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Intel’s wireless HTC Vive add-on is where VR is headed
Complexity is bad for VR. The lengthy wires you need to connect a VR headset to your gaming PC or PlayStation 4 might not be a huge deal to geeks, but they're the sort of thing mainstream consumers would never live with. We know wireless is the answer. TPCast is already shipping an accessory for the HTC Vive that lets you give up on cables, and judging from our demo earlier this year, it works just as advertised.
Atari 2600 fans get the revival console they deserve
If you want to play retro Atari 2600/VCS games, you're not short on options. There's eBay for the original console, of course. You can play some on mobile, buy one of those Flashback all-in-ones or splurge on the ultimate man/woman cave table. But for those who have the original cartridges but don't want to keep an old console on permanent life support or tinker with modifications under the hood, your options aren't so good. Enter the RetroN 77 -- the VCS reimagined for the modern age. Importantly, it plays most if not all of the original game cartridges in glorious 1080p and at a modern aspect ratio, right out of the box.
'Duck Season' on HTC Vive revives the NES blaster with a dark twist
Duck Season brings back the classic NES light gun that holds a special place in any Duck Hunt fan's heart -- but with a dark VR twist. Duck Season is heading to the HTC Vive "very soon," complete with an updated version of the NES blaster, turned into a motion-tracking controller via the Vive tracker. Its core gameplay is essentially an upgraded, 3D version of Duck Hunt, though the story runs much deeper than it initially appears.
The Xbox One X is aspirational in the purest sense of the word
The Xbox One X is aspirational in the purest sense of the word. It's Microsoft's direct response to people saying that the standard Xbox One wasn't powerful enough compared to Sony's PlayStation 4. With six teraflops of processing power and a raft of other specs that have already given fanboys plenty to lust over, that's no longer the case. But what's it like to actually play around with the console? I can't actually tell you. Microsoft's Xbox One X Experience at E3 this year was a hands-off theater presentation. The company had mock-up consoles outside of its demo area, but inside, everything ran on developer kits. Yes, those really cool-looking white boxes with LCD displays on the front. While I didn't get to pick up a gamepad myself, Microsoft tried wowing the press in its hands-off demo area with Forza Motorsport 7, Gears of War 4 and Minecraft running in 4K. The most impressive of the trio wasn't car porn, however, nor did it involve chainsawing aliens in half. Forza and Gears look great, but the same can be said for their 1080p counterparts too.
Watch Nintendo's E3 2017 event in under 7 minutes
The E3 Nintendo Spotlight earlier today delivered a load of announcements in about half an hour. We're all busy people, and you might not have time to watch the entire event to catch up on the news. Now you don't have to. We've cut down the the finer points to a clip that's less than seven minutes. Sit back, relax and check out all of the Switch, Mario, Kirby, Yoshi and Pokémon stuff you may have missed. And yes, there's Metroid.
Action-RPG 'Code Vein' hits Xbox One, PS4 and PCs next year
Bandai Namco released the first trailer for its upcoming action-RPG game Code Vein just last month, but it couldn't exactly let E3 come and go without spilling a few more beans now, could it? We're no closer to a concrete release date, with 2018 still as definitive as it gets, but we do now know what platforms the third-person, anime-esque title will be available on. Bandai Namco previously said Code Vein would be hitting "major home consoles" next year, but it's now clarified the title is headed to Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PCs too, via Steam.
E3 hasn’t forgotten about PC gaming
While consoles hog the bulk of the spotlight at E3, PC gaming is still a big part of the convention. Intel held its first-ever E3 event yesterday, where it announced the VR Challenger League, an esports competition dedicated solely to virtual reality games like The Unspoken and Echo Arena. It's partnering with Oculus and ESL to make that happen, so it actually has a shot at making VR esports a thing. During E3's PC Gaming Show yesterday, we saw some long-awaited upgrades for PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (vaulting and weather, oh my!), and Microsoft unveiled Age of Empires: Definitive Edition, a completely remastered version of its classic RTS. Additionally, we caught glimpses of Battletech, the new strategy game in the MechWarrior universe; Cliff Bleszinski's multiplayer shooter LawBreakers; and Total War: Warhammer 2.
Watch Sony's E3 2017 event in under 15 minutes
Between us, I'm nearly heartbroken about Sony not sharing any details about The Last of Us: Part Two at its E3 2017 keynote yesterday. That said, the company did make some interesting reveals at the event, including the PlayStation 4-exclusive Spider-Man game, a new HD remake of the classic title Shadow of the Colossus and the next God of War. You'll notice that a lot of the games announced last night aren't slated to launch until 2018, which is kind of unfortunate because I (selfishly) want to play them right now. But that's life: Sometimes you don't get what you want. Either way, you can relive all the highlights from Sony's E3 2017 event in the video below, in case you want to get hyped over the new titles coming "soon" to your PS4.
Watch Ubisoft's E3 event in under 10 minutes
Ubisoft gave us the rundown on its library of upcoming games yesterday at E3, and there was a lot of news packed into the briefing. If you missed it, don't worry. We've trimmed down the event into a much shorter clip so you can catch up in less than 10 minutes. There's plenty of Far Cry 5, Assassin's Creed Origins, Mario + Rabbids and Beyond Good and Evil 2 news to catch up on. Spoiler alert: Skull & Bones makes doing battle on the high seas very fun.
'Metroid: Samus Returns' will soon spelunk alien caverns on the 3DS
In addition to teasing the fourth installment of the Metroid Prime series at E3 on Tuesday, Nintendo also announced that the armored space heroine will be returning to the 3DS in a 2.5-D side-scrolling adventure titled Metroid: Samus Returns.
The Xbox One X vs. the PlayStation 4 Pro: 4K and more
As Microsoft showed off its new Xbox One X at this year's E3, Sony's presentation focused primarily on its lineup of games. That's because its own powered-up console, the PlayStation 4 Pro, already debuted last fall to good reviews (with one big caveat). While many players will base their purchases this holiday season on each system's titles and online services, there's still a lot to be learned in comparing the two systems' specs -- especially if you want something to play on a 4K TV. Check out our chart below, and stay tuned for when we put the new Xbox through its paces, closer to launch.
Live from Engadget’s E3 2017 stage: interviews, panels and more!
Every year at CES we build a stage, invite fascinating people to come chat with us, and take a closer look at what really matters at the show. It's a blast! In fact, we have such a good time that we decided to do it again, only this time at E3 -- the epicenter of the gaming universe for the next few days. Join us as we discuss the news of the day and issues facing the industry, accompanied by a mix of masterminds and developers. Oh, and don't worry: We'll have plenty of time to play some new games too. You'll find our full stage schedule below: Be sure to stay tuned.
Nintendo is releasing amiibo for a 'Legend of Zelda' add-on
Nintendo doesn't just want you to download add-on content for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: It wants you to snap up more figurines too. The gaming giant has unveiled four amiibo designed with the DLC (most notably The Champion's Ballad) in mind. Each represents a champion from one of Hyrule's races: Mipha (from the zora), Daruk (goron), Revali (rito) and Urbosa (gerudo). Nintendo hasn't said when they'll arrive or what they'll unlock, but it's safe to say they'll be available in time to use with the DLC packs arriving this year.
'Super Mario Odyssey' comes to the Switch October 27th
When Nintendo announced Super Mario Odyssey alongside the Nintendo Switch reveal, it felt like a breath of fresh air. Sure, the Wii U had New Super Mario Bros U, Mario Maker and the excellent platforming of Super Mario 3D World -- but the open-world exploration mechanics of Sunshine, Galaxy and Super Mario 64 skipped Nintendo's last console. When Nintendo teased Odyssey as a refreshing return to form, it didn't give us a lot to go on. We knew Mario would explore a earth-like metropolis named New Donk City. We knew he could dance. We knew he had a magic hat. Now, we know when we'll be able to play it all: Today at E3, Nintendo announced that Super Mario Odyssey would launch on October 27th.
A new 'Kirby' game is coming to Nintendo Switch in 2018
Nintendo wasn't going to let E3 pass without making some announcements of its own and today the company is doing just that. One of those revelations is that everyone's favorite wobbling round hero is coming to Nintendo Switch in a new game. That's right, Kirby will arrive on the console next year.
'Yoshi' on Switch is more cardboard, less yarn
There's a new art style coming to the Yoshi franchise in its latest game, as the title character trundles around a diorama-styled 2.5-D setup collecting items, defeating enemies and solving puzzles. As shown in the trailer below, it will feature co-op gameplay like Donkey Kong Country Returns or the New Super Mario Bros games, and, in a change from Yoshi's Woolly World, the eggs are back. Nintendo says this action platformer will arrive on the Switch in 2018.
A bonafide 'Pokémon' game is coming to the Switch
For months, Pokémon fans have been speculating about a possible Sun and Moon port for the Nintendo Switch. A version called "Stars" has been rumored since November, promising new creatures and high-resolution graphics. Is it actually happening? Maybe. During Nintendo's E3 spotlight, Tsunekazu Ishihara from The Pokemon Company confirmed that a new, "core" Pokémon RPG is in development for Nintendo's new system. It's being developed by Game Freak, the team behind the mainline Pokémon RPG titles, and "may not release for more than a year," according to Ishihara. "But we hope you'll look forward to it all the same," he said. So is it Stars, or something else entirely? We're not sure, as Nintendo's Shinya Takahashi added cryptically: "What kind of Pokémon game will we be able to play on Nintendo Switch? I'm looking forward to it myself."
'Metroid' is really, truly back
Oh boy. We thought Nintendo's E3 showing would center entirely around Super Mario Odyssey, but it had another bombshell for us in its Direct livestream showcase. A decade later, Metroid is truly coming back -- and we're not talking Freedom Force. We're getting Metroid Prime 4.
'Destiny 2' release dates confirmed for PC and consoles
Tonight during Sony's E3 2017 press conference we got a good look at the new trailer for Destiny 2, and now Bungie has revealed when the game will launch. The sequel will be released on PS4 and Xbox One September 6th, ahead of its PC debut on October 24th. But that's not all. Pre-order betas start even earlier on consoles: July 18th/19th for the PS4/Xbox One, respectively, before an open beta period starting July 21st on both systems, with everything ending July 23rd. PC gamers will get to test out an early version of the game at some point in "late August." Also, if PS4 is your platform of choice, there will again be timed exclusive content (until fall 2018, at least), including a multiplayer map, co-op strike, armor sets and one sniper rifle.
PS4-exclusive ’Spider-Man’ arrives in 2018
The history of Spider-Man games is filled with highs and lows. For every Spider-Man 2, there's a Spider-Man: Edge of Time, an initially promising but ultimately lackluster outing. Sony hopes to change that with a new Spider-Man game developed by Insomniac. We've known that it's in development, but today we got a much better look through some extended gameplay at Sony's E3 press conference.
