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Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor takes the Tolkien universe to next-gen systems
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is a new third-person action game in development by Monolith Productions, publisher Warner Bros. announced today. As the title indicates, the game is placed in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings universe, and has players assuming the guise of the "valiant ranger" Talion. Both Talion and his family are killed by series baddie Sauron, leading to Talion's resurrection by a rather vengeful spirit that grants him Wraith-like supernatural abilities. Warner Bros. boasted a "dynamic world" in the game that is expected to remember and adapt to players' choices as well as "craft their own battles, enemies and rewards." While no release date was given for Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, the game will arrive on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3 and PC.
Skylanders: Swap Force swaps next-gen release date, out tomorrow
Skylanders: Swap Force will launch tomorrow on PS4 and Xbox One. The Activision-published action game was initially expected to arrive at each console's launch, November 15 for PS4 and November 22 for Xbox One, respectively. We were impressed with the current-generation version of the game, as our review noted that the game's "main quest is straightforward but challenging on the higher difficulty levels, and its optional content will keep older fans hunting for secrets long after the credits roll." It's a safe bet that the toy-wrangling game will operate similarly on PS4 and Xbox One.
NBA 2K14's next-gen 'Eco-Motion' explained in video form
NBA 2K14 will feature an "Eco-Motion" engine on PS4 and Xbox One that provides more unique animations and facial expressions for basketball stars like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. While it's already available on current-gen systems, the game will launch with the next-gen systems this month.
MLB 14 The Show on PS4 has far more faces in the virtual crowd
MLB 14: The Show will launch in spring 2014 for PS4, PS3 and Vita, Sony announced. Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera will be featured on the game's cover. Developer Sony San Diego unveiled a teaser trailer that boasts the ways that the game will take advantage of the PS4's graphical upgrades. For instance, MLB 14: The Show designer and community manager Ramone Russell notes that the PS3 only allowed for 42 different character models for fans in the virtual crowd for the game, whereas the PS4 allows for over a thousand. Russell says the game will also be "feature complete" on the next-gen system, and won't lose the series' Road to the Show and franchise modes in its transition to the PS4. Speaking of which, Sony added that starting with MLB 14: The Show, players will be able to carry their save files over to subsequent releases in the series, giving players' Road to the Show athletes and other career mode efforts life beyond the annual game's limited life cycle.
NBA 2K14's MyTeam mode improved for next-gen consoles
NBA 2K14 will see an improved MyTeam mode on Xbox One and PS4, 2K Sports announced. MyTeam is the fantasy team mode similar to EA's Ultimate Team modes being offered in its sports games, including NBA Live 14. Among the features players will find on Xbox One and PS4 is "Domination mode," which has players going up against "actual NBA teams." Next-gen players will also have access to new card colors with different levels of rarity: emerald, sapphire and ruby. Lastly, if our gallery of next-generation MyTeam screens are any indicator, the developer has moved away from the mode's traditional "VC" in-game currency. 2K Sports has not specified whether current-gen players can transfer their My Team cards to their next-gen system of choice. NBA 2K14 will launch alongside the Xbox One and PS4 this month.
Assassin's Creed 4 on PS4: We demand a next-gen shrubbery
As I mentioned in my review of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, shrubs are a necessity for stealth, at least while you're on foot in the Caribbean. Since you spend so much time looking at jiggling leaves, then, it's nice to have three-dimensional plants that lift up and glisten as you slither beneath them. The graphical differences between the pirate adventure on current and forthcoming versions (PC, Xbox One and PS4) are minor, especially in Black Flag's massive scope and structure, but I'll cover the most visible ones in case you're splitting hairs over which console has the best corsairs. I have yet to play Assassin's Creed 4 on Xbox One or PC. I completed the entirety of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag on a PlayStation 4, which brought several expected benefits over current consoles. Assassin's Creed 4 runs at a native resolution of 1080p (1920x1080), Ubisoft says, and also uses high-resolution textures, clearly apparent in the vivid colors of historic Havana, the only city in the game that even approaches opulence. Jagged edges persist on thin objects like ropes and mast lines, which is unfortunate for a game filled with ships. The single-player game runs at an unflinching 30 frames per second, even during some of the more complex naval entanglements (which often led to hectic boarding sequences and fighting), as does the multiplayer portion.
Next-gen FIFA 14 trailer is alive
This trailer for FIFA 14, set to Chase & Status' song "Alive," shows footage from the PS4 and Xbox One version of the soccer sim. The game will launch alongside each console in November.
Next-gen NBA 2K14 trailer has been waiting for this moment for all its life
This PS4 trailer for NBA 2K14 demonstrates the depth of detail in the next-gen version of the game. Though the footage is from a variety of favorable camera angles, it shows impressive detail, from individual hairs in James Harden's beard to beads of sweat on cover athlete LeBron James' face. The video is also set to Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight," instantly making it one of the best sports video game trailers in existence (even though Dead Space 3 did it first). How well the footage compares to the actual next-gen version of NBA 2K14 remains to be seen, as it will launch with the Xbox One and PS4 when the systems arrive in November. Our review of the current-generation version says it is "the finest simulation of basketball out there" and that "this year's entry in the series is bolstered by smart and simple additions."
Eidos' Deus Ex: Universe is an 'expanding and connected' world that spans platforms and titles
Eidos Montreal has seen the future for its Deus Ex franchise and it's ready to shed some light on its connected vision. On the company's community blog, studio head David Anfossi revealed that the next phase for the franchise builds upon lessons learned from Deus Ex: Human Revolution; something Eidos Montreal is calling Deus Ex: Universe. No, it's not a standalone title for the next-gen, but rather a new, unifying approach to "create an ongoing, expanding and connected game world" that spans all upcoming titles. And that's cross-platform, too, as this persistent world and the additional experiences it'll deliver will encompass traditional platforms like the PC and console, as well as the portable space, mobile and even graphic novels. Work's apparently already underway on the project, with the first title in this new Universe slated to hit the PC and next-gen console space.
Next-gen upgrades won't include single-player saves
With the variety of upgrade programs offered for players to switch from current-generation to next-gen systems in the coming months, one thing they won't be able to bring to their new Xbox One or PS4 systems is their single-player save files. Representatives for EA, Ubisoft and Activision confirmed to Kotaku that each respective publisher does not have a method for porting single-player campaign save files for Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, Battlefield 4 and Call of Duty: Ghosts to PS4 and Xbox One. In the case of Battlefield 4 and Call of Duty: Ghosts, both games will see multiplayer progress carried over to next-gen systems. EA also announced an upgrade program for Madden NFL 25 in July that not only ports your Madden Ultimate Team cards to next-gen systems, but also offers six free card packs to Anniversary Edition owners. Best Buy, Amazon, GameStop and Sony have their own $10 game upgrade programs, but none seem to save your single-player campaigns for you. Whether that impacts upgrade or current-gen purchasing plans for players remains to be seen.
Ubisoft: Next-gen pre-orders of Watch Dogs, Assassin's Creed 4 beating current-gen
Pre-orders for next-gen versions of Watch Dogs and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag are higher than current generation versions, Ubisoft's European chief Alain Corre told MCV. "The fans are really excited to get their hands on the new technology," Corre said. "It has been eight years without a home console from Sony or Microsoft so we feel a lot of excitement from our fans for Watch Dogs or Assassin's Creed 4. The pre-orders we are getting are much bigger on our next-gen games." This comes nearly a month after EA's Peter Moore noted that pre-orders on current-generation sports games for the publisher were notably soft. "So we feel that the transition might be quicker," Corre added. "There is a real appetite for change." We'll have a better idea of just how hungry players are for new consoles when the Xbox One and PS4 launch this holiday season.
EA offering Ultimate Team incentives for next-gen Madden 25 upgrades
Those looking to play Madden NFL 25 will likely pick the game up for either Xbox 360 or PS3 when it launches on August 27. Though some may opt to wait a few months for the PS4 and Xbox One versions, those that plan to own both current and next-gen versions are entitled to a few perks in the form of bonuses for Madden Ultimate Team. Players will be able to perform a one-time transfer of up to 1,100 items in Madden Ultimate Team (45 players, 55 items from the active roster and up to 1,000 reserves) from either Xbox 360 or PS3 to either Xbox One or PS4. Ultimate Team fans can still use the items in their current-gen copies of the game, but MUT cards cannot be auctioned or traded after being transferred. Additionally, Anniversary Edition owners will receive an extra six All Pro card packs once they create their team in the mode in a next-gen version of the game, which will be helpful for those looking to create teams with high chemistry in this year's Ultimate Team mode.
DayZ creator considering PS4, Xbox One after PC, has an early favorite
Dean Hall is focused on launching the PC version of his zombie-infested baby, DayZ, but he's talked with both Sony and Microsoft about the PS4 and Xbox One, too. Nothing's set in stone, but Hall "absolutely" likes Sony's approach to indies; he's turned off by Microsoft's ban on self-publishing and history of charging thousands for game updates. "Sony lets you self-publish and they don't make you pay for updates," Hall told Eurogamer. "Microsoft requires you to have a publisher. They have no digital distribution strategy and they require you to pay $10,000, or whatever it is, for updates." Hall mentioned potential console releases for DayZ back in April, and said he'd already met with Sony in particular. Sony was "obviously interested," Hall said, though he didn't mention next-gen at the time. Last week Hall said that once the PC version is good to go, a PS4 iteration is "definitely" something he'd look at. "But we have to do the PC version first," he said. "Once we get the alpha out, that's a good time for us to run it up on a [PS4] dev kit and see what happens." Hall isn't counting Xbox One completely out, but he still has some unanswered questions about developing for Microsoft's console: "I like what I saw on the Xbox in a lot of cases as well. I'm not shitting on them. I'm kind of hopeful that Microsoft has just forgot to talk about its indie support. Maybe I'm being a bit naive." Last we heard, the DayZ alpha was scheduled for June (that's this month) at the earliest.
AMD's Saeid Moshkelani on building custom silicon for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Wii U
The next-generation of consoles has finally and fully arrived here at E3, and the companies building the Xbox One, PS4 and Wii U are doing their best to differentiate their consoles from the competition. However, there is a common thread that connects them under the hood: AMD silicon. Naturally, we wanted to know more about the process of building chips for these next gene consoles. So, we spoke with AMD VP Saeid Moshkelani -- who heads up the Semi-Custom Business Unit that built those SoCs -- to get the inside scoop. Moshkelani wouldn't get into the details of the differences between the chips he built for the consoles. Instead, he talked about how AMD developed custom silicon for each and the necessity of secrecy in the process. In fact, Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft had no idea that they were each going to the AMD well to get silicon for their next-gen platforms until they were announced. So, head on down past the break to hear Moshkelani discuss what it's like working with the big three and AMD's role in making next-gen gaming a reality.
Peter Molyneux talks next-gen consoles, communal gaming and Oculus Rift
Fabled (and Fable) game designer Peter Molyneux has long been a visionary in the gaming world, and his most recent effort, the Kickstarted title known as Godus, has piqued our Curiosity. However, as a veteran of the console world, we jumped at the chance to get his take on next-gen along with an update on his own projects. Surprisingly, Molyneux wasn't particularly enthused with the new generation of consoles. Part of the problem, as he sees it, is that consoles are still too focused on the living room, while our digital lives are much more mobile -- which is why, in part, Godus is being built for laptops and phones first. "I wanted them [the consoles] to shock and surprise me" with new ways to integrate with mobile devices, he says, but the current mobile features feel like a "bolt-on" rather than an integral part of gameplay. Aside from all the next-gen talk, we got an update on the man who removed Curiosity's final block (he's just beginning to enjoy the fruits of godhood), and got his thoughts on Oculus Rift (spoiler: he's a fan). While words describing an interview are good, an actual interview is better -- this one awaits you after the break.
Tiny Brains coming to next-gen platforms after launch in fall
Tiny Brains, the co-op puzzle game starring a team of tiny, scientifically enhanced animals, will make its way to next-gen consoles following a launch on PC and current-gen systems this fall. Tiny Brains comes from Spearhead Games, a Montreal studio founded by Assassin's Creed 3 Design Director Simon Darveau, Dead Space 3 Game Designer Malik Boukhira and Army of Two Development Director Atul Mehra. The animals in Tiny Brains each have unique powers – Create, Vortex, Teleport and Force – and must work together to escape the lab. Tiny Brains will be at E3, following a showing at PAX East earlier this year.
Battlefield 4 launching on October 29, both it and Destiny coming to Xbox One
Battlefield 4 has announced via its Facebook page that the game will launch on October 29 of this year. In addition to versions on the PC, Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation 4, the team has also confirmed the game will be coming to Microsoft's newly announced Xbox One console. The Xbox One doesn't have a confirmed launch date just yet, so it's possible that version will arrive later. Additionally, EA's announced Battlefield 4's first expansion pack, called China Rising. The pack will contain four extra maps, along with extra vehicles and weapons. It will be available at launch, and come free with any pre-order of the game. And speaking of confirmed Xbox One titles, Bungie has also made it clear that Destiny is due out on Xbox One as well. Stay tuned for more confirmations on next-gen titles for Microsoft's new console.
Xbox One and PlayStation 4 specs compared
Microsoft today announced the next generation of Xbox technology, called the Xbox One. Sony previously announced the PlayStation 4 back on February 20, so we now have a full look at just what both next-generation HD boxes will contain. After the break, we've assembled a chart comparing the two consoles and their various components. The two machines are surprisingly similar, with both using an eight core CPU, the same amount of RAM, and both containing a combo Blu-Ray and DVD drive. But there are some major differences, too: Microsoft has created its own chip for the Xbox One, and the PlayStation 4 controller contains that share button and the clickable touchpad. Prices for both units haven't been announced yet, but both will be available later on this year.
FIFA 14 goes next-gen in tomorrow's Xbox reveal event
The FIFA franchise will have a next-gen something to show off during Microsoft's Xbox reveal event tomorrow, according to the series' new Facebook cover image and event. "RSVP if you're ready to hear about the next generation of FIFA," the event description reads. "Tune in to hear news on FIFA 14 during the worldwide livestream of Xbox: A New Generation Revealed." FIFA 14 comes out on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC – and not Wii U – this fall. Microsoft is gearing up for a large next-gen Xbox event tomorrow, May 21, at 10 a.m. PT. We'll have live coverage from the event in Redmond, Washington, and we'll also be reporting remotely – here's hoping things don't get too Messi.
Yoshida: Sony did not consider an always-on PS4
The PS4 won't require an "always-on" internet connection, and it was never going to need one, Sony President of Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida told Game Informer (via Gamespot). "Did we consider it? No, we didn't consider it," Yoshida said. "The main reason being that many countries don't have robust Internet connections. It makes sense for people to have Internet connections to play online games, but for offline games there are many countries that we saw [that] do not really have robust Internet." Fair point. Yoshida previously confirmed an offline mode in terms of the PS4's social and sharing features, saying, "Oh yes, yes, you can go offline totally. Social is big for us, but we understand there are some people who are anti-social. So if you don't want to connect to anyone else, you can do that." Developers, too, will be able to limit which aspects of their games players can share with the world. Sony's major next-gen competitor, Microsoft, is set to reveal its new console on May 21. The latest internal memo regarding the next Xbox's online functionality says that some features should "just work" whether a player is on- or offline.
