Category: Gamespot

Activision has released a cinematic trailer for The Taken King, the upcoming major expansion for Bungie’s Destiny.

The trailer provides a succinct overview of The Taken King’s story ahead of its release on September 15. Check out the trailer below.

Bungie is expected to release substantial new Destiny update that will make sweeping changes to the shooter ahead of The Taken King’s release.

While Bungie hasn’t yet released the full Destiny 2.0 patch notes for next week, the developer has provided a “tactical preview” for the changes and advice on what to do to prepare for it. Those notes, written by Bungie, are copied below:

Suggestions for what to do before the September 8 patch:

• Complete those Year One Bounties
• Don’t delete characters or dismantle items just yet
• Try the Year One campaign again
• Jump into the Crucible for some new action
• Try your beloved Auto-Rifles again
• Destroy remaining Wolf Packs and loot their chests for Ether Keys
• Complete your House of Wolves Grimoire as it applies to hunting in the wild
• Complete your Moments of Triumph

Destiny 2.0 Tactical Preview:

Character

• Character Level Cap for all players will be raised to 34
  • Level Cap for The Taken King will be 40
  • You will be able to level up by gaining XP alone
  • Character Level and Light are now separate statistics
  • Your Character Level will be grandfathered into your highest possible Light Level from all gear in your inventory and vault
• Attack and Defense ratings for armor and weapons will be translated to the new systems–their power levels will be unchanged
• Grimoire Score has been moved from the Character Nameplate and now displays in the Character Screen

Quests

• A Quest Screen will be added to your Menu
• Tracks all active Quests
• Abandoned Quests can be recovered in the Hall of Guardians
• Year One Activities have been converted to the Quest system

Bounties

• Bounty slots will be increased to 16
• Incomplete Year One Bounties will be auto-abandoned on 09/08 in preparation for launch of The Taken King
• Incomplete Year One Exotic Bounties are auto-completed with their respective Vendors
• Year One bounties issues by Eris will be retired
• Reputation with Crota’s Bane can continue to be earned by completing Quests in The Taken King

Tower

• Collections have been added to the Tower
  • Emblems/Shaders can be found near Eva Lavante
  • Ships can be found near Amanda Holliday
• Exotic Armor and Weapon Blueprint added to the Tower
  • You will now have the Blueprint for all Exotics you own in your Collection
  • Report to the Vanguard in the Hall of Guardians

Inventory

• Motes of Light will be used to grant XP to Weapons and Armor
• Class-specific Armor materials will be deprecated in favor of a unified Armor Material
• Vanguard Quartermaster, Roni-9940, will exchange old materials for armor material [This change takes effect on 09/15]

Weapons & Armor

• Revised Sandbox balance will be in effect, based on our previous analysis

World

• Fallen Wolf Hunt Patrols will retreat in anticipation of the arrival of Oryx in your solar system

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Cliff Bleszinski has discussed whether the latest project he is heading, an arena-based first-person shooter called LawBreakers, will be ported to consoles following its PC release.

Speaking to Destructoid, the former Epic Games designer indicated an Xbox One and PlayStation 4 release wasn’t out of the question, but his studio, Boss Key Productions, wouldn’t be the one to port the game.

“People are like ‘You’re never coming to console,’ and I’m like ‘I never said that’,” he said. “[Boss Key is] 40 people. Even if we wanted to do a console version, we couldn’t right now.”

Bleszinski added he believes a partnership with Sony or Microsoft could help the process, but it would ultimately require an outside studio to handle the development.

“We wouldn’t be able to do the port ourselves. We’d need a really great partner that could knock it out of the park, keep it 60Hz, nail the controls, and make it fantastic.”

Given the emphasis LawBreakers places on twitch movement, there could be concerns gameplay is better suited for mouse and keyboard instead of controller. Bleszinski also addressed this, drawing a comparison with Titanfall.

“Some of the Epic engineers came over and we had a conversation where I was like ‘Good luck porting this to consoles.’ One of them looked at me and said ‘Titanfall’s crazy wall-jumping, wall-running, and verticality, and that works on PC and console.’ With the right amount of aim-assist and the right amount of little tricks, I could see it working. I wouldn’t want to do the cross-platform play, though. I don’t think the effort’s worth the outcome there.”

Discussing his studio, Boss Key Productions, Bleszinski said he wants to keep the size of the company “as small as humanly possible.”

He continued: “There may be a time where if this becomes League of Legends big, fingers crossed, where we would need to grow, but that would be a few years out. That would be a best-case scenario. That would be a very good problem to have, but if that’s the case, the first 40 to 50 employees will be very happy because we will have crushed it. But, we’re going to stall as long as we can on that.

“The bigger a company gets, the more accountability happens, the more things get overthought. When that happens, creativity suffers. I’m not saying great things can’t come out of big companies, but I’m saying that it’s harder than in small companies.”

As previously announced, LawBreakers is set in a sci-fi world after a major catastrophe called The Shattering has occurred. Boss Key released the first pre-alpha footage for the game, which runs on Unreal Engine 4, during PAX East back in April.

More recently, Boss Key teased LawBreaker with a new video titled “After The Shattering.” Take a look at the 30-second video here.

For more on the game, you can check out some weapon concept art, and read Bleszinski’s thoughts about the free-to-play business model and how his new game won’t be pay-to-win.

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Frontier Developments has announced the Xbox One version of its space exploration sim, Elite: Dangerous, will launch on October 6.

Speaking in a Reddit AMA, studio CEO David Braben answered a series of quickfire questions. Along with confirming the release date, he said those that played the game as part of the Xbox Preview Program will get an exclusive reward for participating.

Braben went on to reveal the game’s first expansion, Elite Dangerous: Horizon, would also released on Xbox One. He didn’t, however, provide a timeframe for when the content would be available.

At E3 2015, Microsoft announced the Xbox Game Preview, a programme that allows users to trial and buy games that are still in-development. Among the first wave of included titles was Elite: Dangerous.

Xbox Game Preview is functionally similar to the Steam Early Access programme, but instead of buying an unfinished product up-front, Xbox One owners are able to play a trial, then decide if they want to commit.

Although Elite: Dangerous is currently only available on PC and Xbox One, Braben has said it will eventually ship on a number of platforms, including PlayStation 4.

“The Xbox One [release] is a timed exclusive,” he said previously, going on to add it will come to “Mac of course, then down the line [Frontier] will support more [platforms], including PS4.”

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Felix ‘PewDiePie’ Kjellberg has become the first YouTube user to exceed more than ten billion views on his channel.

Kjellberg announced the milestone, which he hit on September 6, 2015, on Twitter to his six million followers

Kjellberg created the PewDiePie channel six years ago. In December of 2012, he signed a deal with online video content creator Maker Studios, which is now owned by Disney.

Discussion his popularity on YouTube, Kjellberg previously said it is somewhat unsettling: “I’m so central to YouTube now, and that puts me in the spotlight and raises a lot of questions like ‘Why is he so big?’” Kjellberg said. “I’d much rather prefer to have something like 5 million subscribers.”

The PewDiePie channel currently has just over 39 million subscribers.

The subject of how much money PewDiePie earns has been a hot topic of discussion this year. In July it was reported that he earned 63 million SEK (around $7.5 million) in 2014 and generates over $4 million in ad sales per year.

The YouTube star responded to negative comments resulting from the reports of his earnings with a six-minute video that recounts his rise to prominence and said “money doesn’t make you happy.”

He said: “Money is a topic that I purposefully tried to avoid for the five years I’ve been making videos. I just feel like it’s not important to anyone. I just want to make entertaining videos.

“Whenever it comes out how much I made a certain year, people just get so shocked. A lot of people were also very angry. They thought it was unfair. They thought I just sit on my ass and I yell at the screen over here–which is true–but there’s so much more to it than that.”

He continued: “I understand that haters are going to hate, but I really think that money doesn’t make you happy. I’m just as happy now as I was five years ago. I’m very happy that I don’t have to worry about paying rent.”

PewDiePie, who is known primarily for his Let’s Play videos also regularly organises charity drives. In June, 2014 he raised $630,000 for the Save the Children charity.

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Former president of Microsoft’s Entertainment & Devices Division, Robbie Bach, has discussed Microsoft’s Xbox One strategy and his vision of the next-generation of video game consoles.

In an interview with GeekWire, Bach was asked about the struggles Microsoft faced under Don Mattrick, who took over after Bach’s departure.

“I have two thoughts,” he replied. “The first is, gosh, I think some of that was predictable and preventable. If I’m just honest I would say that.”

The problems alluded to in the interview, but not specifically cited, are likely the always-on internet requirement Microsoft originally planned to launch the Xbox One with. This aspect of the console, and the implications on digital rights management, received thunderous backlash, eventually resulting in Microsoft scrapping the initiative.

According to Bach, Microsoft’s follow-up console didn’t do enough with the market gains the Xbox 360 had produced. He nevertheless praised the continued evolution of Xbox Live.

“You would have liked to have seen them done more with the momentum we had,” he said. “On the other hand, look at what’s going on with Xbox Live. Incredible momentum on Xbox Live.

“I can be a little critical. I could also say the team did what they needed to do,” he added. “They persevered through a rocky patch, and they’re now on the path to making this a very competitive market.”

Moving to his second thought, Bach said Microsoft was in a much better position, as is the console market overall.

“These console competitions last 5, 6, 7, 8 years,” he said. I think it shows in the marketplace today. I think Xbox One has put almost all of that [trouble] behind itself. They’ve got a great holiday lineup. They’re gaining share and volume.”

He continued: “The amazing thing is the console market is bigger now than it’s ever been before. Both companies are selling more units…The year before PlayStation 4 and Xbox One launched, everybody said the console market was dead, and they wondered why Sony and Microsoft was doing it.”

Digital-Only Future

Looking forward, Bach said he believes the next generation of hardware will “probably not” have physical media, and may adopt digital delivery as the sole method of content distribution.

“I think there will be another generation [of hardware]. What the console looks like is a very interesting question.” he said. “Is it a game box or is it more? What’s the balance between what an Apple TV is and what an Xbox or PlayStation 4 is? These are really interesting questions, and the teams [are] going to have to wrestle with those. The next generation will be a whole new game.”

On July 30, 2015, Microsoft reported total Xbox revenue had grown by 27 percent compared to the same period in 2014. The increase was attributed to console sales, Xbox Live transactions, and first party game sales.

Xbox head Phil Spencer recently said he believes the surge in popularity of both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One shows the console business is still viable.

“We’ve sold a ton of Xbox Ones globally, more than we’ve sold 360s [in the same period]. We’re both doing really well, and I think Nintendo has a plan for the future–I don’t know what the NX is, but it’s great just to see the business being done.”

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Ubisoft is leveraging its gaming brands to build what it is describing as a “next-generation theme park” in Malaysia.

According to the publisher, the theme park will use the company’s “rich portfolio of world-renowned brands and expertise in designing high interactive gaming experiences” to “revolutionise” the theme park experience. The project is being spearheaded by Ubisoft Motion Pictures and RSG, which is co-owner and co-developer of Movie Animation Park Studios.

“Together we are creating a place where every guest is a player, every ride is a playground, every visit is a game,” said Jean de Rivieres, senior vice president of Ubisoft Motion Pictures. “In RSG, we’ve found a partner with a successful track record in working with international brands, a shared ambition to design the family destination of the future, and a wealth of expertise in theme park development.”

The theme park will be located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and span 10,000 square meters. It is said that the park will feature “innovative rides, attractions, and shows” inspired by properties such as Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, and Rabbids. The tentative opening date will land in 2020, Ubisoft said.

“RSG is committed to redefining family fun, and video games have taken an increasingly central role in entertainment for all ages,” said Ramelle Ramli, the company’s chairman.

“Partnering with Ubisoft means we’ll work with their creative teams to develop the first of what we believe will be a revolutionary new theme park experience. We are confident that this partnership agreement highly benefits both parties and consolidates our presence in the global family entertainment market.”

Ubisoft’s Motion Pictures division is also current developing four feature films based on its properties. Most notable among them is the Assassin’s Creed film, which officially entered production in February 2015.

The first image of Michael Fassbender in costume for the Assassin’s Creed movie has been released, along with details about the character he plays. The movie, which is produced by New Regency and 20th Century Fox, is scheduled to hit theaters on December 21, 2016.

Ubisoft has confirmed the Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate release date as October 23 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The PC version will be released a month later on November 19. This year’s entry in the series is set in London during the Victorian era.

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Online retailer Amazon has listed the release date of Minecraft: Story Mode–a story driven spin-off developed by Telltale Games–as October 27 in North America.

Amazon UK‘s product listing for Minecraft: Story Mode, meanwhile, states the game will be available on October 30. Telltale Games, however, has not yet announced an official release date for the title.

According to the retailer, the disc releases of Minecraft: Story Mode will contain the first episode “and grants access to four more episodes as they become available.” Naturally, an internet connection will be required to access these.

Minecraft: Story Mode features an all-star voice cast which includes comedian Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn (Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer), Ashley Johnson (The Last of Us), Scott Porter (Batman: Arkham Knight), Martha Plimpton (The Goonies), Dave Fennoy (The Walking Dead), Corey Feldman (The Goonies), Billy West (Futurama), and Paul Reubens (The Nightmare Before Christmas).

The game’s story stars a motley crew of heroes on a journey to save the world of Minecraft.

“Players will control protagonist Jesse throughout the season, as portrayed by actor Patton Oswalt,” Telltale previously explained. “Jesse and his group of friends revere the legendary Order of the Stone; four adventurers who slayed an Ender Dragon.

“The Order is the very best at what they do: Warrior, Redstone Engineer, Griefer, and Architect. While at EnderCon, Jesse and his friends discover that something is wrong… something dreadful. Terror is unleashed, and they must set out on a journey to find The Order of the Stone if they are to save their world from oblivion.”

Minecraft: Story Mode is expected for release on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PC, Mac, Android, and iOS.

Along with Minecraft: Story Mode, Telltale Games is also working on episodic series’ for Game of Thrones and The Wolf Among Us, which is based on the Fables comic series.

In April 2015 Telltale announced a partnership with Marvel Comics: “We’re excited to reveal an all-new partnership with the incredible team at Marvel Entertainment. We’ll be teaming up on the development of an upcoming Telltale game series project set to premiere in 2017!”

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Konami’s Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain has taken the top spot on the UK chart and, according to data provided by sales monitor ChartTrack, more than 72 percent of the game’s sales were on PlayStation 4.

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain is the first No.1 for Konami of the year, but the title’s first week performance is not enough to place it above Batman: Arkham Knight and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, both of which had stronger debuts.

Following MGS5 in the chart is Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s Mad Max, while Gears of War: Ultimate Edition finishes the week in the No.3 position. Rounding off the top five are Until Dawn from Sony and Disney Infinity 3.0.

Grand Theft Auto V, meanwhile, reaches its 99th week on the UK chart, holding at No.6, followed by Lego Jurassic World–another Warner Bros. title–at No.7.

Minecraft for PlayStation and Xbox reach No.8 and No.9 respectively, with Batman: Arkham Knight completing the top ten.

The full list of top ten titles for the week ending September 5 can be found below.

1. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
2. Mad Max
3. Gears of War: Ultimate Edition
4. Until Dawn
5. Disney Infinity 3.0
6. Grand Theft Auto V
7. Lego Jurassic World
8. Minecraft: PlayStation Edition
9. Minecraft: Xbox Edition
10. Batman: Arkham Knight

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