Category: Gamespot

Earlier today, a live orchestral concert featuring the music of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was announced. Now, the composer of Skyrim’s soundtrack, Jeremy Soule, has spoken out, and he’s not particularly pleased with the news.

“Concert? What concert???” he said in a post on his official Facebook page. “Anyone that knows me also knows that I care passionately about the integrity of my music. Skyrim took years for me to compose and it was constructed very carefully. Today, I’m seeing reports of a concert of Skyrim. This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

The event, called Skyrim in Concert, was announced today by UK music promoter Senbla, which partnered with Elder Scrolls developer Bethesda to make it happen. According to Soule, he was never asked to be involved.

“For the record, this concert has nothing to do with me, nor are they using any of my original scores,” he said. “They had to transcribe whatever notation they are performing by ear from the recordings. This is a flawed process as transcriptions are always fraught with errors.”

A careful look at today’s press release reveals that the concert is only “[b]ased on the award winning score by Jeremy Soule.” His lack of involvement isn’t exactly highly touted.

“To be sure, I don’t know who these people are and I don’t endorse a concert that is trading on my name and music that has absolutely no oversight or involvement on my part,” Soule continued. “For my fans, I just want you to know what you’re getting if you pay to attend this concert. Be wary.”

We’ve contacted Bethesda to verify Soule’s claims and will report back with anything we learn. Tickets don’t go on sale until October 4.

Skyrim in Concert is scheduled to take place in London on November 16. This is just a couple weeks after the enhanced version of Skyrim, Skyrim Special Edition, is released on PC, Xbox One, and PS4.

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Fast 8 opens in theaters next year, but we’ll get our first look at the next entry in the action series this December. Franchise star Vin Diesel revealed the first trailer’s release date on his Facebook page.

The trailer releases on December 11. We’ll keep you updated on when it goes live.

It’s still unclear what the movie’s plot is, so it may be the first time we’re given an idea of what Dominic Toretto and his crew will get up to. In addition to Diesel, the movie sees the return of actors The Rock, Michelle Rodrigues, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Lucas Black, Jason Statham, and Kurt Russell. Fast 8 also introduces Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road) and Helen Mirren (The Queen), who are both expected to play villains.

Fast 8 hits theaters on April 14, 2017. The sequel sees a change in directors. Helming this time around is F. Gary Gray, who replaces acclaimed director James Wan. Gray is best known for his directorial work on films such as Straight Outta Compton, Law Abiding Citizen, and the Mark Wahlberg-starring remake of The Italian Job.

There’s been some drama around the production of Fast 8, specifically between The Rock and some of his male co-stars.

“Some conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don’t,” The Rock said on Instagram. “The ones that don’t are too chicken s**t to do anything about it anyway. Candy asses. When you watch this movie next April and it seems like I’m not acting in some of these scenes and my blood is legit boiling–you’re right.”

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Stanley Kubrick released The Shining in 1980, and it has since been held up as a masterpiece, and none of the best horror films ever made. So it’s no surprise that people have analyzed almost every possible facet of the film. On this week’s episode, the crew explores the theories explored in Room 237, a documentary with dead ends, credible theories, and way too much attention to detail.

As GameSpot’s weekly horror podcast, we discuss the best, worst, creepiest, and most iconic horror titles across entertainment in all of its forms. If you’re a gorehound, thrill seeker, or someone fresh to the creepy world of the weird, this podcast is for you. Join Mike Mahardy and Mary Kish, along with a rotating cast of guests, as they dive headfirst into the spooky side of things. Horror can be weird–but so can we. Come join us.

For questions, thoughts, or recommendations, you can email Mike and Mary at deadair at gamespot.com. Dead Air is available on iTunes. You can also listen below.

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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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One of the big questions surrounding Microsoft’s Project Scorpio console is how much it will cost and how it will compare to Sony’s PlayStation 4 Pro. Microsoft is not yet ready to talk specifics, but Xbox boss Phil Spencer said in a new interview with WinBeta that the console is a “premium product,” so you can expect it will not be cheap.

He also teased that Project Scorpio will not carry a price tag that’s unheard of in the console gaming world. This may suggest that the system won’t be more than $600, which was at the high end of what the PlayStation 3 cost when it came out in 2007. That was thought to be the most expensive mainstream console price ever.

“When we designed both of these (Xbox One S and Project Scorpio)…we kind of designed it in parallel,” Spencer explained. “We thought about the price performance of what we wanted to hit with the Scorpio, relative to what we were going to be able to do with the S. So that we would have a good price continuum, so people wouldn’t look at these two things as so disconnected because of the price delta.”

He added: “So I think you will feel like it’s a premium product, a premium console. And not something, anything more than that. So I wouldn’t get people worried that this thing is going to be unlike any console price you’ve ever seen. We didn’t design it that way. That said, the opening price point for the Xbox One S, and the different hard drive sizes that is a critical part of this whole product. When I think about it as a product line, you should expect the pricing to kind of be in line with that.”

Microsoft’s Aaron Greenberg used the same description–“premium product”–when asked about Project Scorpio’s price in an interview earlier this year. The system is labeled by Microsoft as the “most powerful console ever made.”

Sony’s PS4 Pro, which comes out in November, will cost $400. The newest available Xbox console, the Xbox One S, starts at $300 for a 500 GB bundle. Prices go up from there with larger hard drive sizes and pack-in games.

Microsoft’s Albert Penello recently spoke out to say the PS4 Pro is not powerful enough to support true 4K. The performance gap between the Scorpio and PS4 Pro will be “obvious,” he added.

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