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'Mighty No. 9' won't arrive until early 2016
Mighty No. 9, the new game from Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune, isn't going to be arriving until some point in the first three months of 2016. It's the second delay for the kickstarted title, which was originally slated to drop this spring before being pushed back to September. According to an update posted to Kickstarter, the reason behind the push back is that while the core functionality of the piece has been finished, there's still a raft of bugs and issues relating to the online components that have yet to be fixed. Considering that so many recent high-profile releases have been sold with bugs that make them almost unplayable, it's probably wise to hold off. Still, judging by the comments on the post, it looks as if plenty of backers would much rather have the game now and wait for the features to come later.
'Star Wars: Battlefront' gets 20-player aerial combat
Yes, slicing your enemies with a lightsaber is one reason to buy Star Wars: Battlefront, but it shouldn't be the only reason. At Gamescom 2015, Electronic Arts has revealed that it's adding in an aerial combat sim to the game, entitled Star Wars: Fighter Squadron. The title is a 20-player aerial combat mode that pits Rebel forces against the Empire's TIE Fighter squadrons, much like the Lucasarts classics of yore. 20 human players will also be joined by 20 computer-controlled ships, meaning that each glorious battle will see 40 craft zooming around at once.
Xbox at Gamescom 2015: a recap of Microsoft's strong showing
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-166784{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-166784, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-166784{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-166784").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Gamescom isn't open to the public just yet, but that hasn't stopped Microsoft from dropping some early news and trailers. During its "Xbox Briefing" in Cologne, the company announced DVR functionality for 2016, a new controller chat pad and a host of special console bundles. We also saw a slew of trailers for upcoming games such as Quantum Break, Scalebound and Crackdown 3. In the video above we give our take -- but if you've got time to spare, it's also worth checking out the proceedings in full down below.
Microsoft says 'Quantum Break' coming April 5th, 2016
Microsoft first announced Quantum Break as an Xbox One exclusive quite a while ago, and it has finally revealed the launch date: April 5th, 2016. At Gamescom 2015, the company also showed off brand new gameplay from the title (below), which comes from the developer that created Max Payne, Remedy. Suffice to say, it looks beautiful and features a strong time travel component. The studio originally promised that it would have an in-game live action show, and Remedy's Sam Lake confirmed that's still the case.
Xbox One will be a 'full-featured' DVR for TV
We'd heard rumblings for some time, but today at Gamescom, Microsoft announced that Xbox One would get its own DVR. The new functionality works from the OneGuide and streams over-the-air TV recordings to any Windows 10 device with the Xbox app or SmartGlass on iOS and Android. And you'll also be able to watch offline, too. With those two apps, you'll be able to schedule shows to record when you're away from OneGuide in your living room. Recorded content stored on an external DVR was viewable on the Xbox One's TV option, but now, the console itself will pull double duty. The console also has the ability to stream over-the-air television channels thanks to a pair of digital TV tuners, so adding in the recorder offers a complete package for game and TV viewing. Xbox One's DVR will arrive in 2016 and won't command any additional fees.
Xbox Live and ID@Xbox indie games coming to HoloLens
Microsoft's promise of unifying its disparate platforms with Windows 10 has even more going for it with some surprise announcements ahead of this week's Gamescom show in Germany. We knew that Xbox Live was coming to the desktop -- for free, even -- but that extends to HoloLens too. That's right: online multiplayer, friends lists and your achievements (anything tied to Redmond's gaming service, from the sounds of it) will be available on the augmented reality headset, according to VRFocus. The site also reports that HoloLens, Windows 10 and Xbox One will share a universal store for apps and the like "in time." Some purchases will also apparently be pay-once-play-anywhere affairs too. And similar to Microsoft's push to get Android and iOS developers to bring their apps to Windows 10, the ID@Xbox program will work to court indie game developers and extend across Redmond's latest operating system, HoloLens and Windows Phone.
'Endless Space 2' hopes to sate your space-faring strategy thirst
The million-selling Endless series of strategy games is expanding with the fourth entry, Endless Space 2. It takes place in the same universe as the previous releases, but at the "space colonization age of different civilizations" within it. If you sign up for the official newsletter you'll unlock a special in-game character, and spamming ten of your friends will get you a badge of honor and some in-game points. More details beyond those are teased for Gamescom next week, according to developer Amplitude Studios. To help hold you over, the team's put together an interactive teaser video (enter fullscreen, hold the space bar to swap viewpoints) that you'll find just below.
Gamescom 2014: WildStar abandons monthly update pace
Yet another MMO has fallen into the trap of promising monthly updates after launch only to realize that it's not as feasible as once thought. A mere two content updates into the live game, WildStar announced that it will be abandoning its monthly pace in favor of major drops every few months. At Gamescom, Senior Game Designer Megan Starks fessed up to the change of release cadence: "Originally our idea was to have a really aggressive post-launch schedule, just constantly provide stuff for our players so that there's always things for you to do. Now that we've put out two of our updates, our schedule is still planned out. [...] We decided to work on [the upcoming patch Defile] until it's a really good quality state. We do know that we want it to come out in the next few months. Instead of saying that we have this hard deadline, that it's going out no matter what, we're going to take the time to make sure that the quality is there." When asked if this is going to be the case for updates in the future, Starks said, "Yes."
Star Citizen's next stretch goal is a player dispute staff position at CIG
If you missed Star Citizen at Gamescom this year, Chris Roberts' latest Letter from the Chairman is worth parsing both for its written content and for the one-hour video embed that hits the highlights. Roberts explains how Cloud Imperium's Gamescom goal was to demonstrate how SC will grow beyond dogfighting. The big focus over the weekend was co-op crewed ship play, centered around the Constellation, which Roberts says is something he's wanted to achieve since his Wing Commander days. He also thanks backers for pushing the game past the $50 and $51 million stretch goals before outlining the next two goals. The $53 million milestone is the most interesting, as it seeks to establish a staffed position at CIG for dealing with in-game player disputes "without leaving our world." Click through the links below to read more, and don't forget about the Gamescom embed after the cut. [Thanks Cardboard!]
35 minutes of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt gameplay
If you didn't have the opportunity to travel all the way to Gamescom last week and check out the latest footage of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in action, are you ever in luck right now! Here's 35 minutes taken directly from the presentation at last week's show. Now, there are some elements from the Gamescom presentation missing in the video and we should point these out for you. First, you won't have to make an appointment to see it. Next, you won't be packed into a really warm room with comfy chairs where you may or may not fall asleep on your boss' shoulder (Sorry, Ludwig). Three ... no, seriously, accidentally snuggling your boss gets really weird quick. Check out the video after the break. The video of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, not of me snuggling Ludwig. That'll require a Joystiq Premium membership.
Around 335,000 attend Gamescom 2014
Gamescom: The Year of Sechs, according to the Koelnmesse organizers, reduced last year's attendance of over 340,000 to "around 335,000." Things were quieter a few years back - you know, with only around 275,000 attendees - thanks to Microsoft and Nintendo's absence, but that certainly wasn't the case this year. After the break you'll find our annual roundup of official and unofficial stats from the show. There's also plenty of podcasts to listen to and we've also got a text-based roundup of stories, if you're interested in those. We'll be back at Gamescom in 2015 from August 5-9.
Gamescom 2014: Skyforge's crew narrates a 30-minute tour
Skyforge is a title that has caught my attention for several reasons, including its pretty graphics, its science-fiction bent, and its flexible class build system. Past that I'm a little ignorant, which is why I appreciated the following video from Gamescom. After Skyforge's trailer, the team delivers a crash course on the game's lore, features, and combat. One of the interesting aspects is how the game can zoom out to show you the entire world so that you can easily see where quests for your character are waiting. If Skyforge is on your radar, do yourself a favor and give the Gamescom panel a watch when you have a moment!
The Daily Grind: What was your favorite Gamescom reveal?
Gamescom 2014 came and went, but not before a handful of interesting MMO-related news blurbs made their way from Cologne, Germany to your monitor. My personal favorite was Star Citizen's quartet of new videos, not to mention a fifth that showed off a multiplayer-crewed Constellation fighting for its life. What about you, Massively readers? What was your favorite Gamescom reveal? Or did nothing much catch your eye this year? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Gamescom 2014: Blizzard says World of Warcraft 2 is 'something we have talked about'
World of Warcraft fans are not the only ones who have speculated about a sequel to the hit MMO. Blizzard Game Director Tom Chilton gave a surprisingly non-evasive answer at this year's Gamescom about whether the company was thinking about creating World of Warcraft 2. "It's something we have talked about," Chilton said. "It's something we have talked about for 10 years. I think that there are a lot of challenges there in seeing how World of Warcraft 2 relates to World of Warcraft, do they live alongside each other, does one feed into the other, what is that product, etc. These are challenges that have to be figured out before that becomes a reality."
Spencer: 'I don't want the Rare brand to mean Kinect Sports'
Xbox head Phil Spencer has some encouraging words to fans of GoldenEye and Banjo-Kazooie development studio Rare. Speaking to CVG at Gamescom, Spencer said that the company is developing a new game - a new "Rare game." "I think it's about them thinking about the next game that's going to be the next 'Rare game' and really stand for what they are," Spencer said. "I know they've got some great ideas. I've not been up to Twycross for maybe six months, but I'm planning on getting up there this fall and seeing bits for the new game. But I know they're hard at work and Phil Harrison has been up talking to them." Rare was under evaluation earlier this year, after Microsoft revealed a Kinect-free Xbox One. Rare was the developer behind the Kinect Sports series, and with no more guaranteed Kinect, the studio's future seemed questionable. However, Spencer assured CVG that Rare was an "important" part of Xbox's future. "I don't want the Rare brand to mean Kinect Sports," Spencer said. "The Rare brand can be more valuable to them, to us and to gamers than that." [Image: Microsoft]
Gamescom 2014 round-up: Xbox, PlayStation, everything
We've still got a few more pieces coming as part of our Gamescom 2014 coverage, but we've wrapped up our week of daily treks to the Koelnmesse convention center. Yes, German readers, what I just wrote there was redundant, but let's just move on. If you missed our coverage, here are the highlights:
Gamescom Awards evolve, favor 2K's monstrous game
The votes are in, and the winner of the Gamescom 2014 Awards is ... *drumroll* Oh, you saw the headline and figured out the pun already? Well, you're right; it's Evolve, the 4v1 monster-on-human huntfest from Left 4 Dead developer Turtle Rock Studios. The game took home not only the award for "Best of Gamescom," but also the awards for "Best Console Game Microsoft Xbox," "Best PC Game," "Best Action Game" and "Best Online Multiplayer Game." Other highlights include Super Smash Bros. taking home the "Best Mobile Game" award for its 3DS iteration, while its console counterpart took home the "Most Wanted Consumer Award," a title that premiered at this year's ceremony. LittleBigPlanet 3 also won multiple awards, specifically the "Best Social / Casual / Online Game" award and the "Best Family Game" award. We're relatively sure that Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call won the award for "Best Simulation Game" due to its simulation of music, but we can pretend it won because it simulates being an adorable JRPG character singing along to catchy tunes, too. Check out the full list of winners after the break.
Everything is 'OP' in Hearthstone and how Blizzard counters perceptions
Blizzard's collectible card game Hearthstone is rapidly building an audience, but it's also common for fans of the game to say "X is overpowered, when are they going to fix it?" We discussed with Senior Game Producer Yong Woo at Gamescom when they're finally going to nerf priests and give hunters back the full power of "Unleash the Hounds." "One of the advantages of [Hearthstone] being a digital card game is we get to see everything. How people are playing, how people are winning. What's interesting and fun for us to watch is sometimes the gap between the reality of what's happening and perception," said Woo.
Super Joystiq Podcast Special: Gamescom 2014 Day 5
We promised we'd be back. We promised a show every day from Gamescom 2014, and here we are. Come join us for the final hoorah from Germany. For the grand finale we are joined by Humble Bundle's John Graham to discuss the origins of the company, why it works, and the good that has been done by treating developers, publishers, and players well. Also, tune in to hear about the crew's personal favorite games from the show. Thank you so much for tuning into the week's worth of shows, and if you somehow missed one here or there, they are waiting for you in the archive. We'll see you back here next week as things return to normal. Listen to the Super Joystiq Podcast: Subscribe to the Super Joystiq Podcast in iTunes Add the Super Joystiq Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator Download the MP3 directly Relevant links are available after the break.
Gamescom 2014: Star Citizen gets racing, FPS, hangar, and Connie teasers
Star Citizen fans, we hope you're sitting down, because Cloud Imperium released not one, not two, not three, but four separate trailers during its Gamescom livestream. Let's see, there's one about racing, one about the upcoming hangar update, a commercial for the Constellation, and oh yeah, how about some FPS combat footage? Feast your eyes after the cut! [Thanks Cardboard!]
