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Joystiq Weekly: Titanfall, Thief review, Twitch Plays Pokemon and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. This week's news of a new Tony Hawk game isn't exactly what we were hoping for, but it can't stop us from digging out our old cartridges and discs to revisit the series that made us mount real-life skateboards for the first time. Without the killer soundtracks and a focus on pulling off special moves that progressively got more insane with each entry, we might never have spent hours trying to learn how to ollie. Or earning fresh headaches from trying to drop into half pipes. Or building ramps out of scraps from the garage so we could grind our faces off on the pavement. Thankfully, a revitalization of childhood injury memories isn't the only thing the Joystiq Weekly has in store - news of a Titanfall bundle, reviews of Thief and Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare and a sociological exploration of Twitch Plays Pokemon are also available for your immediate consumption! Dive into this week's biggest moments in gaming right after the break. [Image: Robomodo]
BBC head wants all iPlayer users to pony up the licence fee
The BBC's budget is getting squeezed, and as such, everyone who uses its service is going to be made to pay up. Lord Hall, the BBC's Director-General, has announced that he's pushing to close the famous iPlayer Loophole, adding around £72 million to the corporation's budget. Currently, only Britons who watch live broadcasts on TV or online have to pay the £145.50 annual fee -- but around 500,000 homes avoid the charge by only watching shows after they've aired. The move will require approval from government, but we can't see it resisting -- the other option to save money is to axe BBC Four, and that just won't do.
Nintendo pulling plug for online play on DS, Wii in May
The Nintendo Wi-Fi connection for Wii and DS ends on May 20, bringing an end to online play for the two systems. What that means is there are a few months left to play Wii and DS games online, be that through multiplayer, sharing in-game content, or leaderboards. Nintendo notes this is just for the DS and Wii and won't affect Wii U and 3DS games, although Wii Mode won't offer online play on Wii U and similarly DS games when played on the 3DS. The two systems aren't losing all online functionality. The DSi shop and Wii U Shop Channel are staying open, and users will still be able to access the DS Browser and Wii channels like Neflix, Hulu, and YouTube. The company also published a full list of the affected games. Nintendo didn't provide an explanation for the discontinued service in its announcement - nor did it ask the last ones out on DS and Wii to remember to turn out the lights - but it did thank its fans for their continued support and enthusiasm for its "legacy systems." [Image: Nintendo]
Moviefone's phone service shutting down after 25 years
When your service is more fondly remembered as a Seinfeld plot than as something people use, it's probably time to drop the mic. After a quarter-century, Moviefone's movie-times hotline is winding down, as users abandon the phone in favor of sites like Fandango. The AOL-owned company isn't fading quietly into the night, however, as Moviefone's mobile app and website will still live on in their current form -- for now, at least.
OnLive creator's next project could put an end to cellular reception woes
Remember Steve Perlman? The serial entrepreneur has moved on from OnLive's messy transition and launched an enterprise called Artemis, with the lofty goal of fixing the cellular congestion plaguing modern carriers. Called pCell, it works by forcing frequencies that normally interfere and bog down a network to gang up for better reception, instead. Congestion could be thus relieved by adding more antennas, a strategy that doesn't work with current networks due to crosstalk. A demonstration to the New York Times showed Netflix HD and 4K videos streaming to at least a half dozen devices in the same room over a local LTE network, a feat the company said would be impossible on current networks. There's no word from any US carriers about any plans to adopt the tech, but Verizon did say that it was aware of it. In the meantime, Artemis said large scale tests will start in San Francisco later this year, with a commercial launch by the end of 2014. Check the video after the break for more.
New sandbox pseudo-MMO Windborne hits Steam Early Access
It may not technically be an MMO, but we thought that Hidden Path Entertainment's "social sandbox creation" game, Windborne, might pique your interest. The game, which is now available via Steam's Early Access program, allows players to explore "an infinite number of islands, each full of wonder and surprise," on which they (and their friends) can utilize "a wide variety of building materials, furnishings, and artifacts" in order to build new civilizations and alter the world as they see fit. They can also befriend and trade with the island natives, creatures called the Jin, and the current build also boasts a "basic quest system," which gives players a "guided tour" of the game to help them gain their footing in this new world. Windborne's Steam page also outlines a number of features planned for the game's future development, such as the ability for players to help "guide the Jin to civilization" by protecting and defending them. Future updates will also add "millions of ruins filled with puzzles and treasure," dragons that can be tamed, bred, and ridden as mounts, and combat and quest systems. One last planned feature that should appeal to MMO fans is the implementation of systems to allow players to see the islands of other players surrounding their own and visit neighboring islands where they can trade, build, and generally interact with the islands' owners. If that sounds up your alley, Windborne is currently available on Steam Early Access for $29.99 US, though the game is on sale for $23.99 until February 24th. To read (and watch) more about the game or pick it up for yourself, check out Windborne's Steam page at the link below.
Watch an hour of Nosgoth, the multiplayer game set in the Legacy of Kain universe
Psyonix Studios dished out three videos for Nosgoth, the team-based human vs. vampire multiplayer PC game set in the same world as the Legacy of Kain series. Published by Square Enix, the free-to-play action game was first announced in September 2013, at which point the publisher kicked off its closed beta. The videos take viewers through the Nosgoth's team deathmatch and siege modes, and add up to an hour of action. Okay, it's actually 56 minutes and 50 seconds of video for the game, but that doesn't include the time it takes to pop your popcorn and cozy up in a blanket on the couch. You'll find the first of the three videos embedded above, while the other two can be viewed after the break.
Free-to-play shooter Warface goes beta on Xbox 360 today
Crytek's Warface: Xbox 360 Edition enters its public beta phase today. The free-to-play shooter is powered by the company's own Cryengine technology, the same engine used in games such as Crysis 3 and Ryse: Son of Rome. Players can register for the beta on the game's official site. The PC version of Warface went live for the public in October 2013. While the game is free for FPS fans to jump into, it is only playable by Xbox Live Gold subscribers. This continues a trend for free-to-play and subscription-based games, as both Wargaming's World of Tanks and the full version of Happy Wars require a paid Xbox Live membership to play. Even the upcoming Bethesda MMO The Elder Scrolls Online, which itself requires a monthly subscription, will need a Gold membership on Xbox One.
World of Tanks to blast Xbox 360 on February 12
The Xbox 360 version of World of Tanks will launch February 12, Wargaming announced. The game will retain its free-to-play-with-premium-purchases structure, but will require an Xbox Live Gold membership. Those with a free Xbox Live account will have access to a trial version of the game for seven days. The tactical, team-based online war game will include over 100 tanks from the Unites States, Germany and United Kingdom. World of Tanks: Xbox 360 Edition entered beta in August 2013. The game first launched on PC in North America in April 2011 following its 2010 release in Russia. [Image: Wargaming.net]
SimCity getting offline single player mode in next update
SimCity will receive an update that allows for offline play in the near future. Arriving as a free download with Update 10 for the game, SimCity's offline play will allow players to access all of their previously downloaded content in the new single player mode. The developer was last exploring the possibility of offline play for the game in October 2013. While EA did not reveal a full list of details for the update, it did note that single player campaign save files will be stored locally, so players will no longer be required to have an internet connection when playing the game. EA recently allowed for official mod support of the game, which the publisher cites as a major reason for SimCity's new offline mode to begin with. Now, mods can be made "to the game and its components without compromising the integrity of the Online game," an EA blog on the matter says. No release date was given for Update 10, though Maxis is in the "late phases" of wrapping up its development.
Apple's new Mac Pro now on sale, will ship by December 30th
After months of waiting, Apple's new Mac Pro is now available to order through its online store. Coming just a day after the company announced the availability of the trashcan-shaped desktop, the quad-core and six-core models start at $3,000 and $4,000 respectively. Should you order today, Apple says it'll ship your new Mac Pro by December 30th. That base model will get you a 3.7GHz quad-core Xeon CPU, 12GB DRAM, two AMD FirePro D300 GPUs, and a 256GB SSD. However, if you max out every setting, you're looking at around $10,000 -- and that's without a mouse or a keyboard.
Star Wars: Attack Squadrons now accepting beta applicants
Disney is now accepting player applications for a closed beta version of Star Wars: Attack Squadrons, a free-to-play online game that recreates iconic space combat scenes from the original Star Wars film trilogy. Attack Squadrons features a variety of PVP modes in which players battle factions of customizable X-wings, TIE fighters, and other familiar spacecraft in browser-based skirmishes. The game allows up to 16 players to fight it out in a free-for-all Deathmatch mode, while Team Dogfight and Base Defense modes encourage cooperation among your fellow pilots. If you experience issues signing up for the beta, Disney is working on a fix, and signups should be available again shortly. A release date for Star Wars: Attack Squadrons has not been announced.
DirecTV mulls online video service that won't compete with Netflix
Satellite provider DirecTV may already have embraced online broadcasts, but reports suggest it's looking to double-down on streaming to lure back a younger generation of cord-cutters. The WSJ reports that the company is exploring the idea of launching a "price-sensitive" paid video service that won't look to compete with Netflix or similar services, but would instead bundle programs to cater for specific customers, like Hispanic audiences or children. DirecTV appeared ready to dive deeper into streaming when it was linked with a $1 billion-plus bid for video site Hulu, but CEO Mike White has indicated that his company has already begun navigating the choppy waters of online program licensing in an attempt to kickstart its own service. While he isn't sharing his online vision for now, White says he will disclose more information in the next 12 months -- so don't dismantle that satellite dish just yet.
Ask Engadget: best online photo album with public contributions?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Jeff, who wants to crowdsource his wedding photography without any mess. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "As part of my wedding plans, we're expecting plenty of our friends to take pictures of the big day on their smartphones and cameras. I'd like to create a public online photo album to let everyone upload the pictures to one place, and then I can download them later. I'd really rather not have anyone set up an account anywhere (so Flickr won't work) and, ideally, I'd like those who shoot in .RAW to be able to upload the full sized files. Any ideas and suggestions of places would be great, thanks!" Well, actually, your humble narrator has this same problem early last year. My solution, which won't work for you, was to sign up with a Flickr Pro account and set up a new group. As you can email in images to a specific group email address, we sent this address out on our invitations. That way, anyone who took pictures could just email them straight to the site. As you've said, that's not going to work with .RAW images, so let's turn this question over to the community and see what they can come up with.
Tactical online RPG InSomnia revealed in atmospheric trailer
New developer Studio MONO has released a teaser trailer for an online, real-time tactical RPG called InSomnia this week. InSomnia's steel environments will sprawl across a deserted space station that's en route to a destination known as the Evacuation Point. The descendents of the Normans, a race that bailed on their home planet after a "cataclysmic conflict" ruined its presumably scenic and inviting landscapes, inhabit this station and lovingly refer to it as the Dump. InSomnia's initial press release describes the game's visible realm as a "veil behind which are hidden many layers of reality." More details will be revealed "in the coming weeks," but the project is currently 18 months into development.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 Xbox 360 online issues resolved in latest patch
Konami issued a new title update for the Xbox 360 version of Pro Evolution Soccer 2014. The patch resolves the game's ongoing issues with online play, in which players were unable to download a data pack required for the game's online modes. The publisher noted that the full 11-vs-11 online mode is in beta, and "will be available in the coming weeks." Konami plans to launch a new data pack update in November that will feature updated rosters as well as "over 800 player face updates." PES 2014 will receive "further DLC updates," which Konami plans to announce "shortly."
BBC to offer 30-day catch-up and more online shows as part of iPlayer revamp
The BBC believes it's only just getting started with its iPlayer catch-up service and has laid out new plans for it to become the corporation's primary source of digital content. Led by Director-General Tony Hall, the BBC says it will commit to more exclusive content for online audiences, focusing on popular brands like Doctor Who and Eastenders, while extending the availability of catch-up shows from seven to 30 days so you can watch them back at a more convenient time. Hall's new "vision" will also include the launch of "BBC Store" -- an online marketplace that allows you to buy TV shows and keep them forever (if you live in the UK). Currently, TV shows can be downloaded to a number of devices, but are subject to time restrictions. The broadcaster wants to double its online audience by 2022 -- reaching 500 million users a week by the time it celebrates its centenary. In order to do this, the BBC wants to change the perception of iPlayer as a catch-up service and position it as destination that allows you to curate your own TV viewing schedule. With access to more content before it is on TV, the BBC will provide options to pause and resume viewing on one screen to another, also letting you provide feedback on the shows that you'd like to see more (or less) of. The BBC plans to relaunch iPlayer in the first half of 2014, putting it on a level footing with its traditional TV channels.
Konami issues apology for Xbox 360 Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 online issues
Konami has issued an apology to owners of the Xbox 360 version of Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 for errors related to the game's online features. Some users report being unable to download a required data pack to activate online multiplayer, and instead have been greeted with an error message claiming the "download file is broken." Konami Digital Entertainment President Shinji Hirano said the publisher "would like to apologize to any users who have been unable to enjoy PES 2014 online and would like to reassure fans we'll be fixing the issue as quickly as possible." An update on Konami's European support page for the particular online problem noted that the publisher is "still in discussions with Microsoft trying to understand what might be causing this," and recommended that players attempt to download and install data pack 1.00, as "some players have reported intermittent success" in doing so. Konami added that it plans to update its support page on Monday with more information.
Rockstar still tending to GTA Online connectivity issues
When Grand Theft Auto Online made its debut yesterday, the game was immediately overshadowed by myriad technical issues which prevented (and in some cases, still prevent) players from connecting to the game. Rockstar has heard the pleas of its fans and assures players that the development team is hard at work on solutions to all of the issues that have cropped up so far. In the meantime, the company offers an update on the current status of the game's PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 incarnations: For PlayStation 3 users, a PlayStation Network server issue was detected that was limiting the amount of possible concurrent users. This was preventing most players from accessing GTA Online altogether and as of this morning, that problem was resolved. There is an issue that is preventing some players from getting through the first tutorial mission across both platforms. Many players have been able to get through this with repeated retries, and we are working on unblocking this for everyone as soon as possible. This morning, we experienced some instability across the GTA Online services which is affecting even people who have progressed beyond the tutorial mission. We are identifying these issues now and are working to restore stability for users as soon as possible. For the time being and until we have been able to get everybody access to GTA Online and things are running smoothly, we have disabled the option of purchasable GTA$ cash packs. Players can however keep on earning GTA$ by pulling off Jobs and other profitable gameplay activities rather than purchasing cash packs.
Killzone Mercenary patch improves online stability
Developer Guerrilla Cambridge has issued a patch for the just-released Killzone Mercenary said to improve the game's online connectivity and multiplayer stability, issues which stood out in our recent review. "The multiplayer game has been through a few stages of Beta Trials over the last couple of months and, we've said this elsewhere, we are immensely grateful to all those people who took part, especially those who took the time to provide feedback," wrote senior producer Mark Green on the game's official blog. "We've worked hard to make sure those views were taken on board (we were overwhelming by how much feedback we received!), and the day one patch is a direct consequence of that feedback with changes made to improve standard things like stability and connectivity, but also to get people back into the game quicker." Addressing the patch's notably large 1.1GB size, Green continues, "We appreciate some users' frustration over the patch's size, but we offer every assurance that we couldn't have included its changes any sooner, and that the enhancements - borne of the beta -offer dramatic and worthwhile improvements. The Beta Trials were limited in what they showed, just one or two modes and maps, but we hope you'll feel the impact of all the time that has been dedicated to perfecting the multiplayer experience when you play the game." When we reviewed Killzone Mercenary, we were impressed by how well the generally console-based franchise was translated to the Vita handheld, but noted significant latency problems in multiplayer. Since downloading the patch, overall lag during online gameplay has drastically improved (though it remains a periodic issue), while random disconnects seem more prevalent (though not to such a degree that they're an ongoing frustration). Killzone Mercenary is now available for the Vita for $40.
