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'Avowed' is a first-person RPG from the team behind 'The Outer Worlds'
Avowed is the next big game from Obsidian Entertainment.
Ford launches its own esports virtual racing teams
Ford plans to launch its own esports virtual racing teams. Under the name Fordzilla, the company will recruit top esports drivers for teams in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. The company will also invite star players to form a European team with select members from each national team.
'Alan Wake' developer may bring the cult classic to more consoles
Alan Wake might make its way to PS4 or Switch (or even mobile) after developer Remedy Entertainment snagged back the publishing rights to the 2010 cult classic from Microsoft. It told investors it would earn royalty payments of about 2.5 million euros this year for its previously released games, and, in a related move, it regained the rights to Alan Wake.
Halo 5 beta adding Strongholds mode, Rocket Launcher
The Halo 5: Guardians beta is drawing to a close, Spartans. Just one week remains before the doors seal shut on January 18, but developer 343 Industries and publisher Microsoft are going to make sure this shindig goes out with a bang - literally. See, week three of the beta is not only adding a new, Forge-created map called "Pegasus" and a new mode called "Strongholds," but it's also re-introducing the classic power weapon, the Rocket Launcher. For those scouting here for tactical reconnaissance, here's what the United Nations Space Command has planned for you: Pegasus, the winning map of a fan vote, has long sight lines perfect for snipers and long-range weapon users. However, the perches where these marksman must take post have plenty of flanking routes, and are also vulnerable to well-aimed grenade throws. Strongholds mode features three control zones spread across a map; possess at least two and you'll be able to score points. First team to 100 wins. But let's be honest, the real reason to come a-running back to the Halo 5 beta is that sweet, sweet Rocket Launcher. Oh. Yeah. [Image: Microsoft]
Halo: MCC re-adds Halo 2: Anniversary Rumble playlist
The Halo 2: Anniversary Rumble playlist is live in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, after 343 Industries stripped it out on November 14 to help ease matchmaking issues. Still, the playlist isn't finalized – it currently allows up to 10 players and doesn't feature ranking, and 343 says it will continue tweaking the playlist to eventually support up to eight players with ranked play. "Once we've ironed out existing matchmaking issues," 343 writes. Matchmaking continues to be problematic in The Master Chief Collection, and even before the game's launch on November 11, 343 had to make changes to the announced lineup of playlists. Our review noted that matchmaking was "barely functioning." On November 20, 343 released a patch aiming to fix many matchmaking issues. [Image: Microsoft]
Matchmaking targeted in new Halo: The Master Chief Collection patch
Halo: The Master Chief Collection has suffered from serious matchmaking issues since its launch earlier this month – when we reviewed it, matchmaking was "barely functioning." However, today's content update aims to fix many of these issues. In a blog post, developer 343 Industries outlines the changes, the most crucial of which are fixes to the wait time and success rate in matchmaking. "With this update, you'll see better, more frequent and more informative status updates throughout the matchmaking flow – so 'Players Found' for example, will be displayed to let players know where they are in the matchmaking process instead of simply wondering if it's going to connect," 343 writes. The update also ensures players stay together after reviewing the post-game carnage report, removes the ability to kick players from matchmaking games, and it removes an exploit that allowed players to boost their rankings. Also part of the patch, the Master Chief Collection's overall UI and campaign processes get a spit-shine, and Halo: CE, Halo 2 and Halo 2: Anniversary get improvements. Today's patch was originally supposed to launch on November 19, but was delayed. [Image: Microsoft]
Sunset Overdrive review: It's my party
In developer Insomniac's world of Sunset Overdrive, it's not a typical post-apocalypse day unless you're grinding along the open city's railings, power lines and rooftops, bouncing off a truck hood, smacking a mutant with your special guitar that sends out a shockwave of miniature tornadoes and firing a gun that shoots electrified vinyl records, all while making clever wisecracks that shatter the fourth wall. You may be familiar with the phrase "if X and Y had a baby, it would be Z." Sunset Overdrive is no one's baby; it is the act of metaphorical lovemaking itself, and it incorporates ideas, style and gameplay lifted from the likes of Jet Grind Radio, Saints Row The Third, Infamous, Ratchet & Clank and some guy named Cliff who just plain likes to party. And it is glorious, offering something for everyone.
Amazon queen Maya returns in Killer Instinct season two
Divekick developer Iron Galaxy Studios will re-introduce players to Maya, Queen of the Amazons, when it rolls out the second season of content for Killer Instinct, according to reports from this year's EVO event. Microsoft community manager Mike Robles tweeted concept art of the dagger-wielding warrior, while GameSpot reports that Iron Galaxy described Maya as a high-risk, high-reward character during the panel where she was unveiled. According to GameSpot's report, Maya's daggers will level up as she lands hits on her opponents, eventually reaching the point where she can throw them as projectiles. A photo of the presentation also reveals that Maya's design is inspired by the Inca civilization. While the Incas lived on the fringe of the Amazon Basin and not deep in the rainforest, thus making her "Queen of the Amazon" title a bit of a mismatch, we're willing to bet you'll have bigger things to worry about - things like daggers flying at your face - when Killer Instinct season two begins this fall. [Image: Microsoft]
Master Chief Collection teaches the meaning of friendship
Halo: The Master Chief Collection will give fans a new look at Master Chief's pal The Arbiter this November, if a cryptic new trailer is any hint. You think you know a guy, then it turns out his history as part of a genocidal alien armada might not be the only stain on his past. [Image: Microsoft]
Hot Wheels Forza 5 DLC brings cars, lacks bendy orange roads
Sometimes it's hard to find an excuse to play with the toys and properties you enjoyed as a kid. However, Forza 5 is about to reunite you with your long-lost Hot Wheels collection. Well, sort of. A new car pack, brought to you by Hot Wheels, is now available to download for $9.99. While this Forza 5 DLC doesn't feature 1:64 scale die-cast vehicles or sweet volcano jumps, it does feature Lamborghini's 50th anniversary car - the 2013 Lamborghini Veneno - along with nine other sweet rides. Seven of the 10 roadsters are new to the Forza franchise, and you can check out the full list after the break:
Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta coming in December [Update: trailer]
The Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta will launch in December, Microsoft revealed today at E3. Those looking for access to the UNSC's upcoming firefight can guarantee their entry in the beta by purchasing Halo: The Master Chief Collection, due November 11. Microsoft announced Halo 5: Guardians last month, revealing a mysterious box art image depicting an unknown character standing as a literal reflection of Master Chief. It is being developed by 343 Industries, who took the reigns on the Halo franchise from Bungie, who themselves have sought out a new Destiny. [Image: Microsoft]
Halo: The Master Chief Collection jumps to Xbox One on November 11, 2014
Like a Forerunner machine rising from the sand, the rumored Halo: The Master Chief Collection has been given an official, dramatic unveiling by Microsoft. As you might have guessed from the collection's name, The Master Chief Collection will chronicle the adventures of UNSC SPARTAN John-117, aka Master Chief. That means updated versions of Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3 and Halo 4. It also means the inclusion of every multiplayer map from each of the aforementioned games. Following the example of 2011's Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, 343 Industries will be remaking Halo 2 with new textures, models and sound, though players will be able to switch back and enjoy the game's original Xbox visuals at any time. Speaking of visuals, Blur Studio will develop new cutscenes to re-tell Chief's story. All games in the collection will run at 60 frames per second.
343 Industries partnering with Skullcandy for Halo audio gear
In the Halo games, turning on skulls will change certain aspects of the game. For example, Grunt Birthday Party makes alien heads explode with confetti. Hopefully that won't happen to you when you turn on a different kind of Halo skull - as in, a Halo-branded headset from audio manufacturer Skullcandy - but we make no promises. 343 Industries, Microsoft and Skullcandy announced this week that the companies have partnered together for a multi-year deal that will result in new Halo-themed gear, including headsets and speaker tags. The deal also encompasses ASTRO Gaming, a division of Skullcandy. Unfortunately, exactly what these products will look like, what they'll do, how much they'll cost and when they'll be available are as of yet unknown. Considering Master Chief's penchant for stumbling across forbidden information, maybe we'll find out soon. [Image: Skullcandy]
Lionhead bringing Fable Anniversary to PC
While Fable Anniversary was previously exclusive to Xbox 360 owners, a clamoring cacophony of Fable fans has apparently persuaded Lionhead and Microsoft to bring the HD remake of the 2004 Xbox game to Steam. When and for how much, however, are tales yet to be told. [Image: Microsoft]
Project Spark Xbox One beta opens up to all
All Xbox One owners can try out the game-crafting playground of Project Spark, after Team Dakota opened up the platform's beta this week. A closed beta began earlier in the month, but now players won't need a beta key to jump into the sandbox. One of the biggest strengths of Project Spark looks to be the sheer variety of things you can create in it, and just how flexible its tools are. We've seen in the hands of the developer everything from visually authentic recreations of Limbo to fully working synthesizers, while an Xbox One beta montage trailer shows users are displaying their creative finesse too. [Image: Microsoft]
Project Spark launches Xbox One beta today
Microsoft is inviting Xbox One players to give Project Spark and its game-crafting tools a test run in a new beta that launches today. The beta is global, and requires players to sign up to receive an invite - those who've been on the Windows 8.1 closed beta automatically get access to the Xbox One beta. On Xbox One, players can use Kinect to animate characters using motion capture as well as give them triggered vocals, and Team Dakota's Sax Persson previously said the studio is also considering implementing gameplay control via Kinect. "Part of the reason why we're in beta is to hear what people want to make," Persson told us last year. "If everybody tells us that we need to make it so I can play my Kinect games, then that's the next thing we do." [Image: Microsoft]
Microsoft: More than a third of Xbox One owners bought Forza 5
A new Microsoft press release suggests Forza 5 is an Xbox One million-seller (rather than a million-shipper). According to the big M, more than a third of Xbox One owners purchased Turn 10's racer, and we already know the Xbox One notched 3 million sales by the close of 2013. When we input all that in to the Joystiq Supercomputer 6000, it beeps and whirs that Forza 5 sold at least a million units. So why didn't Microsoft just say that? We stress "at least," because Microsoft stipulates its info is based on February 2014 sales data, and that hasn't been released yet. So the number of Xbox One sales should be a fair bit greater now, and in turn the third of owners who bought Forza 5. We'll have to wait for less cryptic press releases to confirm any of that, though. The news revs in alongside new DLC for the game, including the free Road America pack that adds themed events to the Career and Rivals modes. Owners of the game's Car Pass are also getting a new five-car Road America selection, supplementary to the previously announced six monthly packs.
Microsoft Studios acquires rights to Gears of War series
Microsoft Studios has purchased the rights to the Gears of War franchise from Epic Games, Microsoft announced. The publisher will take over all existing and future games in the series, and will hand development of future games over to Vancouver, BC developer Black Tusk Studios. Formerly Microsoft Vancouver, Black Tusk was said to be working on a new AAA game for Xbox One as of June 2013. Rod Fergusson, former Director of Production at Epic Games on the Gears of War franchise, is joining Microsoft and will play a "key studio leadership role" at Black Tusk. The last time we heard from Fergusson he was launching a new studio for 2K in the Bay Area; it would appear that relationship didn't work out. Each entry in the four-game Gears of War series was published by Microsoft since its introduction in November 2006. The last Epic-developed game in the series was Gears of War: Judgment, which launched in March 2013.
Xbox One beta for Project Spark pushed back to next month
The Project Spark Xbox One beta starts in February, meaning system owners have to wait a bit longer than expected to check out the game-making game for themselves. The beta was due this month, but Microsoft Game Studios confirmed the new ETA via Facebook today. The news comes after Microsoft sent out a whole new batch of invites to the Windows 8 beta, which has been running since December. If those beta players want to take things to the betamax, the good news is they'll also be receiving an invite to the Xbox One phase. Project Spark looked strong in demos we saw last year, albeit in the hands of Team Dakota. At Gamescom we saw Dakota devs effortlessly create and customize beautifully rendered game worlds in a host of impressive ways, such as using Kinect motion capture to animate characters with a distinctly personal touch. It'll certainly be interesting to how well Joe Public takes to next month's Xbox One beta, and to the full game whenever it eventually arrives on Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC.
Fable Anniversary set for February 4, 2014
The 1080P HDification of Lionhead's original Fable, known as Fable Anniversary in its evolved state, will arrive on February 4,6 and 7 in North America, Asia and Europe, respectively. The game is planned for Xbox 360. As enticement to revisit Albion and the previous console generation, the game will include a "Launch Day Weapons & Outfits Pack." The highlight in there is "a lute weapon," because next to a keyblade, nothing else could sound more ridiculously glorious.
