Since 2010, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have allowed for up to 10 nominees in the Best Picture category after the rules were changed to make the awards ceremony more inclusive for films like The Dark Knight. It was a move aiming to get more people to tune in to the Oscars see if their favorite movie would win the big prize. However, THR reports The Academy is now considering dropping the number of competitors back down to the traditional five nominees. So the six year run of allowing up to 10 nominees hasn’t worked as a trade source says, “They tried it, and it really didn’t do us any good.” ›››
Later this year, we’ll hear Steve Martin as the voice of the alien leader Captain Smek in the DreamWorks Animation film Home. Otherwise, it’s been a few years since the actor appeared in a live-action film with The Big Year in 2011 being his last comedy appearance on the big screen. But that will change soon as Deadline reports Matin has taken a role in Ang Lee’s next film, an adaptation of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, based on Ben Fountain’s novel of the same name. Newcomver Joe Alwyn and Garrett Hedlund are already on board to star in the film about the heroic survivors of a battle in the Iraq War. ›››
Even though Will Smith may not be showing up for Independence Day 2, that doesn’t mean there won’t be ties to his character in the developing sequel at 20th Century Fox. After Michael B. Jordan was previously rumored to play the son of Smith’s character (or step-son if it’s the same character from the first film), THR reports it will be Jessie Usher taking the role. You might not know Usher by name, but he’s the star of the Starz series “Survivor’s Remorse,” so this promises to be quite a breakthrough role for the actor, not unlike what Independence Day did for Smith’s feature film career as his first blockbuster nearly 20 years ago. ›››
Several of Robert A. Heinlein‘s works have been turned into movies and TV shows and now one more is on the docket. THR reports X-Men franchise director Bryan Singer is set to be at the helm of an adaptation of The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. The film version will simply be called Uprising with “Arrow” executive producer Marc Guggenheim adapting the book for the screen. Heinlein’s 1966 sci-fi novel follows a lunar colony as they begin to revolt against their rulers back on Earth, almost like a Revolutionary War tale in space. It sounds like this could be Singer’s next project after X-Men: Apocalypse. ›››
Just yesterday we reported the rumor that Cabin in the Woods writer and director Drew Goddard was being lined up to write and direct the first film in Sony Pictures’ new Spider-Man franchise. As of now it’s just a rumor, so perhaps there’s a chance that someone else could take the gig. The Wrap reports that Anthony & Joe Russo, the directing duo behind Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the forthcoming sequel Captain America: Civil War, have just struck a new first-look deal at Sony Pictures that will begin in April and last for three years. Sounds like it could be the perfect gateway for them to direct the new Spider-Man. ›››
Up until now, the latest project reuniting director Steven Spielberg and actor Tom Hanks has just been called a Cold War thriller, with St. James Place being tossed around as a working title. But now word comes from an interview with producer arc Platt by way of The Daily Pennsylvanian (via SlashFilm) that the film is called Bridge of Spies. If anyone would know the title, it would be the film’s producer, so there you have it. The title is said to refer to a real bridge linking outer West Berlin to Potsdam. It was given that name in the 1960s as American and Soviet intelligence organizations performed prisoner exchanges on its expanse. ›››
Microsoft and developer 343 Industries have released the latest update for Xbox One game Halo: The Master Chief Collection. This update focused on matchmaking and party stability.
One of the key improvements is that Master Chief Collection players should now be able to find multiplayer matches more quickly and successfully. General stability throughout the entire matchmaking process has also been improved, 343 explained in a blog post.
You can see the full Master Chief Collection patch notes below. The next time you log into the game, you’ll be prompted to download the update.
343 has been updating The Master Chief Collection frequently since its troubled launch in November 2013. The overall experience has definitely improved since then, and the changes introduced today should only bolster the experience further.
During an interview this week at the 2015 Game Developers Conference, HTC chairwoman Cher Wang suggested that a Half-Life game for the new Vive VR headset that uses Valve’s SteamVR technology might be in development. Though she didn’t confirm at the time that the game was actually in the works, her comments did lead to rumors that it might be happening.
However, Wang has now issued a new statement to the BBC on the matter, apologizing for her remarks and saying she misspoke when talking specifically about Half-Life possibly coming to VR.
“I would like to apologize for any confusion caused when I referred to individual games titles,” she said. “In response to a question on specific games, I misspoke when I referred to our working together with Valve on a particular game, when instead I meant our collaboration with Valve on developing next-generation virtual reality experiences for gaming.”
A BBC source added that Valve is not currently working on a new Half-Life game for VR.
GameSpot will have more on the HTC-produced Vive VR headset–along with Steam Link, Steam Machines, and more Valve products–later this week from GDC. The Vive VR headset will launch for developers this spring and a consumer model will be available by the end of the year. Pricing has not been announced.
Half-Life has been dormant for more than seven years now, with Half-Life 2: Episode Two having been released in 2007. Fans have been awaiting news of a sequel for years, but with Valve’s propensity for taking its time–not to mention the lack of any official indication that a new Half-Life is in development–it’s unclear what the franchise’s status is.
Valve added support for the Oculus Rift VR headset to Half-Life 2 in 2013. It’s possible that this version of the game could come to Vive, but as of yet, there’s been no word from Valve on what its plans are.
Nvidia has announced its new Shield gaming device during a livestreamed GDC 2015 press event tonight. The Android TV-based console is powered by Nvidia’s Tegra X1 Super Chip, comes bundled with one Shield controller, and will have a recommended retail price of $200.
Like previous Shield devices, the new Shield allows you to stream games from your Nvidia GeForce-powered PC to your device or a TV. The device can be controlled using a bluetooth remote, which can act as a receiver for headphones. A microphone on the bottom of the remote will be able to take voice commands. The remote will be sold separately and is rechargeable via USB.
Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang described its Tegra X1 Super Chip as possessing twice the power of the Xbox 360, and six times more RAM, with a fifth of the power requirements. The Shield console supports DirectX 12. The Shield’s controller sports 40 hours of battery life.
As part of the show, Nvidia demonstrated Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, The Talos Principle, and Crysis 3 on the machine running at “30 frames per second.” It is worth noting that the latter will be an Android port of the game, powered the latest version of CryEngine. Resident Evil Revelations 2 producer Michiteru Okabe also confirmed during the presentation that Resident Evil 5 would be released on the Android store.
The Shield will be released for $200 with 50 Android games at launch.
Nvidia also announced the GRID subscription store, a paid service which grants streaming of several triple A games at 720. New games can be purchased and play in addition to the additional paid subscription.
According to Huang, GRID will “do for gaming what Netflix did for videos. Do what Spotify did for music.” GRID will have an approximate response time of 150ms, what Nvidia dubs “half the time it takes for an eye to blink.”
Two subscription models will be available when GRID launches in May; one basic and one premium. Games on the GRID will not require downloading as they will be streamed via the cloud.
This is a breaking news story. Additional details to follow.
The console version of celebrated indie game Gone Home, created by developer The Fullbright Company, has been canceled.
“Gone Home for console is not actively in development any longer,” Fullbright’s Steve Gaynor told DualShockers this week at the 2015 Game Developers Conference.
Mid-size publisher Majesco’s indie publishing arm Midnight City had originally signed on to publish the console version of Gone Home, but Fullbright’s relationship with Majesco “has sadly come to an end,” Gaynor said.
It’s unclear if Majesco’s troubled financial situation had anything to do with the console version’s cancellation. DualShockers notes, too, that Fullbright has not completely ruled out bringing Gone Home to consoles later down the road, though plans to do so anytime soon are not in the works.
Fullbright announced its next game, Tacoma, during The Game Awards in December. That game is due to launch in 2016.
Gone Home, a “story exploration game,” was originally released in August 2013. Set in the year 1995, the game challenges players to explore an empty home. GameSpot gave the game high praise, scoring it a 9.5/10. Gone Home is available today on PC.
