Author: dpugh007

DICE has shared new information about Battlefield 1’s campaign, which we got our first good look at earlier this week in an impressive trailer.

In a blog post, DICE confirmed you will play as different characters across five War Stories. “While our characters are at war, the stories in Battlefield 1 are personal. They’re about people rather than history or battles,” the developer explained.

World War I was fought in a number of locations by people of diverse backgrounds. DICE said it wanted to lean into that and try to spotlight many different perspectives from the Great War. The best way to achieve this, DICE decided, was to let you play as multiple characters instead of just one.

“We felt that to have one character hopping through those different settings wouldn’t be as immersive or totally respectful to the setting,” DICE said. “So we decided on an anthology format; a set of characters with their own more focused stories. That way we can have immersion and variety–a double win.”

In the Through Mud and Blood chapter, you play as a young soldier, Danny Edwards, who is assigned to drive a tank but has no real experience.

“Our hero is also struggling with earning the trust of his fellow crew members, so there’s a social dynamic in the story, making the whole thing something personal,” DICE said. “Danny Edwards… is not an ace sniper. He’s not a crack pilot. He’s not a demo expert. He’s a former chauffeur–a volunteer new to the war. He can drive and he can fix things. That’s where we start.”

Battlefield 1 will also make use of “classic cinematics” that shows the world around your character instead of from a first-person perspective.

“We wanted the player to see and feel what the characters are going through, rather than just experiencing it from behind their eyes,” DICE said. “That has really payed off for us not just in storytelling ability, but in emotional engagement.”

DICE also mentioned that Battlefield 1’s single-player campaign won’t force you down any one path per se. Similar to the franchise’s acclaimed multiplayer, there will be a number of ways to complete the same objective. Thinking on your feet and improvising may be important. One example provided was an encounter in Through Mud and Blood where you can use explosives to destroy enemy anti-tank weapons–or you can creep up behind foes to take them down with melee moves.

Another element of Battlefield 1’s campaign are the real-life historical figures who will show up, one of whom is Lawrence of Arabia.

“Facing off with a technically superior enemy, Lawrence is put in a true underdog situation in Battlefield 1,” DICE said. “The Ottoman Empire has a giant armored train called The Canavar–or ‘beast’ in Turkish–equipped with a huge artillery piece that can strike from miles away. The Empire’s devastating artillery engages rebel forces–who are wielding rifles from horseback.”

You won’t play as Lawrence of Arabia himself, but rather a female Arab rebel who fights alongside Lawrence. “This character needs to use her resourceful playstyle to scout out enemy encampments, liberate the equipment needed, and draw the armored train out to a final confrontation,” DICE said. “Play it loud, quiet, long-range, close-up, on your horse, or in an appropriate vehicle–it’s up to you.”

For more on Battlefield 1’s single-player campaign, check out the descriptions for its five main War Stories here.

Battlefield 1 comes out on October 21 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. You don’t have to wait that long to try out the game’s single-player and multiplayer, however, as a portion of both modes will be available in the Play First Trial available to EA/Origin Access subscribers starting on October 13.

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Microsoft’s limited-time Xbox One S promotion where you can get a free game of your choosing with the purchase of a new console is nearly over. As announced previously, this offer expires on October 1, so now is your last chance to take advantage of the offer.

You can get a free game of your choosing when you buy a new console at a number of retailers, including Amazon, Target, GameStop, and Microsoft’s own store.

This offer is good on Xbox One S bundles that already come with free games such as the Halo, Madden, and FIFA bundles, so you’re actually getting multiple freebies. Xbox One S bundles start at $300.

The Xbox One was the best-selling consoles in the US for July and August, according to NPD data. We’ll know if Microsoft can extend its winning streak to three months when September’s numbers arrive in October.

The new Xbox One S debuted in August; the system is 40 percent smaller than the original model and features an internal power supply. It also features HDR support for some games and comes with a new Xbox One controller that has Bluetooth support and textured grips. You can read GameSpot’s Xbox One S review here.

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Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot continues to praise Nintendo’s NX console.

After the Wii U underperformed, the NX is set to mix things up and put Nintendo back in the spotlight as it relates to hardware, the executive said this week. “I believe Nintendo will be back in the race with the NX,” Guillemot said during a meeting with investors, according to French journalist Chloe Woitier (via VentureBeat).

This is not the first time Guillemot has spoken out to praise the NX, which Ubisoft is supporting with multiple titles, including Just Dance 2017. Earlier this month, he said the system will be “easy to use” and one that allows for “a different experience from what exists today.”

The Wii U performed below expectations, selling only 13.02 million consoles since its 2012 release. By comparison, the Wii sold more than 100 million units in its lifetime.

In a presentation attended by GameSpot, Guillemot said even more about the NX. He showered it with praise on it, saying the console represents a “new approach.”

“The new Nintendo [console] is a fantastic machine,” he said. “It’s really a new approach, it’s really Nintendo, [which is] coming with something new again. We love it.”

In addition to Just Dance 2017, Ubisoft is “working on some [other] projects” for the console, though these have not yet been announced.

The system is rumored to be a handheld/console hybrid, a possibility that The Pokemon Company recently lent credence to. It’s also said to use cartridges.

According to analysts speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Nintendo may finally officially reveal the system in early October. The console is set to launch in March 2017, which is only six months away.

Guillemot’s latest comments about the NX came during an investor meeting where Vivendi did not pursue a board seat as part of its reported hostile takeover bid, something that the company feared it might do. You can read GameSpot’s full report to learn more about the ongoing story.

For even more, check out GameSpot’s in-depth interview with Guillemot.

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Amazon Game Studios has announced Breakaway, a competitive multiplayer game developed by Double Helix, the team behind season one of the Xbox One exclusive fighting game Killer Instinct. Breakaway is powered by Amazon Lumberyard and designed with livestreaming in mind. As such, it integrates directly with Twitch–an Amazon-owned streaming service.

Breakaway is described as a “mythological sport brawler built for fast action, teamwork, and livestreaming.” In the game, players assemble a team “from an expanding roster of legendary warriors,” which includes “the relentless gladiator Spartacus, the twisted sorceress Morgan Le Fay, and the bloodthirsty warlord Vlad the Impaler.”

“At the start of each round, warriors can summon persistent buildables onto the playing field that dynamically alter the game,” it explains. “Buildables can besiege foes, shield teammates, or create new pathways through the arena. Players fight for dominance across fabled locations such as El Dorado, Atlantis, and Styx. They battle to control the Relic–the center of Breakaway’s action–passing it to teammates, defending it from attackers, and smashing it into an opponent’s base to score.”

According to Amazon, Breakaway also introduces new ways for players/streamers to interact with a number of in-game features. Metastream, for example, allows for “real-time stat overlays” during broadcasts. Broadcaster Match Builder “lets broadcasters invite their followers to join matches,” and Spotlight “tells players when they’re in a match that’s being broadcast, and lets them follow the broadcaster with a single click.”

Finally, Steam+ “gives broadcasters new ways to interact with their viewers through polls, and by allowing viewers to wager loyalty points that are redeemable for in-game rewards.” You can watch the first trailer for Breakaway and 10 minutes of gameplay below.

You can sign up to play the Breakaway alpha on the game’s official website.

Amazon Game Studios is an internal division dedicated to video games. In June 2015, it teased a new game that would using the latest technology, including Twitch. Breakaway looks to be that game.

“Amazon is committed to gamers, and building great teams who are excited to use Twitch, the AWS cloud, and technical innovation to radically evolve gameplay,” it said at the time. “We believe that games have just scratched the surface in their power to unite players and will produce some of the future’s most influential voices in media and art.

Amazon acquired Twitch in 2014 in a $1 billion deal. Double Helix was also acquired by Amazon in 2014 “as part of [Amazon’s] ongoing commitment to build innovative games for customers.”

Breakaway was announced at TwitchCon, along with two other games, which you can read about below. The descriptions were provided by Amazon.

• New World: A massively multiplayer, open-ended sandbox game that allows players to carve out their own destiny with other players in a living, cursed land. Players decide how to play, what to do, and whom to work with–or against–in an evolving world that transforms with seasons, weather, and time of day. Players can band together to reclaim monster-haunted wilds and build thriving civilizations, or strike out alone, surviving in the face of supernatural terrors and murderous player bandits. With emergent gameplay and rich social features, including deep Twitch integration with broadcaster-led events, achievements, and rewards, the only limit in the New World is a player’s ambition.
• Crucible: A battle to the last survivor on a hostile, alien world. Players choose and customize heroes, making alliances and betraying allies on their path to victory. An additional player heightens the drama by triggering events, live-streaming the battles, and interacting with viewers.

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