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Watch the Batmobile burn robbers in Arkham Knight trailer
Okay, they're technically criminals and aren't necessarily robbers, but we do have a pun quota to meet. Anyway, the second part of Batman: Arkham Knight's triforce of trailers profiles the Batmobile in Battle Mode, as the caped crusader gives the Ace Chemicals plant a good tanking. Check out the video below the break. If you want to watch the third voyage into Arkham Knight's chemical plant zone, it's due to debut at this weekend's PlayStation Experience event. As for the game proper, the final entry in Rocksteady's Arkham trilogy is coming to PS4, Xbox One and PC on June 2, 2015.
Turbine holds an Infinite Crisis tournament against itself
Have you ever wondered what developers do in their spare time? Apparently, they cook up crazy schemes like hosting an inter-office tournament and then broadcasting it to the world. This tournament is called DEvember and comes to you courtesy of Turbine Entertainment. Starting on December 2nd and continuing through the 18th, the tournament will feature several rounds of 1v1 Infinite Crisis action starring 32 employees spanning all of the studio's teams. Other than being entertained by devs beating up each other, players can benefit from the tournament by winning prizes via guessing who will win. Our money is on Rock Star Wonder Woman™.
Free Shadow of Mordor DLC drops today on PC, PS4, Xbox One
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor players will be able to put their warrior skills to the test in a free batch of DLC launching today, publisher Warner Bros. announced. Today's "Power of Defiance" DLC pack includes a new character skin (seen above), introducing Lady Marwen's daughter Lithariel as a playable character. The bundle also adds the new Test of Defiance Challenge Mode, which disables Wraith powers during battles with Sauron's Warchiefs. If you're looking to take an easier route through Shadow of Mordor's storyline, the DLC additionally includes an Epic Rune that grants players an additional Last Chance after falling in battle. Power of Defiance is available as a free download for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC versions of Shadow of Mordor. Additional expansions will launch in the coming months as part of Shadow of Mordor's Season Pass. [Image: Warner Bros.]
Warner Bros. plans more layoffs through early 2015
The rocky situation for Warner Bros. is far from over. Game Informer is reporting that the conglomerate is planning more layoffs through "most business groups" starting this week and going through early 2015. Variety says that up to 1,000 employees from TV, film, and other divisions will be let go from the cuts. This report stems from a staff memo that discusses this internal, company-wide restructuring. While Turbine was not specifically mentioned, there is concern following the recent bout of layoffs that hit the Lord of the Rings Online developer.
Dying Light cancelled on Xbox 360, PS3
Developer Techland has announced it has halted production on Dying Light for Xbox 360 and PS3. In a Facebook post announcing the plan, Techland explained "older consoles just couldn't run the game and stay true to the core vision" at the same time. "To ensure you enjoy Dying Light as much as we would like you to, we chose to release it without any compromises on the three strongest systems available," the post reaffirmed. Dying Light – a zombie-infested, open-world game with parkour-inspired movement – will now launch only for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. Dying Light, from publisher Warner Bros., has seen multiple release date changes since it was announced in May 2013. Originally slated to arrive this March, the game was subsequently moved to February 2015 before settling on a January 27, 2015 launch. Techland's complete statement on the decision to cancel the game on Xbox 360 and PS3 can be found after the break.
Warner Bros. working on new Mortal Kombat live-action series
To coincide with the 2015 launch of Mortal Kombat X, the Warner Bros. media empire is planning a new live-action series based on NetherRealm's bloody fighter. A joint production from publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Warner Bros.' new digital series production arm Blue Ribbon Content, the untitled series will reportedly "[showcase] some of the franchise's most storied characters, while introducing a new generation of fighters." At least, that's the official description. It does little to tell us who are what might appear in this series, though the mention of a "new generation" suggests that the show will mirror the latter-day setting of Mortal Kombat X. There's no word on when we can expect this series to launch, where it might launch, or if any notable actors are involved. It does not appear that this new series has any ties to 2011's Mortal Kombat: Legacy, though that's to be expected given creator and director Kevin Tancharoen's departure. [Image: WBIE]
Infinite Crisis reveals creepy alien starfish Starro
Crowd-control fans, listen up: Turbine MOBA Infinite Crisis has today announced Starro, a new playable controller champion going live on November 5th. For those not up on their DC lore, the short version is "creepy alien starfish." Long version? Starro is a Star Conqueror. These nomadic and parasitic creatures roam the cosmos in two forms: motherstars and parasites. Motherstars are sentient, while parasites are extensions of the motherstar's consciousness. A parasite attaches itself to other sentient creatures, allowing the motherstar to control that creature's mind. Once controlled, the victims work toward growing more motherstars to go out and bring universal harmony to other planets-by conquering them. Little did the Star Conqueror who came to be known as Starro know how difficult carrying that plan out on Earth would be! Starro has little concern for what happens to the individuals it controls. They're a tiny part of the whole. When Starro speaks to creatures it doesn't control, it does so telepathically, urging them to join in universal harmony. We've got some pics and a video below to finish out Starro's reveal.
DC Comics is publishing a Mortal Kombat X komic
Look, we get it. You're thinking about picking up Mortal Kombat X next year, but there's a problem. You missed the last Mortal Kombat, and you're worried that Mortal Kombat X's plot will leave you totally lost. But never fear, lapsed virtual pugilists, because DC Comics has announced that it will publish a prequel comic series. The new series "will serve as a prequel to the game and will feature many favorite characters and the next generation of Kombatants," according to DC, and will be written by Shawn Kittelsen with illustrations by Dexter Soy and cover art courtesy of Ivan Reis. The series is set to debut in January 2015, at which point we can finally learn why that Scorpion guy is so crabby.
Infinite Crisis reveals Stargirl, complete with pink stars
Turbine has today previewed Infinite Crisis' latest playable MOBA hero, the youthful Stargirl, who fell into her sidekick role after discovering and donning her stepfather's old costume. In her heroic form, she's a blaster who wields a glowing staff to damage and crowd control enemies. Her skills include a cutesy buff called Family Heirlooms and a even-more-cutesy nuke that beams pink stars at her enemies; her ultimate, however, is a powerful nuke, slow, debuff, and shield all in one. Stargirl goes live on October 15th. We've included new screenies and her intro video below.
LEGO Batman 3 recruits comic book man Kevin Smith
Famous geek Kevin Smith won't have time to be chasing Amy - or any Jersey girl, really - because next month the man also known as Silent Bob will strike back at Brainiac and other DC Comics villains as he fights to save Earth in LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. Okay, we're done with the Smith-directed movie puns now. But it's true, Clerks fans: Smith will be featured in the upcoming game from Traveller's Tales and Warner Bros. Interactive. What's more, he'll be playing the role of himself as a nod to his influence in the comic book industry and nerd culture. Smith won't be the only person to see themselves in virtual LEGO form though: writer, comic store co-owner and DC Comics CCO Geoff Johns will also appear in the game as himself, fighting off the villains his company pits against its plethora of heroes on a monthly basis. Smith and Johns, as well as Troy Baker and Stephen Amell (Arrow) will join the game's developers for a LEGO Batman 3 panel at New York Comic-Con next weekend. [Image: Warner Bros. Interactive]
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor review: My precioussss
Prerequisite for enjoying Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor: appreciation for a well-crafted action game. A distant second requirement is a basic awareness of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings fantasy world. I'm not talking Tom Bombadil slash fiction. I mean, you know that there are some rings and something-something one rules them all, right? Awesome! You're good to go. You don't have to like Tolkien's Middle-earth to appreciate this game, but there's plenty of lore trinkets in there for the initiated. Taking place in the timeline between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, Shadow of Mordor has the player fighting back against the Dark Lord Sauron's Black Captains as Talion, a Gondorian Ranger ritually sacrificed, resurrected and now possessed by an unknown force to change Mordor for the better. This spiritual force is Talion's dark passenger, guiding him through the harsh realities of taking on Sauron's forces. Within the first ten minutes, it's clear that this isn't a family-friendly PG-13 experience. Shadow of Mordor is darker than any of the movies or licensed games based on Middle-earth that have come before. It also introduces one of the freshest game mechanics in years with the Nemesis System, a tug of war for power among the game's Uruk (Orc) captains and warchiefs.
Infinite Crisis recruits Nightmare Robin and Atomic Joker
An absolutely massive update for Infinite Crisis has landed, boasting over 6,000 changes and tweaks, not to mention the addition of a pair of new champions: Nightmare Robin and Atomic Joker. Nightmare Robin is actually Bruce Wayne's son Damian, who got infected with the vampiric curse and is a little miffed at being one of the undead. At least he has two large knives and a lot of bleeding-edge training to compensate. Atomic Joker is a bit more lighthearted, what with being a head in a jar who is trying to rebuild civilization in his image. The September release overhauled the launcher, improved the new player experience, polished many of the map visuals, tweaked animations, and added a Crime Alley map where champions can test out skills against the computer. You can check out Atomic Joker and Nightmare Robin in the gallery below and in the videos after the break.
Is Turbine developing an MMO for mobile devices?
No. Yes. Maybe? We're going to level with you, dear readers: We frequently have no idea what Turbine Entertainment is doing. We had no idea the studio was going to bring back Asheron's Call 2, for example, and our bets about Infinite Crisis were way off. So when we say that the company might be developing an MMO, well, it's a shot in the dark, but there's reason to suspect this might be happening. The studio is looking for both a Senior Mobile Engineer (that is, an engineer experienced with mobile engineering, not an engineer who is both a senior and mobile) and a new Art Director, both of which seem to imply that the studio is developing something completely new rather than a mobile port. Or maybe it's baseless speculation. Who knows?
Dying Light to rise in January 2015
Dying Light, the free-roaming zombie apocalypse survival game from Call of Juarez and Dead Island developer Techland, will launch January 27, 2015. The game was delayed to February back in May, and was previously expected to arrive on March 31 of this year for PC, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360 and PS3. Published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, the game splits players' activities among day and night cycles, the latter featuring much more dangerous and aggressive zombies. The best options for survival during the noctural hours is usually to run, encouraging players to partake heavily in Dying Light's parkour-like urban traversal mechanics. Players will also hunt for supplies to dig into a weapon crafting system and take out the undead enemies when the opportunity arises. [Image: WBIE]
Lego Batman 3 goes beyond Gotham with DLC, season pass
When Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham launches in November, players will have three pieces of DLC to pick up, each part of a season pass for the game. The season pass costs $14.99 and promises access to six add-ons in total, three of which will be announced at a later time. It will be available to PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360 and PC owners, but not Wii U, 3DS and Vita. The DLC packs set to arrive alongside the game are The Dark Knight Pack, the Man of Steel Pack and the Batman 75th Pack, each with themed missions with story elements and free play modes. The latter has players following the exploits of the Joker and Harley Quinn as they set up "a variety of celebration set pieces," then play as the varying Batmans (Batmen?) through the hero's many years of existence. Future packs will include new playable characters, vehicles and levels. Each piece of DLC can be purchased individually for $2.99. Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham will launch November 11 for PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Vita, Wii U and 3DS. The game will also be featured in a PS3 bundle, slated to launch with the game. [Image: WBIE]
Batman: Arkham Knight leaves the cave in June 2015
Batman: Arkham Knight is due out worldwide on June 2, 2015, Warner Bros. and DC announced today. In June this year, Arkham Knight was delayed into 2015. The launch date announcement comes with descriptions of two special editions, the Limited Edition and the Batmobile Edition. Both will be available in limited quantities in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The Limited Edition comes with an art book, SteelBook case and game disc, the Arkham Knight #0 comic, an exclusive skin pack with three The New 52 skins, and a Batman memorial statue. It's $100 (€120, £90) for PS4 and Xbox One. It's available for PC in Europe, Australia and New Zealand only, for €100 or £75. The Batmobile Edition is for consoles and comes with everything in the Limited Edition, except that memorial statue. Instead, this deal comes with a transforming Batmobile statue (now the name makes sense). The Batmobile Edition runs $200 (€200, £170).
Joystiq Streams: Shadow of Mordor brings a Twitch to Sauron's eye [Update: It's over!]
Team Joystiq tackles Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor today at 4PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch, giving you an early look at Monolith's dark fantasy adventure game ahead of its launch later this month. Blending open-world action with stealth mechanics, Shadow of Mordor explores the darker side of The Lord of the Rings universe with an original story starring the Wraith-ranger Talion. Publisher Warner Bros. bumped up Shadow of Mordor's release date earlier this year, giving it a leg up on the holiday season competition. Joystiq Streams hosts regular broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST at Joystiq.com/Twitch, but we often stream whenever the mood strikes us, so make sure to follow us on Twitch to catch us when we go live! [Image: Warner Bros.]
Overheard@Gamescom: Fly, you fool!
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor isn't canon, but developer Monolith intends to respect JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings series as the game borrows the books' characters, settings and lore – and some of their famous lines. In a demo at Gamescom, Designer Michael De Plater showed off a scene where Talion, a ranger who exists between the living and spirit worlds, finds himself facing a giant, angry Graug in a dark cave. Powerful as he is, Talion can't face the beast alone yet, so his only recourse is to run. Talion's ghostly guide, the elven ringsmith Celebrimbor, offers the following piece of advice: "Fly, you fool!" This mirrors the last thing that Gandalf the Grey says to Frodo and his companions in the Mines of Moria near the end of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The line was brought to more public fame in the 2001 film, and it plays an important role in speculation concerning the eagle plot hole in the series. Also concerning hobbits. [Image: Warner Bros]
Microsoft looking to sell defunct Xbox Entertainment Studios
Following last month's closure of Xbox Entertainment Studios, parent company Microsoft is seeking a buyer for its erstwhile video production division, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Though a full list of interested parties has not been revealed, the Hollywood Reporter claims that Microsoft has had "preliminary talks" with Warner Bros. regarding a potential sale. If that sale were to go through, the Hollywood Reporter believes Warner Bros. would merge Xbox Entertainment Studios with YouTube gaming hub Machinima. A Warner Bros. representative, however, cautions that negotiations between the media group and Microsoft are still in the very early stages and no sort of deal has been reached between the two corporations. In the meantime, Microsoft remains committed to select Xbox Entertainment Studios projects, such as the Halo: Nightfall television series and Quantum Break.
This is what makes the snapping bone sound in Mortal Kombat X
That juicy explosion of a crushed skull in Mortal Kombat X is actually the sound of a watermelon splattering on a layer of plastic in NetherRealm's foley studio. The remaining bone snaps, cranium hits and squishy organ sounds are mostly made with various fruits and vegetables, Warner Bros Marketing Games Manager Brian Goodman told Joystiq at Gamescom. Mortal Kombat X is an exceedingly gruesome game, done in a way that makes it clear that NetherRealm knows how ridiculous it's being at all times. The art team stressed to accurately portray the sub-dermal anatomy of each character, Goodman said – and then Scorpion rips a hole though Sub-Zero's torso until his heart dangles in the middle of his gaping chest cavity. Ridiculous. The next time you pick up a melon at the store, try picturing it as Raiden's melon. Yum. [Image: Warner Bros]
