addresses lag
If you're still having trouble keeping a smooth connection to Brink's class-based skirmishes, you may have better luck after an update launches for all three of the game's platforms next week. Bethesda's blog outlines the changes included in each version, including a few graphical glitches in the PC version of the game, and a bizarre freezing issue reported only by German players. The blog post says Bethesda expects to launch all three patches sometime next week, so keep an eye out for the automatic update over the next few days. The post also has some helpful tips for avoiding lag until the patches go live. Let's see: "Sacrifice a small animal on your console of choice, as if said console were some kind of pagan altar." Whoa! That's ... no. Don't do that.
Brink vaults to the top of UK charts
Brink took the top spot on the UK all-formats charts last week, and even the PlayStation 3 version (which couldn't support online play last week) became the best seller on the platform. With the PSN restored, it should soon receive the matchmaking updates added to the Xbox 360 version. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean sailed into second for its debut, while Zumba Fitness held a solid footing at third, experiencing only a two percent drop in sales. The rest of the top ten is a mix of the regulars, except for THQ's MX vs ATV Alive, which premiered in the tenth spot. It'll be interesting to see how that "budget" title performs on the charts, since most of its revenue is expected to come from DLC. Head past the break for the UK All Platforms top ten.
Brink getting free DLC in June; 360 matchmaking update now live
After launching Brink to mixed reviews, Splash Damage and Bethesda are refining the class-based multiplayer shooter with updates and add-ons. Writing on the Bethesda blog yesterday, a rep from the two companies revealed that the game's first downloadable add-on -- comprising additional maps and other "new content" -- will be available for free at an unspecified date in June. Additionally, a Brink configuration update has gone live on Xbox 360 (no download required). It will cap the number of human players when matchmaking in "Campaign" and "Freeplay" modes, allowing for a maximum of eight online players. Splash Damage believes this will lead to better connections between players and reduce instances of lag. By default, this will eliminate 8v8 matches, but "for players who haven't been [experiencing] lag, we'll still support 8v8 on all maps via a new 'Big Teams' configuration in Freeplay, and through custom settings in Private matches." Meanwhile, the PC version of Brink has gotten a full patch containing several fixes, many of which were already included on the day-one patch sent out to consoles. The matchmaking update will be available on PS3 as soon as Sony's online network is restored. [Thanks, Ryan]
