The news follows allegations of professional Counter-strike teams intentionally fixing matches in recent competitions. After gathering information from players and reviewing historical activity of accounts, Valve said it directed its CS:GO event partners to not allow the following players to participate in any capacity in Valve-sponsored events:
Kevin “Uzzziii” Vernel
Joey “fxy0” Schlosser
Robin “GMX” Stahmer
Morgan “B1GGY” Madour
Damian “DiAMon” Zarski
Michal “bCK” Lis
Jakub “kub” Pamula
Mateusz “matty” Kolodziejczyk
Michal “michi” Majkowski
Karol “rallen” Rodowicz
Mikolaj “mouz” Karolewski
Grzegorz “SZPERO” Dziamalek
Pawel “innocent” Mocek
Jacek “minise” Jeziak
Additionally, the following players will not be eligible to participate in the $250,000 ESL One Katowice tournament as it continues its investigation.
Robin “r0bs3n” Stephan
Tahsin “tahsiN” Sarikaya
Koray “xall” Yaman
Ammar “am0” Cakmak
Antonin “TONI” Bernhardt
Finally, in a post to the official CS:GO blog titled “Unnecessary Risks” Valve said that professional players or anyone involved in the production of CS:GO events should under no circumstances gamble on CS:GO matches or associate with high volume CS:GO gamblers, because they might have inside information.
“Because of this, we will always assume that you have access to private CS:GO-related ‘inside information’ that might give you an unfair advantage when placing a bet on any CS:GO game or match,” Valve said.
Note that this is a “recommendation,” not a rule, though it’s a recommendation that players should heed, as Valve obviously has no problem banning players if they don’t. This might also all seem like it should all be common sense, but keep in mind that the popularity of eSports and huge cash prizes are all relatively new, especially for CS:GO.
Valve is also clearly aware that these incidents reflect poorly on eSports and endanger its future. “It’s important to consider the substantial impact an individual professional Counter-Strike player has on the health and stability of the sport,” Valve said. “Performing before an audience of millions of fans, you are ambassadors for your game – the strength of professional Counter-Strike comes from the integrity of its players and teams.”
You may or may not be familiar with n-Space, a studio that’s spent the better part of its existence working on licensed properties and work-for-hire projects. Though n-Space’s past is filled with projects that have ultimately faded into the background, it may garner a significant reputation boost next week when it formally unveils its latest project, a fantasy RPG set within a well known franchise.
OK: I don’t blame you if your first reaction to that generic pitch is “so what?” However, what if I told you that the team at n-Space is currently staffed by influential ex-BioWare members that helped sculpt series such as Dragon Age, Baldur’s Gate, and Mass Effect? That pitch suddenly sounds a lot more interesting.
What is n-Space working on, exactly? Unfortunately, while I couldn’t suss out exact details from n-Space President Dan Tudge or CEO Dan O’Leary (the full reveal is coming on Feb. 12), they’re committed to the idea that this game, when it’s finally unveiled, will wow people, both for the series that it’s attached to and because of how it will satisfy hardcore RPG fans. “That’s certainly my goal,” said Tudge, “to fill a void in the market as a hardcore fan of RPGs. I love my RPGs, so I think that there are some things as a fan and a consumer that I haven’t been able to do, and I think that we’re really doing some unique things that will be really exciting.”
O’Leary boasts that “we’re doing this game for us, first and foremost. It’s kind of the one that we’ve earned having done everything before it. It’s only a possibility because we made a huge commitment to it.”
The RPG in question has been in development for over two years and is n-Space’s first independent project. Rather than being tied to a publisher for the sake of funding, n-Space has teamed up with Digital Extremes, a studio with experience in the BioShock and Unreal Tournament series. Warframe, it’s most recent product, developed and distributed independently, is what lured n-Space into bed; that and a chunk of financial investment that’s made n-Space’s project a reality. Beyond funding, Digital Extreme will share its expertise as an independent, guiding n-Space along the way.
O’Leary detailed the relationship: “Digital Extremes is investing in the game and sharing the knowledge that it has gained from successfully self-publishing Warframe. We’ve got a great team of passionate developers with access to basically all of the industry tools that larger publishers have, and without the heavy overload that comes with that. That allows the two companies to move quickly, react quickly, and take real care in making this effort as successful as possible. We’ve known the folks at Digital Extremes for some time now and have had a friendly relationship.”
The Dans both have past connections to AAA publishers, and they believe the traditional funding and publishing model will stick around, but not without stiff competition from independents. “We mentioned previously that there’s new accessible technology and direct to consumer digital [publishing], that you’re really seeing…I don’t want to say a secondary market, but a really great piece of gaming emerging from independents,” said Tudge. “I think that’s in large part to the way the industry is changing, but I don’t see the large model going away.”
Tudge sees the independent method as an opportunity for them to give passionate fans what they really want, rather than what publisher’s believe will sell the most games. “I also think that independent developers like ourselves can market to niche markets with our product and speak directly with consumers now, creating products that fill opportunities that the traditional publishing model ignores these days. I think that there will continue to be big publisher kind of business models, but the opportunities that they pass by are right for independent developers and other kinds of collaborations, like what we’re doing with Digital Extremes.”
Given that three out of the five leaders on the project are ex-BioWare leads, I had to know: does the new game look and feel like a BioWare game? O’Leary mostly deflected the question, but he’s honest about the potential for BioWare-esque traits making an appearance. “We can’t really say at this point, we really can’t talk about it. We can tell you that it’s fantasy, and it’s a beloved franchise, but really it comes down to the DNA that’s in the studio here, and in the DNA of the influx of BioWare staff, and that DNA really is focusing on making the game that we’ve always wanted to make, both with n-Space and with the ex-BioWare guys. That DNA that we’ve injected has been focused on quality and great storytelling, and those are things that we’ll definitely be bringing to the title.”
Tudge followed up O’Leary’s statement, detailing the role and pedigree of the team’s leaders. “I was the director of Dragon Age Origins and I worked at BioWare for several years. People like Ross Gardner, who’s the tech director, he was on the original Baldur’s Gate. He scripted the first sequence in Baldur’s Gate 2, he’s been involved in Neverwinter [Nights], and even the Old Republic. Of course, he was my tech director on Dragon Age Origins. You’ve got Jay Turner, who wrote with me on Dragon Age Origins, he’s been involved in Mass Effect, and he also worked with me at EA. That’s three out of the five leads on the team, and I think that’s really obviously going to influence the creative title, but I will say that there are definitely a lot of new, fresh, and innovative ideas that n-Space has brought forward. They certainly have an extensive background, certainly in loving RPGs and making Heroes of Ruin and some of their previous titles, so there’s some really unique and exciting things that, blended together to make what I think is a really new and innovative approach to your classic RPG.”
The Dans are very confident in their team and their game. They’re confident that you, the hardcore RPG fan, will love it. Until we have an idea of what this game is, those claims are debatable. We’ll know more on February 12 when n-Space and Digital Extremes unveil what they’ve been working on for the past few years. Until then, one can only wonder what’s up their sleeves.
What do you think they might be working on? If you had your way, what fantasy series would you like to see from a team with the experience and pedigree of n-Space and it’s BioWare recruits? Share your predictions and hopes in the comments below!
SOE Turns Independent, Eyes Xbox Support:The biggest news this week came on Monday, when Sony Online Entertainment, makers of franchises such as H1Z1, Planetside, and EverQuest, announced that it had been acquired by an investment firm for an undisclosed sum. What does that mean? For one, SOE has changed its name to Daybreak Games. Second, the company can now bring its games to Xbox platforms. Nice!
Legend of Zelda TV Show In The Works At Netflix: While it remains officially unconfirmed, The Wall Street Journal on Friday reported that Netflix and Nintendo have entered production on a live-action Zelda TV show. Its aim is to be “Game of Thrones for a family audience.” That sounds really cool. What do you think?
Call of Duty 2015 Confirmed, Coming From Black Ops Dev Treyarch:It may have been pretty obvious, but Activision made it official this week: Call of Duty: Black Ops developer Treyarch, which also created the uber-popular Zombies mode, is making 2015’s Call of Duty game. The title is due out this fall. Expect to hear more about it this May.
Destiny House of Wolves DLC Release Window Revealed:Destiny’s second expansion, House of Wolves, will launch sometime in the April-June quarter, Activision announced this week. Plus, the company teased that Bungie will launch a “major content release” for Destiny in fall 2015. What could it be? Activision isn’t saying just yet, unfortunately.
The Other Stuff (Stories We Like, But Didn’t Cover With a Standalone Post):
Another “React” gaming video came online this week, this one showing teenagers playing The Last of Us. I’m still not tired of watching these videos, are you?
This might be the closest thing we ever get to Portal 3. This amazing-looking fan-made Portal 2 mod has been in development for more than three years, and it shows. Check out a trailer and more information about the game on Steam, where it’s schedule to arrive March 31.
Sega is starting to tease the next Sonic game. This week, the publisher revealed a teaser trailer for Sonic Runners, a free-to-play mobile game launching this spring for iOS and Android. Like its name suggests, Sonic Runners is a 2D side-scrolling runner. Read more about it here.
Last year’s pretty-excellent licensed role-playing game South Park: The Stick of Truthcould get DLC someday…but it also might not. That’s what developer Obsidian Entertainment CEO Feargus Urquhart told Polygon this week. Also in the interview, Urquhart talks about the game’s multi-year, stressful development process, and whether or not there might be a sequel. Read the full story here.
As a result of GameSpy’s closure, the PlayStation 3 version of the original Borderlands lost its online support. But now, thanks to a newly released update, the game’s multiplayer functionality has been restored. Huzzah! Check out this Gearbox post for more.
Indie developer Hammerfall Publishing has released a Collector’s Edition bundle and a brand new trailer for the upcoming game, Warhammer 40,000: Regicide. Watch the trailer below. The Collector’s Edition, meanwhile, comes with nice-looking art prints depicting characters from the game, as well as limited edition apparel designed by the Warhammer artists Stefan Kopinski.
Ubisoft’s arcade hack-and-slash game The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot has left beta, and is now officially available for PC, following its original console release in 2014. Download the free-to-play game today on Steam right here.
Stuck inside this winter from all the snow and looking to play something new on your Nintendo machine? You’re in luck, as Ubisoft has rolled out a massive Wii U and 3DS sale, offering dozens of game at deep discounts. See the full list here.
Ubisoft this week released its “experimental climbing game” Grow Home on PC through Steam. You can buy the game today for $8. Grow Home, a strange game that employs a minimalist artistic style, sees players taking on the role of BUD–Botanical Utility Droid. He’s an excitable, child-like robot who is sent on a mission to search the galaxy for a new species of plant that can oxygenate his home world, saving its people, and making him the hero.
Wildstar news! NCSoft and Carbine Studios have released the fourth content update for Wildstar, the PC MMO. Called The Protogames Initiative, the update introduces a swath of new content, including a new Shiphand mission and two new dungeons. There’s also new quality-of-life improvements ranging from quest flow to itemization. See here for more.
As if Hideo Kojima’s P.T. wasn’t scary enough already….check out the video above to see P.T. like you’ve never seen it before–like a Blair Witch Project-esque found footage movie.
Following its release for PlayStation 4, indie developer Roll7 announced this week that its “grind-’em-up” skateboarding game OlliOlli is coming to Xbox One, Wii U, and 3DS in March.
It’s rare developers give fans (or the media) an inside look at how their finances break down, but that’s exactly what Young Horses did this week for its latest game, Octodad. As you can see in the image here, Octodad made $5 million in revenue after 28,000 man-hours of development; developers also took four trips to the emergency room during the game’s nearly three years of development, though it’s not explained why.
New DLC is now available for professional wrestling game WWE 2K15 in the form of the “Showcase DLC” for all platforms. The add-on highlights the rivalry between fighters Christian and Randy Orton in 2011. Get it today for $10 or through the game’s DLC Pass.
Blizzard isn’t making Warcraft 4, but now you can…sort of. The developer this week released all sorts of Warcraft III assets for you to work with, including hero models for the game’s four main races. Go ahead, make Warcraft 4, and maybe Blizzard will follow suit. Who knows.
Big news for fans of funny downloadable game Soda Drinker Pro this week, as its developer announced a long list of features (see below) to be included with the latest update on Steam. In addition, the studio said it remains in “heavy development” of the Xbox One version, while it also has a major “thirst-quenching” announcement to make soon. What do you think it will be?
Game Save Options
New Soda Simulations
Entirely new Vivian Clark world now 10 times bigger than all of Soda Drinker Pro (see footage here and here)
Achievements (360 no-scope Soda slurps and many more)
Soda Customization and Crafting
Steam Exclusive levels
Optimized game exit settings (when you press the escape key it asks you if you want to close the game before it closes)
People who purchased the original version of Soda Drinker Pro will receive Steam keys for free when it is released
Oculus DK1 support & DK2 support coming soon
Spaghetti Mode
Special guests
Much more!
Smosh Games has released their latest Honest Game Trailer, this one taking on Blizzard’s immensely popular free-to-play card game HearthStone: Heroes of Warcraft.
What is the secret of this mystery phone number? It was revealed on Monday by Hotline Miami 2 developer Dennaton, and calling the number puts you though to a garbled message, with the only recognizable word being “March.” Is this the release date? Give it a call and hear for yourself.
Did you ever play Badland? You should, it’s a beautiful and clever puzzle-adventurey thing that won iPad game of the year in 2013. Well, in a few months that game will ship on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Wii U, Vita, PC, Mac and Linux! What’s more, the game will also come with a visual upgrade (not that it needed it!)
Everything is awesome, at least it is in this epic Lego Skyrim video from The Guildmaster Studio. Check out the video above. What do you think…time for a real Lego Skyrim?
Following on the success of original programming like House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, a recent report suggests that Netflix may be expanding even further: shows based on video games.
A story posted in the Wall Street Journal today states that, “[Netflix] is in the early stages of developing a live-action series based on ‘Zelda,’ about an ordinary boy named Link who must rescue a princess named Zelda and save a fantasy world called Hyrule.”
The article reports that, according to an unnamed source, Netflix is “working closely with Nintendo.” However, there is currently no writer attached to the project.
The show could potentially tie-in to The Legend of Zelda Wii U game slated for sometime this year, or it could be a wholly original project. We’ve reached out to Netflix and Nintendo for comment and will update this story with more details as they’re made available. But what would you like to see in a Hyrule-based show?
What’s new with Q*Bert Rebooted? For one, instead of cubes, this game has hexagons, which very much changes level design. The game also comes with new features such as time and score challenges, as well as new enemies, playable characters, power-ups, traps, and more.
If you’d rather not play Q*Bert with hexagons, not to worry, as Q*Bert Rebooted also comes with the original game, just as you remember it.
“Q*Bert Rebooted is the equivalent of your old backyard treehouse refurbished by Bob Vila: same nostalgic joy, but magically just better,” developer LOOT Entertainment writes on the PlayStation Blog.
The game also features Cross-Buy support, meaning one purchase entitles you to play the game across PS3, PS4, and PS Vita.
Are you planning to pick up the new Q*Bert game? Let us know in the comments below!
Half-Life fans aren’t the only ones eagerly anticipating the release of the long-awaited, but unconfirmed, Half-Life 3.
A new fan-made short film shows that Half-Life hero Gordon Freeman is suffering from boredom as he waits for his next chance to fight the Combine and save Earth.
Check out the film above, called Half-Life 3: Unannounced, from New Zealand-based film studio Fence Post Productions. As you’ll see, time has not been kind to Freeman, who we see wasting away in his room, drinking and messing around with the Gravity Gun.
It’s actually kind of sad. Valve, won’t you finally make Half-Life 3 and free Gordon from this tortured existence?
Turtle Rock Studios’ asymmetric multiplayer shooter Evolve launches on February 10 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. From the creators of Left 4 Dead, the game pits a team of up to four hunters against a single monster controlled by a fifth player. Choose a monster and wreak havoc on the enemy team with your unique abilities, or join the team of hunters and step into the shoes of a particular class. For an idea of what to expect in the game, check out some of our recent coverage, including this survival guide video.
“We have the game set up in such a way that we can expand upon it if that is the desire… our plan is one we pushed for as consumers. Never split the community, no pay to win, all that kind of bullsh** that are hallmarks of DLC plans specifically made to leech money out of people.”
Not really a team player? Evolve will also support offline solo play. In addition to playing as the monster against a team of AI-controlled hunters, players flying solo can also assume a role on the hunter team, switching between classes as they see fit against the AI-controlled monster. The video below provides a look at how it works.
Get started on gaining experience
2K Games has also released a free Evolve companion app, available to download on iOS, Android, Windows, and Amazon Fire devices. Evolve: Hunters Quest is a puzzle combat game that can earn mastery points which can then in turn be applied to characters in the main Evolve game on any platform. Players who download the app can also unlock unique game art and watch replays of online matches from a top-down view.
Funding currently stands at $72.1 million from close to 750,000 backers. Star Citizen is already the most successful crowdfunded project in history. That’s for any project, not just a video game.
All additional funds raised for Star Citizen will towards expanding the scope of the game.
In recent Star Citizen news, developer Cloud Imperium Games has released more than six hours worth of video detailing the game’s wormholes, persistent universe, and much more. You can watch all of the videos here.
For more on Star Citizen and Roberts himself, check out part one and part two of GameSpot’s interview with the legendary designer.
The final level of OlliOlli2 takes place on a dystopian world suspended in the sky, and GameSpot can offer an exclusive first look in the video above.
Christened as Titan Sky, the stage is described by its creators at Roll7 as the “last voyage of the skater”. Players will need to spin, flip and grind their way through a colossal production line of gargantuan robots, avoiding the more immediate hazards of toxic waste barrels and pools of lime radioactive sludge.
“The feel of Titan Sky is unique; floating multilevel structures, industrial equipment, radioactive obstacles”
Lead artist Manual Harari
The team says the overall look of Titan Sky is inspired by a whole range of sci-fi films, from Pacific Rim to Blade Runner to even The Iron Giant. This multi-layered skate circuit is the fifth and final world in OlliOlli 2, sequel to the breakthrough skater first released on PS Vita in January 2014.
For now, the sequel is a timed PlayStation exclusive, and Roll7 is looking to differentiate it from its predecessor by offering more extreme, multi-tiered worlds. Along with Titan Sky, OlliOlli2 takes players through levels such as the Hollywood-aping “OlliWood”, followed by stages such as “Curse of the Aztec”, the Wild West-themed “Gunmetal Creek”, and a post-apocalyptic abandoned theme park called “Carnival of the Dead”.
Lead artist Manual Harari says the aim for Titan Sky was “to capture a completely different type of film world”.
“The feel of Titan Sky is unique; floating multilevel structures, industrial equipment, radioactive obstacles, amongst others. I really liked designing the robots too, they are made of modules so you can mix details to create new ones quickly, and we can make parts of them grindable or obstacles.”
Total War: Attila won’t be arriving on PCs for two weeks, so to keep you going until then we’ve got an exclusive first look at the Huns Faction in action.
Join us on February 7 from 8AM PST/4PM GMT as we live stream two hours of exclusive gameplay and answer your questions. Keeping Attila’s hordes in check for us will be senior battle designer Simon Mann, along with Total War’s Community Manager, James Given.
Make sure you come back to GameSpot on February 12 when we’ll have our full review of Total War: Attila.
