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Category: Gamespot

  • Halo Dev Apologises for Master Chief Collection Online Woes

    The executive in charge of 343 Industries, the studio responsible for Halo: The Master Chief Collection, has asked fans to accept her “heartfelt apologies” over the game’s persistent online problems.

    In a frank message to fans, Bonnie Ross admitted “we have not delivered the experience you deserve.”

    She said: “I personally apologize for this on behalf of us all at 343 Industries. Our team is committed to working around the clock until these issues are resolved.”

    Since its launch two weeks ago, on November 11, The Master Chief Collection has been unable to connect players online smoothly or swiftly. Various patches, applied in a bid to improve the experience, have not resolved the issues, and in some instances have made matters worse.

    Ross said the connectivity bugs were “not apparent in our internal test environment and have resulted in a frustrating experience, including long matchmaking times and low session success rates”.

    She pledged that the studio would be working intensely in a bid to resolve these issues, creating both server-side and user-download patches. A key update will be released to users “later this week”.

    “We will update you on the status and patch notes of the content update once we have a better understanding of our release window,” Ross added.

    “We are also preparing additional content updates that will address existing campaign, UI, and other issues to improve the overall experience. With each update we will carefully analyze data to confirm that the improvements we’re seeing internally are also happening with fans at home.

    “Know that we’re trying to be as nimble as possible to put fixes in place. We are planning multiple server-side tweaks and game content updates over the coming weeks. Looking forward, I want to give you a high-level cadence of the latest updates we’re currently working on.”

    Resolving the game’s matchmaking problems are Ross’s “number one” priority, she said.

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  • Dark Souls 2 Coming to PS4 and Xbox One This April, Adds Additional Content

    Dark Souls 2 Coming to PS4 and Xbox One This April, Adds Additional Content

    Continuing the trend of popular games from the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 going to current-gen systems, From Software announced that the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and DirectX 11 PCs will get a new version of Dark Souls II.

    According to a press release, the compilation is called Scholar of the First Sin and it collects Dark Souls II and all the DLC (Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the Ivory King) as well as “an array of all new content.”

    It will be available April 7 next year and it includes “enhanced graphics in addition to brand new game content including an expanded story featuring additional in-game events and NPC character along with new deadlier enemies and gameplay improvements.” The current-gen version will also increase the maximum number of online players.

    From Software isn’t abandoning last-gen gamers or people who already own the game though. Scholar of the First Sin will also be available on PS3, 360, and DirectX 9 PCs as a compilation version that collects the game and DLC missions. While it won’t include the enhanced graphics and sound, those versions (and gamers who already own Dark Souls II) will receive the additional content through a free, “large-scale update (ver. 1.10), which will add new features including an additional NPC to seek out along the treacherous quest through Drangleic as well as expanded story, in-game events, improved balance, and online matchmaking functionality.”

    You can check out high-res versions of the game by clicking on any of the thumbnails below.

    Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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  • NBA Live 15 Honors Basketball Player With Terminal Cancer

    NBA Live 15 Honors Basketball Player With Terminal Cancer

    Lauren Hill, the cancer-stricken Division III college basketball player who has made national headlines for her story of courage, has been given a special gift from EA Sports. The developer has delivered a boxed copy of NBA Live 15 with her image on the front, not official coverstar Damian Lillard.

    It’s a nice gesture from EA Sports and the NBA Live development team. They originally announced plans to immortalize Hill in this way earlier in November, saying at the time, “there’s a new cover athlete in town and she’s an absolute star.”

    Hill is a freshman at Mount St. Joseph’s University. She suffers from a rare and incurable form of brain cancer called DIPG and has only weeks to live, according to CBS News. The NCAA moved up her team’s first game earlier this month so that Hill would be able to play. She scored the first basket in front of more than 10,000 spectators.

    You can read more about Hill’s story at CBS Sports and the Layup4Lauren website.

    Image Credit: Brad Johansen

    Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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  • Far Cry 4 Update Addresses PS4 and PS3 Bugs and Errors

    Ubisoft has released the latest patch for Far Cry 4, addressing stability and co-op issues for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 versions of the open-world game.

    The 1.02 patch is available now across both platforms, which is actually sooner than Ubisoft anticipated, the developer writes on Far Cry 4’s live updates page. This patch aims to provide a “smoother experience” for Far Cry 4 players.

    You can see the full Far Cry 4 1.02 patch notes below, courtesy of Ubisoft.

    Playstation 4/Playstation 3:

    • Fixed some random crashes on all game modes.
    • Fixed host migration edge random & case issues
    • Fixed custom match stability issues
    • Fixed join-in-progress edge case issues
    • Fixed progression page issues in Story missions
    • Fixed functionality issues in the shop menu
    • Fixed several localization issues (cut-off text, subtitles)
    • Fixed various low repro walkthrough breaks
    • Fixed host migration random issues specific to coop
    • Fixed minor gameplay functionality issues
    • Fixed aiming issues with the machine gun weapon
    • Fixed minor and low repro QTE issue with specific animals
    • Fixed Map Browser issues
    • Fixed occlusion and navmesh issues
    • Fixed some missing audio in radio calls

    Playstation 4 Only:

    • Coop will no longer cause users to hang on the main menu and with the second player unable to progress to the lobby.

    For more on Far Cry 4, check out GameSpot’s review and what other critics are saying.

    Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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  • Signs of Life at BioShock: Infinite Studio

    Irrational Games, the Boston-based creator of the BioShock series, could be planning a revival following its closure in February.

    Representatives for the studio have taken the surprising step of posting a new job listing on its official website. The listing for a senior programmer is not time-stamped, but a Google Cache view reveals that it did not exist on October 21, suggesting the vacancy is new.

    The studio had effectively closed down in February, laying off scores of staff while its cofounder, Ken Levine, formed a new start-up studio under ownership of its publisher Take-Two.

    “I am winding down Irrational Games as you know it,” Levine said at the time.

    “I’ll be starting a smaller, more entrepreneurial endeavor at Take-Two. That is going to mean parting ways with all but about fifteen members of the Irrational team. There’s no great way to lay people off, and our first concern is to make sure that the people who are leaving have as much support as we can give them during this transition.”

    Irrational Games was established in 1997, and broke onto the scene with its acclaimed first-person RPG, System Shock 2.

    The studio would later define its legacy with the multi-award winning 2007 FPS BioShock, followed up by BioShock: Infinite six years later.

    As the developer shut down in February, Levine said he had “handed the reins of our creation, the BioShock universe, to Take-Two.”

    US-based representatives for the studio were unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.

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  • Halo Master Chief Collection Update Inadvertently Adds More Bugs

    Halo Master Chief Collection Update Inadvertently Adds More Bugs

    Microsoft and 343 Industries have released numerous patches for Halo: The Master Chief Collection since its release nearly two weeks ago, but the Xbox One game’s matchmaking issues still remain for “far too many” players, the developer has acknowledged in a new blog post on its website.

    The developer explained that, while some are seeing improvements to the overall matchmaking experience following last week’s major content update (CU), this is not true for everyone. New updates are already in the works to tackle lingering issues, though 343 did not provide a timetable for when they might be released.

    “We realize that silence and opacity, even when we have nothing new to say, is frustrating. With each change and/or update we make, it takes time for us to capture and analyze the data to determine the tangible impact to the game experience,” the team said. “Additionally, we’ve already begun work on future updates which will be informed by the data and community feedback we’re seeing from (last week’s update).”

    “Our data shows that the CU improved things statistically, but we are aware that far too many are not seeing improvements,” 343 added. “We continue to work on these issues, with our primary focus being on matchmaking performance.”

    343 also explained that last week’s CU for The Master Chief Collection inadvertently introduced new user interface bugs, which the developer says “will be fixed shortly.” (Ed. note: I encountered a UI bug where the post-game carnage report only showed stats for my character).

    Though the time it takes to find a match has improved, 343 says uneven matchups and larger than normal team sizes in matchmaking will continue to be the norm until future updates are applied.

    “This is a temporary situation that is caused by the fact that we are allowing more players than normal into a matchmaking session in order to improve overall matching times,” 343 said. “We realize this is not ideal, and we will reset those parameters to their expected behavior as soon as our matchmaking improves to a level where players are consistently getting into matches in shorter time frames.”

    Last week’s Master Chief Collection update was also supposed to fix an issue where parties would get split up after a matchmaking game. However, “we’re aware that this bug has regressed,” 343 said. This problem, and others, will be tackled through future updates. 343 said it will announce details for the next Master Chief Collection update sometime later today, Monday, November 24.

    In other Master Chief Collection news, 343 has released a “Rumble” playlist for Halo 2: Anniversary, which is currently capped at 10 players and does not feature ranking at the moment. Ranking will be added once the game’s matchmaking issues are sorted out.

    Finally, 343 published a set of troubleshooting steps that players can follow to help improve their overall Master Chief Collection matchmaking experience. These are listed below, via 343.

    1. Setting your NAT to Open

    We’ve found that players who have their NAT set to open tend to have the highest success rates in Matchmaking. For assistance with opening your NAT, head here.

    2. Airport Extreme Router Troubleshooting

    We’ve found that players who are using Apple Airport routers may have increased difficulty connecting to matches due to the default settings. To optimize your settings for gameplay on Xbox One, follow the below steps to allow teredo tunnels, which is set to “off” by default.

    • Open Airport Utility

    • Go to the “Network” tab

    • Click “Network Options” at the bottom then check “Allow Teredo tunnels”

    Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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  • We Were Not Hacked, Says Xbox One Team

    We Were Not Hacked, Says Xbox One Team

    Microsoft has refuted rumours that Xbox Live was infiltrated by a hacker group last week, following claims that some users’ passwords and email addresses were stolen.

    Last Thursday, the online group ‘DerpTrolling’ claimed to have leaked the usernames and passwords of 1,473 Windows Live accounts, and published the details on Pastebin.

    The group also published what it claimed was the account info for 2,131 PlayStation Network users and 2,000 2K Games accounts. However, by Sunday, Sony issued a statement assuring it had not been hacked, suggesting that the hacker group’s claims were a hoax.

    Now Microsoft has come forward to claim that it had not been hacked either.

    “We immediately investigated reports regarding some Microsoft Accounts including Windows Live and Hotmail and can confirm that no Microsoft site or service was compromised,” the company told GameSpot.

    “Microsoft takes account security and privacy seriously. Should we identify any specific account at risk for any reason, we will take action to protect the account. To help keep your information safe, we encourage you to set strong passwords, change passwords regularly and avoid using the same password for multiple accounts. For more information on password security, visit our website at www.microsoft.com/security.”

    2K Games has not yet responded to requests for comment, but there is no convincing evidence to suggest it has been hacked.

    DerpTrolling, which announced its “hack” on Twitter, has now been suspended from the social network.

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  • GTA 5 Crowned All-Time Best-Seller in UK Charts

    Grand Theft Auto 5 has become the best-selling game ever in the UK, pushed over the line by last week’s release of the remastered versions for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

    Rockstar’s widely admired felony-simulator took first place in the charts, holding off another new major debutant in the shape of Far Cry 4. That game enters at second but becomes the series’ fastest seller yet.

    The UK’s best selling game ever (solus, all-format) was Activision’s Call of Duty: Black Ops, which shipped in 2010. That shooter series is still performing well, with Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare holding third place after two weeks at the top.

    Dragon Age: Inquisition, EA’s acclaimed third entry in the RPG series, enters at fifth, behind FIFA 15.

    The full chart follows:

    1. Grand Theft Auto 5
    2. Far Cry 4
    3. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
    4. FIFA 15
    5. Dragon Age: Inquisition
    6. Assassin’s Creed Unity
    7. WWE 2K15
    8. Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham
    9. Minecraft PlayStation Edition
    10. Halo: The Master Chief Collection

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  • AU New Releases: Little Big Planet 3 Launches on PS4 and PS3

    This week sees the endearing Sackboy make a return in sandbox puzzle-platform game Little Big Planet 3. However, this time around he is joined by new, equally adorable companions: Oddsock, Swoop, and Big Toggle, who each sport abilities unique to them.

    Little Big Planet 3 will be backwards compatible, meaning all purchased downloadable content for Little Big Planet and Little Big Planet 2 will be usable in the game. To do bring the content over, players can download all previously purchased DLC via Little Big Planet 3’s in-game store at no extra cost. In addition, all items collected in previous games will carry forward to Little Big Planet 3. This includes every last costume piece, material, object, music tracks, and levels.

    The level editor makes a return, with the newly introduced Popit Puzzles feature easing players into editing levels. The game was positively received in GameSpot’s review, praised for its quirky world and new creative gadgets but criticized for the limited use of its new characters and bugs. Little Big Planet 3 will be released in Australian retailers exclusively for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 this week.

    Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham continues the theme of games with toy-like aesthetics, as it is released for multiple platforms on November 26. Set after the events of Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, the game comprises of over 150 characters from the DC Universe. In addition, late-night talk show host Conan O’Brien is also confirmed to make an appearance.

    For more details on games launching in Australian retailers this week, check the full list below.

    November 26, 2014

    Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (PS4, Xbox One, PS3, 360, 3DS, Wii U, PC)

    LittleBigPlanet 3 (PS4, PS3)

    Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor (360, PS3)

    November 27, 2014

    Persona 4 Arena Ultimax (PS3, Xbox 360)

    November 28, 2014

    Escape Dead Island (360, PS3, PC)

    November 29, 2014

    Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (Wii U)

    Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal (3DS)

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  • Amiibo Manufacturing Error Gives Samus Two Arm Cannons

    Amiibo Manufacturing Error Gives Samus Two Arm Cannons

    It seems like an Amiibo manufacturing error has accidentally doubled Samus Aaran’s firepower.

    Adam Truesdale picked up the Amiibo you can see here yesterday, and posted it to Reddit under the username Adamantium126. He preordered it from his local Best Buy along with the Mario, Link, and Donkey Kong Amiibo. There was only one other Samus Amiibo in the store (a normal one) in addition to the defective one he preordered. Additional photos and a receipt provided to GameSpot make the defective Amiibo seem authentic.

    You can see the differences between the normal and defective Amiibo below.

    “I didn’t realize that she had two blasters until my friend pointed it out to me,” Truesdale told GameSpot. “I would have more than likely opened it up and started using it without a second thought.” He said that the Amiibo remains sealed an unharmed for now.

    The first wave of Amiibo toys have been available since yesterday in the United States, alongside fighting game Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, which is available now and is the first game to support the toys.

    Have you seen another weird Amiibo in the wild? Let us know in the comments below.

    Image credit: @hampsanonymous

    Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on Twitter @emanuelmaiberg.

    For all of GameSpot’s news coverage, check out our hub. Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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