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Undead Labs still negotiating with Microsoft on Class4 MMO
Undead Labs' latest game for Xbox Live, State of Decay, is a resounding success. The game moved over 250,000 copies in its first 48 hours of release, landing it the title of "Fastest Selling Xbox Live Game that isn't Minecraft." However, one successful game does not guarantee another, and Undead is still at the mercy of Microsoft when it comes to getting its next game off the ground. The studio is set to begin work on Class4, an MMO follow-up to State of Decay, but cannot proceed until Microsoft gives it the go-ahead. According to Undead's Sanya Weathers, none of this can happen until the two parties reach a "mutually agreeable contract." She also noted that the two companies must agree on the goals of the project and on where the technology will be by the time Class4 finishes its multi-year development cycle. According to Weathers, the discussion between Microsoft and Undead is "in progress."
E3 2013: World of Tanks is blasting its way to the 360
Good news, tank fans! World of Tanks is heading to the Xbox 360 soon. Wargaming.net's partnership with Microsoft has been a huge milestone for both companies, as there hasn't been a large library of F2P games to grace the console's life. Although it's particularly late in the game's life to see World of Tanks hit the console market, transition to a controller-based system has actually been a good thing for the game. At this year's E3, Massively talked with Wargaming's Jeremy Monroe a bit about the company's growth, World of Tanks on the 360, and future plans for game releases.
Xbox chief: we have a product for people who can't get online, it's called Xbox 360
Did you think the Xbox 360 was being kept around just for the budget market? It turns out Microsoft's got another sort of customer in mind for the revamped last-gen hardware: the crews of nuclear submarines. Xbox chief Don Mattrick, in response to the backlash over the Xbox One requiring an internet connection, said that "fortunately, we have a product for people who aren't able to get some form of connectivity, it's called Xbox 360." As an example, he referred to a crew member on a nuclear submarine, who would be better off with the 360, as it's an "offline device." The full quotes are after the break, along with the video -- oh, and Sony's message to submarine crews too.
Microsoft briefing reveals Titanfall, Killer Instinct revival and next-gen Halo
Microsoft kicked off yesterday's firestorm of E3 announcements with a press briefing focused on its plans for the Xbox One, launching in November at $499. Minutes before Microsoft's conference began, Rare's Danny Isaac revealed Kinect Sports Rivals, an Xbox One launch title that uses the console's improved Kinect sensor for a new collection of minigames. Microsoft began its briefing with a look at Konami's Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. Despite initial speculation as to whether it was a platform exclusive, it was later confirmed that The Phantom Pain is still planned for release on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4. Microsoft then dedicated a few minutes to the Xbox 360 before moving on to the Xbox One. A new Xbox 360 hardware model was announced, along with news that Xbox Live Gold members would receive two free games per month up until the release of the Xbox One. Gold members can now grab Fable III free of charge, and Halo 3 and Assassin's Creed II will be available for free starting July 1. The company additionally revealed that a free-to-play Xbox 360 version of World of Tanks is in the works. The console's Summer of Arcade lineup was later detailed, and is set to launch in August.
EA reveals Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare [Update: Now with trailer!]
At its E3 conference today, Electronic Arts announced Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, a Frostbite-powered third-person action game inspired by PopCap's "flower defense" strategy game Plants vs. Zombies. In Garden Warfare, players control a squadron of heavily armed plant life, who must collectively fight off invading zombie hordes using organic weaponry. Gameplay is multiplayer and team-based, and each unit type boasts its own unique arsenal. Garden Warfare is coming to the Xbox One first, and an Xbox 360 port will launch afterward. Release dates for either version have not been announced.
Microsoft announces Summer of Arcade lineup, beginning August 7
Microsoft announced this year's Summer of Arcade lineup for the Xbox 360, set to launch in August. Featured Xbox Live Arcade games include Activision's brawler TMNT: Out of the Shadows, an Ubisoft-published remake of Delphine Software's side-scrolling thriller Flashback, 505 Games' character-driven adventure game Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, and Ska Studios' punk-themed multiplayer beat-'em-up Charlie Murder. Specific release dates have not been announced. The Summer of Arcade campaign will kick off on August 7.
E3 2013: World of Tanks hits Xbox 360 this summer
E3 has only just begun, but we've already received some pretty big news on the MMO front: Wargaming.net has announced that its absurdly popular free-to-play bash 'em up, World of Tanks, will be launching on the Xbox 360 this summer. The Xbox 360 version of the game has been "tuned specifically" for the console and will feature 15-on-15 matches. World of Tanks Xbox 360 Edition will remain free-to-play, as long as you're an Xbox Gold subscriber. The E3 trailer is behind the cut.
Pandora launches TV / console-friendly HTML5 site
With 70 million active monthly users, we suspect the world isn't desperately searching for another way to listen to Pandora. That said, we certainly can't fault the internet radio provider for attempting to optimize the experience for as many platforms as possible. The latest push comes in the form of tv.pandora.com, a service the company claims is optimized for that proverbial "10-foot experience." The HTML5-based site plays nicely with your Xbox 360 at the moment, and Pandora says that it'll be coming to further TVs, set top boxes and consoles in the months to come. tv.pandora.com has a simplified navigation system, play, pause, skip and thumbs up and down functionality and 500 curated stations to get you started. You can check the site out today, or peep a press release on the matter after the break.
EA expects to publish for current systems through 2017
Speaking at the Stifel 2013 Technology Conference in New York this week, EA CFO Blake Jorgensen said that EA plans to publish games on the current generation of consoles through 2017 at least. According to Gamespot's report, Jorgenson also discussed EA's exclusive Star Wars deal and specifically referenced fan favorite Star Wars: Battlefront. "The opportunity to do a new Battlefront, for example," Jorgensen said, "is very exciting." He added that none of EA's planned Star Wars games are film adaptations "per se," though their releases may coincide with upcoming movies.
Microsoft: No cross-platform play between Xbox One and Xbox 360
Don't expect any cross-platform play between Xbox 360 and Xbox One. That's what Microsoft Xbox UK marketing manager Harvey Eagle confirmed to Videogamer. "Because of the different architecture of the systems it's not possible. Your Xbox Live account on 360 will carry over to Xbox One. That same account will work on both platforms. The multiplayer won't," Eagle told Videogamer. The Xbox 360 is built on PowerPC architecture, while the Xbox One utilizes an x86 chipset – so no purchased games will transfer to the new system. The Xbox One was announced by Microsoft yesterday during its Redmond campus Xbox reveal event. The Xbox One is due to launch later this year. Xbox Live profiles and corresponding Achievements on Xbox 360 will carry over to Xbox One, which also bumps up the friends limit to 1,000.
Xbox One pre-order notification is live: here's where to sign up (update: no more $10 credit)
How much? When? Where? Who cares? If you aren't exactly interested in knowing how much the impending Xbox One will cost you -- let alone when it'll actually hit your doorstep -- you can sign up to be notified of your opportunity to pre-order the console right now. To be clear, this isn't a sign-up for a pre-order. It's just a sign-up to be notified of pre-orders officially opening up. So really, what's to lose? Hit the source link below in order to share your email address, and you'll get a $10 Microsoft online store credit for your trouble. (Or, you can hit the Amazon link for those needing an excuse to make better use of their Prime subscription.) Update: Well, it was nice while it lasted. As spotted by Arlondiluthel, Microsoft's pre-order page now says "we're no longer giving out a $10 store credit, but you can still sign up to be notified of Xbox One availability."
Bungie quashes rumors that Destiny might come to the PlayStation Vita
Some rumors recently started circulating regarding Bungie's upcoming title, Destiny, and the PlayStation Vita. Bungie confirmed that these rumors are false and that Destiny will not be revealed on the PlayStation Vita (despite some previous vague hints to the contrary in the preorder page's source code). The rumors started after the release of an image that hinted at a Bungie game coming to PS Vita in 2014 called Destiny of Spirits. Given that Sony trademarked the name Destiny of Spirits, something may still be afoot there. Destiny officially launches for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation4 some time next year.
Defiance dev blog covers common issues and cheater voyeurism
Defiance executive producer Nathan Richardsson is getting serious today in a very serious blog post uploaded very seriously to the official site, a post that discusses fixes already made and promises even more fixes for some of the problems that have plagued the game since launch. MMO launches typically go about as smooth as a rhino's hindquarters, but it's always good to hear official word that the team is aware and working on the problems. According to the post, the "big team" is working overtime addressing issues like PC server woes, general game server crashes, Xbox problems, and PlayStation 3 client patches. In happier news, the team promises that hackers and cheaters are being taken very, you know, seriously. The blog even admits that some cheaters are allowed to linger in the game for a while so the team can "enjoy" watching the scum. The team is also looking into the Case of the Disappearing Items, although it is admittedly a tough nut to crack. Future blog posts, Richardsson says, will cover player feedback on many of the issues since launch.
Final Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin goes live
Final Fantasy XI's fifth expansion, Seekers of Adoulin, is now running free in the video game wild. If you can catch the wily release, you'll be treated to a pair of new jobs, seven challenging bosses, and a new continent to explore. While Seekers of Adoulin isn't available for PlayStation 2 players, PC and Xbox 360 gamers are encouraged to hop on board the chocobo train. Players looking to purchase it on Steam may have a little bit of a wait, however. For more in-depth analysis and previews of the expansion, be sure to read up on the back issues of The Mog Log while FFXI updates.
Guardians of Middle-Earth: A fun game doomed by its business model
The MOBA genre has exploded in recent years, with global giant League of Legends becoming the most actively played video game in the world and competitive tournaments getting more viewers than some televised sports. Today's MOBAs appeal to casual and competitive gamers alike, but until recently very few had crossed the console barrier. Released on PS3 and XBox 360 last December, Guardians of Middle-Earth took traditional DotA gameplay and made the quite experimental leap onto consoles. I'm not much of a console gamer (you can take my mouse and keyboard away when you pry them from my cold, dead hands), but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see how Guardians of Middle-Earth stacks up against its PC-based counterparts. Monolith Studios has done great things in adapting MOBA gameplay to a console control scheme and audience, and the core game really is a lot of fun to play. But in charging an initial purchase price for a game that relies on having a large community, publisher Warner Bros. may have accidentally consigned Guardians to the scrapheap. In this hands-on opinion piece, I explore Guardians of Middle-Earth and ask why it's already a ghost town just three months after launch.
Omerta: City of Gangsters demo smuggled onto Xbox 360
Omerta: City of Gangsters now has a demo available on the US Xbox Live Marketplace. The 1920s Atlantic City bootlegging simulation (developed by the makers of Tropico) arrived on PC and Xbox 360 earlier this month.Unfortunately, especially if you go by Metacritic scores, reviewers of the game haven't been very kind. See if you disagree – and don't forget there's already a PC demo.
The Weekly Roundup for 02.11.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 7 days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Microsoft talks plans for premium content production, details Xbox 360's transition to an 'entertainment console'
Yusuf Mehdi, senior vice president of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business, just sat down alongside Nancy Tellem, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft LA Studios, to kick off this year's rendition of D:Dive Into Media here in Dana Point, Calif. The first session of the evening is being piloted by AllThingsD's Peter Kafka, and naturally, the topic of conversation is Xbox. For starters, Mehdi affirmed that Microsoft is witnessing an unmistakable transition of the Xbox 360 "from a gaming console to an entertainment console." At present, the install base is up to 76 million (up from around 70 million at the close of September 2012), with US-based users using the console for some 87 hours per month. In fact, he stated that 18 billion (yeah, with a "B") hours of entertainment have been consumed on Xbox, and while Netflix is obviously the driving force, it might not be that way for much longer. He was quick to claim that Sony's PlayStation 3 "isn't as good of an entertainment console" -- something he feels that "everybody knows" -- and insinuated that the next-generation Xbox will stick to "big and premium." In other words, don't expect Microsoft to kick out a $50 Roku-style content box. Mehdi wants to ensure that the future of Xbox enables voice control, interactivity, and "other stuff that's big and beautiful."
Microsoft announces NHL GameCenter availability on Xbox Live
Microsoft's quest to become king of the living room by continuing the expansion of its console's entertainment services just grew a little more today. The Redmond-based company has announced that NHL GameCenter is now available to Xbox Live members with a Gold subscription, delivering great news to hockey fanatics ahead of the already controversial 2013 season. Regardless of lockouts and all that, though, the National Hockey League application's set to bring plenty of content to the Xbox Live folk, including real-time scores and stats, a Season Central hub that shows you the league's schedule and, naturally, the ability to watch replays and live games (as long as you shell out the $50 fee for the 2012-2013 season, of course). Per Microsoft, NHL GameCenter is available "around the globe," however countries like Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland don't appear to have made the cut. The rest of you, meanwhile, can download the app starting today. Update: Below is a note from Microsoft about which countries can expect to see the NHL GameCenter app on their consoles, as well as more info regarding the situation in the Nordic regions. The following countries are receiving NHL GameCenter: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America. The NHL app will not be available on Xbox within the Nordic markets due to an existing digital broadcast agreement already in place between NHL and Viasat Broadcasting. NHL games can be viewed instead via the Viaplay app, which launched on Xbox in December 2012.The Viaplay app is available immediately for download via Xbox LIVE.
Minecraft's mobile version outsold others by volume in 2012
Minecraft creators Mojang have released stats on how the game's various platform clients (Windows/Mac, Xbox 360 and of course iOS and Android) have been selling, and the numbers have a surprise. The mobile version is outselling everything else by volume. As you can see above, Christmas sales boosted the mobile version, at least in terms of pure numbers, so that it's beating all other versions offered over the past year. In terms of value, the mobile version didn't fare quite as well as the more expensive Windows and console versions, ending up with about 16 percent of sales as compared to the PC's 44 percent of incoming revenue. Still, Christmas was a huge time for Minecraft: Pocket Edition apparently, with the company raking in money from almost 284,000 copies on that day alone. Minecraft is traditionally known as a PC title, as that's where the platform started, but the mobile version stepped up into its own during the last weeks of 2012.
