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Gamescom 2013: Destiny, ESO take top honors
Over 340,000 attendees descended on Cologne to see what the biggest in the business had to offer at Gamescom 2013, with the upcoming battle between Microsoft and Sony's next-gen consoles taking center stage. So what came out on top? According to this year's Gamescom Awards, pretty much the games you'd expect. Bungie's MMO-shooter hybrid Destiny took home the award for Best PlayStation game, along with Best Action Game, Best Online Multiplayer Game, and Best of Gamescom. Meanwhile, ZeniMax Online and Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls Online walked with Best Role-Playing Game and Best Social/Casual/Online Game. Gaijin Entertainment's War Thunder was named Best Simulation Game. Other awards were meted out to non-MMO contenders; Titanfall, Forza 5, Mario Kart 8, FIFA 14, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, and Battlefield 4 all ended up with some sort of official recognition.
Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg on how Destiny was 'born modern' and why social connectivity will define the next-gen
Successive generations of console gaming have been, historically, defined by improvements in graphics. But Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg envisions a different future for the coming next-gen of gaming and it's all about connectivity. As he told our own Ben Gilbert at Gamescom 2013 this week, "The same way that Xbox Live and PlayStation Network led to the big trend in this generation being multiplayer games, I think that some sort of connectivity and social amplification of games is probably something you'll see a lot of creative activity around [in the next-gen]." Hirshberg offered up Destiny, Bungie's upcoming hybrid FPS / persistent world game as a prime example of this trend, and referred to the title as being "born modern" -- a video game and social network rolled into one. Hirshberg's aware that not all gamers are ready to jump ship from the current console generation. Which is why his company decided to invest in a new engine for Call of Duty: Ghosts to maximize the beauty of its visuals and audio, but still make it a multiplatform, cross-generational title. Activision's even partnering up with retailers to offer gamers incentives (in the form of a minimal upgrade fee) to make the next-gen leap should they initially purchase the PS3 or Xbox 360 version. As for where forward-facing virtual reality hardware like the Oculus Rift fits in, Hirshberg wasn't as optimistic. He's used the VR headset before, but primarily views it as a non-additive layer for gaming that's better enjoyed in "small doses" due to its intensity. For our full interview with Hirshberg and all his thoughts on the next-gen of gaming, click on past the break.
Destiny behind-the-scenes video shows weapon options
Bungie unveiled a new behind-the-scenes video for Destiny today, delving into the environments, weapons and abilities players will explore in the game. Titled "Out Here in the Wild," the video noted that players can carry three weapons at a time, from assault rifles to a heavy weapon slot reserved for guns that cause "unrealistically large amounts of damage for a very small window of time." Destiny is due out in 2014 for PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
Gamescom 2013: New dev video discusses Destiny's world, weapons, and characters
Bungie has just pushed live an all-new Destiny video that offers a deeper look into the game's universe, characters, and weapon selection, along with developer commentary on key features such as public events, competitive multiplayer, and Destiny's wide open world. The video includes a fair bit of previously unseeen game footage and is worth a look if you're excited or curious about Destiny. Check it out after the break.
Bungie bringing colossal Destiny statue to Gamescom
Gamescom bills itself as the largest single gathering of gamers in the world. Who better than Bungie, then, to set up the "largest theater to ever grace the event" in order to showcase its upcoming Destiny title. The game will also be advertised by a colossal sculpture of the Fallen Captain, a fearsome four-armed baddie that Destiny players will face as they fight their way through the game's war-torn sci-fi scape. Click past the cut to see the statue take shape courtesy of Bungie's art department.
Bungie talks Destiny's connected play, Far Cry and Borderlands influence
In an interview with Edge Magazine, Destiny creative director Joe Staten took a moment to acknowledge the contributions of other open world shooters to the Destiny development process. Staten noted that the dev team analyzes titles like Borderlands and Far Cry and looks at "the things they're doing well and also at opportunities they might have missed that we can capitalize on." One big missed opportunity according to Staten? Encountering other players in the wild: You can party up with a group of people and then go around with that group, but never in Borderlands are you going to collide with a group of other people doing it too. We don't just do that once or twice in the game, we do that all the time, everywhere. You see other people on the horizon, hear gunfire over a hill and see space magic flying behind some trees, and you know...there are other people out here, that [changes everything]. Colliding with other people is sort of the core component of most MMOs, though Destiny may be the first big console-specific shooter to rely on such mechanics to fill out its game world. Staten also confirmed that Destiny will offer a leveling system complete with talent points -- another feature fans of MMOs will likely find quite familiar.
Coming soon to a console near you: MMOs
Remember E3 2013? That huge video games conference thing from earlier in the summer? Weeks have passed since Microsoft and Sony squared off in the Los Angeles convention center (while Nintendo posted up at Best Buy and Ouya sulked in the parking lot), but the news made there continues to reverberate through the games industry. One curious trend seems to have been missed amid the clashing of proverbial titans: There sure are a lot of MMOs and online-focused games due on consoles this generation. And since MMOs are the business of Massively, we thought it might be fun to compile a quick list of all the ones we can find that are either already available on our current consoles or set for launch on the next batch. The list, as it turns out, is pretty extensive.
Destiny artists offer colorful commentary on E3 demo video
Bungie artists Mike Zak, Mark Peterson and Ryan Ellis describe the Destiny E3 demo in unique ways, like, "'Bird simulator' is what we're actually shipping." They also provide the classic lines, "I'm stuck in a room with two Canadians," "I don't speak Russian" and "It also looks like a scary spider."
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.
Destiny sends E3 gameplay walkthrough into the wild
Bungie has sent out its full E3 gameplay demo of Destiny, containing all 12 minutes of footage from the Sony E3 2013 keynote. Within, we get a glimpse of some combat, the remnants of humanity following the collapse of its Golden Age and that Peter Dinklage-sounding AI companion.%Gallery-191163%
Bungie talks Destiny, evades RMT question
Bungie's latest Mail Sack column is up, and the bulk of the conversation centers on its upcoming open-world sci-fi shooter, Destiny. Revealed (or clarified) in the post: fireteam sizes (three), total player allowances for public events (a lot, but not too many), and which month the team is most looking forward to in 2014 (the one in which Destiny comes out). Also discussed were real-money transactions, though the response from Bungie is about as PR-fluffy as it gets. When asked to what degree real-life money will be used in the game, this was the response: What we can tell you right now is that the rewards you will gain by playing Destiny – and playing it well – will be earned. You will carve them from the hides of your enemies, after you stomp them into the ground of your favorite destinations. It makes sense that the folks at Bungie would play that one close to the chest; Destiny is still in a pre-alpha state and anything could change about the game at any time.
Bungie's Chris Butcher talks about Destiny's public areas
Is Destiny a shooter with MMO elements or an MMO with a lot of shooting elements? According to a recent video interview with Chris Butcher, it's the former, and seeing as he's the Engineering Lead at Bungie he probably knows what he's talking about. But there's also some more nuance to the game which Butcher explains, and while it might not fall comfortably within the MMO header it's got a lot of persistent options. Butcher explains in the video how the game's many public areas work -- there's no UI elements to let you know that you've entered a shared space, just the sudden sight of other players alongside the announcement of dynamic events in the area. It's certainly an interesting take on shared spaces, and it's more than you might expect from a straight shooter. If you're looking forward to the game, the video embedded past the cut is well worth your time.
Destiny's online battlegrounds explained by Bungie
We spoke with Bungie's Chris Butcher, engineering lead for online shooter Destiny, about the overall concept of the game and its mishmash of genres. Destiny is primarily a shooter, as shown in gameplay footage released at the show, but we also discuss some of its other flavors and social components. Butcher, being the engineering guy, also gets some time to geek out about the game's lighting and animation. %Gallery-191163%
Game of Thrones' Dinklage to voice main companion in Destiny
If you're a Game of Thrones fan, there's no denying the fact that Tyrion Lanister is one of the most enduring characters in both the books and the HBO series. Actor Peter Dinklage is to credit on the TV side of things, and now the seasoned vet is branching out to do some voice work in Bungie's Destiny MMO. As your interactive companion, Ghost, Dinklage's voice (sans faux British accent) will be with your character wherever you go in the game. In addition to Dinklage, Bungie is also working with the iconic Sir Paul McCartney for the game's music.
The Daily Roundup for 06.11.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Bungie gives us our first peek at Destiny gameplay (video)
At Sony's pre-E3 press conference tonight mentioned again how its relationship with Activision and Bungie will see exclusive DLC for the developer's first post-Halo game, Destiny, come to the PlayStation 4. It also showed off a trailer featuring in-game action and a live demo. The live action on-stage featured two people playing as a warlock and hunter navigating through a level and dispatching alien foes (you've played Halo, or Mass Effect, right?) in exactly the RPG / shooter fashion fans are expecting. Take a peek at the trailer after the break, the game hits next gen and current gen systems alike next year. Follow all of our E3 2013 coverage at our event hub.
E3 2013: Bungie reveals Destiny's first 'gameplay' video
During tonight's Sony press conference at E3, Bungie revealed a fresh new trailer with some gameplay bits for its upcoming co-op FPS, Destiny, a game many MMOFPS fans would gladly claim as one of theirs. With thanks to our sister site Joystiq, we've embedded it after the cut. Expect no less than breathtaking vistas, terrifying dropships, and guns that are on fire.
Destiny gets its first gameplay trailer
Bungie showed off a gameplay demonstration for Destiny, the developer's next first-person shooter, at Sony's E3 press event today. The trailer featured acrobatic moves and co-op action with players battling alongside one another with different character classes. Destiny is coming to PS4, Xbox One, PS3 and Xbox 360 sometime in 2014.
Destiny 'looking forward to talking more about' PC version in future
Bungie senior writer Eric Osborne didn't go so far as to outright confirm or deny the existence of a PC version of Destiny, though he did say that Bungie is "looking forward to talking more about that kind of stuff in the future" during an interview with IGN. "We haven't said yes, and we haven't said no," Osborne said. "The more platforms we take on, the more work it ultimately becomes, and what we don't want is to compromise the core experience on any platforms. We have a lot of people who play on PCs. We have a lot of appetite to build that experience." Right now, Destiny is set to launch for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One at an unspecified future date, presumably before the dystopian, near-extinct future in which the game takes place.
Watch Destiny's law of the jungle trailer
We hope you like metaphors because Bungie is bringing a whopper of one to you through the magic of a Destiny official trailer. The trailer is framed by a father reading to his son The Law of the Jungle at bedtime, mentioning wolves and packs in such a way that we totally aren't thinking of The Hangover whatsoever. Of course, there's a bit of the game setting in there too, with masked, cloaked soldiers pulling out big guns and showing the enemy the business. The trailer concludes by stating that there will be a worldwide gameplay reveal for Destiny at E3 on June 10th. Check out the savage trailer after the jump and let us know what jungle animal guides you in space!
