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Steam's February Game Festival will feature over 500 playable demos
Steam's next Game Festival starts on February 3rd, with over 500 demos available to play.
The PlayStation VR demo disc has 17 games in North America
Last week Sony outlined the eight demos that will be bundled with PlayStation VR for European customers. Now, the company has revealed a bigger lineup of free games that'll be included on the VR demo disc in the US and Canada.
New study shows the scale of Twitter's misogyny problem
When then-CEO Dick Costolo admitted last year that Twitter "suck[s] at dealing with abuse and we've sucked at it for years," he was addressing the elephant in the room and a frustratingly common problem for women on the platform. Although the company has taken steps to combat abuse and report real-world threats, the overwhelmingly negative attitude towards women on Twitter persists. And a new study from the UK has the data to back it up.
Devs can now offer trials, games in same download on Xbox One
Being able to sample content from digital storefronts is one of the more compelling advantages of shopping digitally. Trial-sized portions of games could be sampled on the Xbox 360 by downloading Xbox Live Arcade titles, which could then be used to unlock the full game without an additional download, but multi-purpose downloads haven't appeared on the Xbox One. That has the potential to change, according to Eurogamer's interview with ID@Xbox Program Director Chris Charla. While demoes and full games are generally separate downloads on Xbox One, the option to offer both in the same file is something that's been "recently turned on," Charla said. "I don't think we've seen any ID@Xbox games yet that have shipped with trials, but we may well in the future. It's something that's open to everybody." The switch should make browsing for new games to play a bit easier, should developers choose to use the feature. Speaking of making things easier, Microsoft's idea of allowing any Xbox One to be used as a dev kit would certainly lower the barrier of entry for game development, but we're still waiting on details beyond the concept. [Image: Microsoft]
Nintendo opts for livestreamed press event, game demos at E3
Nintendo announced that its plans for E3 this year in June won't include a traditional in-person press conference, as it will opt for a Nintendo Direct video stream as well as a series of livestreamed demos. This is the publisher's second year of handling E3 in this manner; Nintendo established its new, apparently preferred format for presenting its biggest news of the year just one year ago. The Nintendo Digital Event, dubbed a "new kind of video program that will reveal and provide further detail about the gaming experiences on the way for Nintendo platforms in 2014 and beyond," will air at 9:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 10. Nintendo Treehouse, the publisher's product development department, will also livestream unscripted game demos from its booth at E3 during all hours of the show. The Nintendo game that's slated to get extra attention this year is Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U, which will get its own invitational tournament at E3 and be playable at Best Buy stores across the country for the week. [Image: Nintendo]
Massive Xbox One reveals regular sized consoles within, and zombies
This evening Vancouver residents found out what was inside that Kaiju-sized Xbox One: a marketing stunt. Meant to promote the console and launch title Dead Rising 3, Kotaku has posted a picture of the demo stations within, as well as a Vine of the "zombies" outside. NeoGAF poster Jotamide reported a tent offering zombie makeup for free, and demonstrations of DR3 (developed by Capcom Vancouver), Killer Instinct, Ryse and Forza 5.
Demowatch: Diablo 3, FIFA 14, PES 2014, Etrian Odyssey Untold
What do Diablo 3, FIFA 14, Pro Evolution Soccer 2014, and Etrian Odyssey Untold have in common? Fantastically little, really, they're drastically different games after all - well, apart from FIFA 14 and PES 2014. Not our best riddle, frankly. Oh wait: They all have demos coming out soon! Diablo 3 on consoles, FIFA 14 and PES 2014 get theirs this week, while 3DS RPG Etrian Odyssey Untold receives an eShop demo on September 16. The Diablo 3 demo is out now on Xbox Live (as a Gold-exclusive), and hits PlayStation Network later today. The demo goes as far as the Skeleton King, the action-RPG's first boss, and features all five Hero classes and both local and online multiplayer. Meanwhile, the FIFA 14 demo has already kicked off on PC and XBL, taking to the field on PSN later today. It lets you play as one of eight teams: Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Paris St. Germain, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Barcelona, New York Red Bulls, and Boca Juniors. As for the PES 2014 demo, it's out on XBL now too, and should hit PSN today. Bear in mind, Euro-folk, PSN tradition is for updates there on Wednesday, so FIFA 14, PES 2014 and Diablo 3 demos may arrive then. However, EA Community Manager Rob Hodson tweeted this morning to say the FIFA 14 demo could hit today, around 5PM UK time.
Bungie releases full Destiny E3 demo footage
Destiny, the first post-Halo project of former Microsoft indentured studio Bungie, received a nice long play demo at E3 2013 showing off its open-world and MMO elements. And thanks to the magic of the Internet, you can now watch the 12-minute clip for yourself in full, glorious HD. Check out the video after the jump, and for the complete E3 experience try watching it after cramming into a room with 200 strangers while nursing a faint hangover.
Sega and Gearbox targeted in Aliens: Colonial Marines lawsuit
Gearbox Software and Sega have both been named in a class action lawsuit alleging that the two companies knowingly misrepresented Aliens: Colonial Marines in trade show demos. After the game was released to negative reviews, some players and critics claimed the game's trailers and demonstrations didn't match up to the final product. The lawsuit's plaintiff, Damion Perrine, and the law firm of Edelson LLC have decided to take the matter to court for consumers. The suit cites a tweet from Gearbox head Randy Pitchford, who called initial complaints over the delta between demo and final game "understood and fair." The legal action also suggests demos were misleadingly labeled as "actual gameplay," and that Sega embargoed press reviews until the early morning of Colonial Marines' release date, preventing early buyers from discovering the differences. Accordingly, the suit asks for class action damages for anyone who pre-ordered the game or bought it on release day. The next step in a class action suit like this will be for the courts to certify the class. Unless Sega and Gearbox fight for a settlement right away, Edelson will next need to figure out how many players were mislead in the way described in the lawsuit. Once determined, the class will be notified of the suit, and the case can move forward.
Amiga Forever Essentials for Android promises to expand your emulation options
There's already a number of Amiga emulators for Android, but using them has so far required you to provide your own Amiga system files to actually get that emulation started. Cloanto's set out to change that today, though, releasing its Amiga Forever Essentials app for Android that comes complete with officially licensed ROM and OS files for the reasonable cost of one dollar. As the company explains, it worked with the makers of Amiga emulators like UAE4Droid, AnUAE4All, UAE4All2 to ensure the system files are auto-detected (you'll still need to use at least one of those other emulators in conjunction with Forever Essentials), and it's thrown in a few bonuses like Workbench 1.3 and the First Demos disk images to get you started. It also says that this is just the first of a planned series of "Essentials" packages for other platforms, but it has few specifics to share about those at the moment, saying only that it's hopeful it can "help make retrocomputing more accepted on other app stores."
New Nintendo eShop releases: Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate demos
Today is all about demos. If you've wanted to see what the whole "Monster Hunter" sensation is about, today you can download demos of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on both Wii U and 3DS. There are also demos of Trine 2 on Wii U and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed on 3DS.Etrian Odyssey 4 will also be released on 3DS eShop on February 26 – between now and the next weekly eShop release list.
TUAW TV Live: Dog day demos
It's still hotter than the blazes here in Colorado, but there are starting to be some signs of cooler days ahead. But while the heat is still set on "high", I'll take the opportunity to show you some cool things that have come out of the minds of developers and manufacturers around the world. I'd also like to take a quick poll of our viewers today (see poll below). Many of you are tired of the parade of interruptions from Ustream ads, although those ads are what enable us to broadcast for free. We have used YouTube before; their ads seem to be much less obtrusive and annoying. There's only one problem -- some viewers in European countries, Germany in particular, cannot watch the live stream without coming in through some sort of proxy. So the poll question is this -- should TUAW TV Live move to YouTube or stay on Ustream? %Poll-77137% And now on with the show! Below, you'll find a Ustream livestream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to participate by asking questions or making comments. You'll be watching the show in glorious HD! If you're driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you're stuck in traffic, please don't -- keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone and join the chat by downloading the free Ustream App. It's a universal app and is wonderful on an iPad, both for viewing and participating in the chat. We'll start at about 5 PM ET, so if you're seeing a prerecorded show, be sure to refresh your browser until you see the live stream. For those of you who are not able to join us for the live edition, you'll be able to view it later this evening on our TUAW Video YouTube channel and as part of the TUAW TV Live podcast viewable in iTunes or on any of your Apple devices.
Leaderboard: Betas are a boon vs. betas are a bust
For many, betas are the apex of the pre-launch experience. After months and even years of hearing about a title, discussing it rabidly, and scouring the internet for information on it, fans are finally given the chance to try it out for themselves. For many, this is wonderful, a drink of water to a parched gaming soul. For many, but not for all. You see, betas can be a doubled-edged sword, capable of hurting as much as helping. They can be a boon to those who truly want to help a game's development by testing for bugs, they can help players decide if this is a product worth purchasing, and they can assist in getting one's "game legs" before the main event begins. However, betas have been known to foster an environment of entitlement ("Why isn't this game 100% polished? I judge it fail!") while robbing the newness of an MMO that has yet to release. So, overall, do you deem that betas are a boon to the community or a bust? Are they useful tools for both developers and players, or are they nothing but glorified demos that harm more than help? Put your vote where your opinion is after the jump!
3DS eShop to get free game demos, Nintendo throws users DLC bone
Never let it be said that good things don't come to those who wait and wait and... well, you get the point. Having finally delivered a much-delayed firmware update to the 3DS last December, the Big N appears ready to make good on its DLC promises. Starting tomorrow, gamers visiting the eShop will be able to take a tour of Racoon City and fire off a few shots at its zombie denizens with a downloadable demo of Resident Evil Revelations. The company's only announced one other title, Mario & Sonic At The London Olympic Games, for later this month, but plans are on deck to refresh the service with new trial content from Rayman Origins and Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D, amongst others in the coming year. Sure, it's no Kid Icarus, but this is Nintendo we're talking about -- you have to take what you can get.
TUAW TV Live: The 2nd anniversary show
Yep, as noted in the promo post earlier today, this is the second anniversary of the TUAW TV Live show. Over those 104 weeks, I've managed to demonstrate hundreds of new Mac, iPhone, and iPad apps and accessories, have a bunch of fun visitors, and have enjoyed the rantings of the regulars in the chat room. Sometimes, technical issues can make the show a bit of a car wreck. Today's show is going to be more of the same, but with beer. Feel free to join in with your favorite beverage of choice, and we'll have one heck of a party. I'm going to do a lot of demos today -- you can see the list of possible items right here. Below, you'll find a Ustream livestream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to participate by asking questions or making comments. If you're driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you're stuck in traffic, please don't -- keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone and join the chat by downloading the free Ustream App. It's a universal app and is wonderful on an iPad, both for viewing and participating in the chat. We'll start at about 5 PM ET, so if you're seeing a prerecorded show, be sure to refresh your browser until you see the live stream. For those of you who are not able to join us for the live edition, you'll be able to view it later this evening on our TUAW Video YouTube channel and as part of the TUAW TV Live podcast viewable in iTunes or on any of your Apple devices.
TUAW TV Live: Steve's Demo Derby
As promised (threatened?) in the promo post earlier today, I'm going to demonstrate a pileup of products on TUAW TV Live. Accessories and apps are both on the menu, so expect to see a lot of action on the show today. No, I won't be driving the TUAW demolition derby car (above) in a battle royale against the other blogs ... just showing off a lot of fun stuff. Below, you'll find a Ustream livestream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to participate by asking questions or making comments. If you're driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you're stuck in traffic, please don't -- keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone and join the chat by downloading the free Ustream App. It's a universal app and is wonderful on an iPad, both for viewing and participating in the chat. We'll start at about 5 PM ET, so if you're seeing a prerecorded show, be sure to refresh your browser until you see the live stream. For those of you who are not able to join us for the live edition, you'll be able to view it later this evening on our TUAW Video YouTube channel and as part of the TUAW TV Live podcast viewable in iTunes or on any of your Apple devices.
Guild Wars 2 is at G-Star with new items but no beta
With Guild Wars 2 appearing this weekend at the G-Star convention, there's been a lot of speculation about two potential pieces of news -- a date for the beta or the eighth profession reveal. Unfortunately for the speculators, the latest updates from Eric Flannum have put those rumors to rest. Flannum confirms that while there will be news coming out on the 11th, it will not include either of those updates, which are still on track for a later date. That being said, there's still some news to be found, including the preview of some high-level armor sets that are exclusive for the Korean demo. Flannum stated that there will be other elements unique to this demo, although he declined to elaborate beyond the armor. Guild Wars 2 fans will have to keep their eyes peeled for what comes out of the convention... and wait just a wee bit longer to find out when the beta will begin, or what the last profession will be.
NHL 12, Warhammer 40K: Space Marine demos assault Xbox Live
Sticks and giant hockey players may break some bones, sure, but chainswords will rip flesh asunder. Today's high-profile and violent demo additions to the Xbox Live marketplace include hockey simulator NHL 12 and bulked-up shooter Warhammer 40K: Space Marine. Don't forget, if you play the competently created downloadable game, Warhammer 40K: Kill Team, you'll unlock the "Power Sword" when Space Marine starts its orbital assault on September 6.%Gallery-124485%
Driver into Madden with new Xbox Live demos
Disclaimer: The headline of this post in no way endorses the vehicular assault of one John Madden, professional sports announcer. It is instead intended to humorously present the fact that demos for both Driver: San Francisco and Madden NFL 12 have arrived on the Xbox Live service. Though it's not necessarily our purview, the AOL legal team would also like to take a moment to apologize for the editorial quality of said headline. Not only is no mention made of the Madden NFL 12 demo appearing today on PSN, but the haphazard way in which the titles have been truncated are in no way representative of either AOL or the Huffington Post Media Group. Plus, Driver isn't even a verb.
ArenaNet revealing Guild Wars 2 PvP and customization at Gamescom
Europe's largest game expo is getting ready for plenty of Guild Wars 2 goodness, as ArenaNet will be bringing its highly anticipated fantasy MMO to the Cologne convention that runs from August 17th to August 21st. In a new post on the company blog, Martin Kerstein gives us an idea of what we can expect from the NCsoft demo booth. The playable GW2 build will include all seven professions revealed thus far, the complete Charr starter experience, and a mid-level demo featuring powerful Orrian enemies (and Sylvari and Asura playable characters). Last but not least, gamers will finally get their hands on Guild Wars 2's character customization system as well as its PvP component. Hands-on PvP experiences will be available, and players can also watch exhibition matches between developers and select European players.
