E3 Posts Coming Soon

E3 is being held this week in L.A. California (as well as WWDC in S.F. California)  Keep checking back all week for new E3 related posts giving you a summarized look at the main events.  Keeping you up to date without having to watch hours of video, unless you want to that is! Let us know in the comments which events you want to see covered and they will be! – Simple right?!

Sony Playstaion 4 and Microsoft Xbox One will be published soon!!

The new Xbox to be announced!

Firstly let me just say due to academic reasons I’m sorry this blog has not been updated frequently however please keep checking back as I plan on more frequent updates this summer!

Now that is out the way as I’m sure many of you are aware the Xbox (the new console, one up from the 360) is due to be announced today 9am Pacific time which is 5pm for everyone in England.

This announcement will finally recall the look and features of the new Xbox by Microsoft and set aside the rumours allowing us to immerse between fact and fiction.

Make sure you watch the event live on YouTube or IGN or catch up on the event later for those of you who will be busy during this time.

Here is the link for those of you who would like to watch the event via IGN with IGN editors Ryan McCaffrey and Daemon Hatfield joining them is the one and only Peter Molyneux, Fable Creator and former Lionhead boss.

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/05/08/watch-the-xbox-reveal-event-live-on-ign

 

Xbox 720 Reveal Date

Ever since Sony shown off it’s latest console, the PlayStation4, to the world gamers, including myself, have all been wondering what will the Xbox 720 look like and just how Microsoft are going to respond.

Rumours have always been appearing on the internet however just like what happened before Sony lured gamers with the “see the future” event these rumours may start becoming truth.  There is no confirmation of the name, price, or release date Microsoft are being very quiet however we could be close.

21st May 2013

This is the date every gamer, Microsoft, Sony fanatic should be aware of.

“Windows watcher Paul Thurrott revealed recently that Microsoft is planning an Xbox event for May 21st, and we understand this date is accurate. This is the tentative date for a next-generation Xbox announcement, but Microsoft had originally planned an April 24th event.” According to The Guardian.

Companies such as The Verge, IGN also suspect a May release date which  will then benefit Microsoft by showing off their latest console just one month later at E3.

IGN quote that “Despite fears to the contrary, Thurrott also asserted in the podcast that the Xbox 720 will be a gaming device first and foremost, and will not attempt to serve as an entertainment hub for the living room. Supposedly another model of the console was originally planned to target that niche, but the idea has since been put on the back-burner.”

The Xbox720, who’s name may be changed, will hopefully focus more on gaming rather than an entertainment system,however download content such as movies may once again make the 720 an entertainment system. It is rumored to make use of Windows 8 and a separate unit set to appeal to the more ‘casual gamer’.

Interestingly it may have to be connected to the internet therefore being DRM, as quoted once by Thurrot,

“The thing that interests me, going back and looking at some of the stuff I got a long time ago, it actually says ‘must be internet-connected to use’ in the notes,” he explained, before adding, “And that’s all I have, but it does say that.”

This could be Microsoft way of exploring cross-platform opportunities which may eventually lead towards a phone and television set.  However this is another story.

Please remember as of yet there is no comment from Microsoft.

 

Sources;

IGN (2013) Veteran Tech Blogger Spills Xbox 720 Reveal Date, Pricing and More – IGN. [online] Available at: http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/04/08/veteran-tech-blogger-spills-xbox-720-reveal-date-pricing-and-more [Accessed: 9 Apr 2013].

The Guardian (2013) Press Start: Xbox 720 event rumoured for May. [online] Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2013/apr/09/press-start-game-news [Accessed: 9 Apr 2013].

The Inquirer (2013) Microsoft might announce the Xbox 720 in May. [online] Available at: http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2259815/microsoft-might-announce-the-xbox-720-in-may [Accessed: 9 Apr 2013].

What’s Your Tag? (2013) Xbox 720 Reveal Date and Pricing. [online] Available at: http://whatsyourtagblog.com/2013/04/08/xbox-720-reveal-date-and-pricing/ [Accessed: 9 Apr 2013].

Recent events in the gaming world

Hello everyone!  Due to recent events in my life such as catching up with university work, going on holiday to Spain and starting a new job I haven’t be able to blog as much as I’d like 😦 Here is a catch up of all the events which have happened within the gaming world recently just to catch you, and me up.

Game Developers Conference

25th to 29th March 2013 saw the Game Developers Conference (GDC) being held in San Francisco, California, to catch up in full visit the following link http://www.gamasutra.com/gdc-2013  Companies who attended the event included Blizzard Entertainment, Microsoft, OnLive and many more! Sony did not attend this event, I believe they are saving the best for E3 later this year, TechRadar quotes “A room full of potential PS4 developers got a run down of the system’s architecture, design philosophy and online features. However, as local multiplayer fanatics, we loved hearing that the system will use its controller tracking to automatically swap split screen, should players rearrange themselves on the couch.”  Personally it will be interesting to see what will become of this and how it works, if it goes well perhaps other developers will look into this in the future. UMB Tech Game Network have confirmed that GDC 2013 attracted 23,000 attendees, the largest crowd in the show’s history. Future game ‘Battlefield 4’ seventeen minute footage was leaked, the footage is shown below.

Electronic Arts Boss denied there is any link between video game content and “actual violence”

Video Games and Violence is a topic of personal interest and hype in the gaming world as many gamers know video games do not cause violence, here are links to my other blog posts which feature this topic https://pwnersmanual.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/a-brief-look-at-video-game-violence-a-political-and-video-gamer-view/ and https://pwnersmanual.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/video-games-and-violence/

John Riccitiello, the boss of EA voiced the thoughts of many gamers in which he says video games can instead be good and they do not cause for any gamer to become violent or take part in violent acts.

Disney cancel the upcoming ‘Star Wars’ game

Sad news for any fan of Star Wars and gaming LucasArts has been closed by Disney. Star Wars 1313 which had a demo at E3 in 2012 will no longer go ahead. This game was set to place “players in control of a deadly bounty hunter as he uses an arsenal of exotic weaponry to hunt down his marks and uncover the truth surrounding a criminal conspiracy.” However LucasFilm spokesperson Miles Perkins, spoke to BBC, saying production on Star Wars 1313 has simply been “halted.” Therefor this game could still get the go ahead at some time in the future.

 

Sources;

BBC News (2013) EA denies games encourage violence. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21274482 [Accessed: 6 Apr 2013].

Game Developers Conference (2013) Game Developers Conference | Exhibitor List. [online] Available at: http://www.gdconf.com/expo/exhibitorlist.html [Accessed: 6 Apr 2013].

IGN (2013) Star Wars 1313 . [online] Available at: http://uk.ign.com/games/star-wars-1313-project/xbox-360-135469 [Accessed: 6 Apr 2013].

Mashable (2013) Disney Closes LucasArts. [online] Available at: http://mashable.com/2013/04/03/disney-closes-lucasarts/ [Accessed: 6 Apr 2013].

Norris, E. (2013) Star Wars 1313 Isn’t Canceled, It’s Just ‘Halted’. [online] Available at: http://www.craveonline.com/gaming/articles/474643-star-wars-1313-isnt-canceled-its-just-halted [Accessed: 6 Apr 2013].

Slash Film (2013) Star Wars Bits: ‘Star Wars 1313′ Game Would Have Starred Boba Fett. [online] Available at: http://www.slashfilm.com/star-wars-bits-star-wars-1313-game-would-have-starred-boba-fett-plus-ilm-layoffs-and-clone-wars/ [Accessed: 6 Apr 2013].

Sony PS4 Playstation (2013) GDC 2013: Developer Conference record attendance at GDC 2013. [online] Available at: http://sonyps4playstation.com/gdc-2013-developer-conference-record-attendance-at-gdc-2013/ [Accessed: 6 Apr 2013].

TechRadar (2013) GDC 2013: top 10 moments from the conference. [online] Available at: http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/gdc-2013-what-to-expect-1129300 [Accessed: 6 Apr 2013].

Video Game songs

Okay guys so for a while I’ve known about this song “2-Player Co-Op (Player 2 Press Start) for those who haven’t heard it click on the link below.  It is a great song basically about a cute video game/gamers relationship by Danny Wiessner ft. Tori Lee.

More recently another song titled “The World Is Saved”  became known to me via IGN Boards.  Although different people and a different story line, this is about what Heroes do once they have saved the world, click on the link below to listen.

I began to think about Video Game Music, not the video game music that you can hear while playing the game but moreso music that is about video games, are there any songs like this that you like?  Do you have a favourite?  Comment below to let me know! 😀

 

Sources;

YouTube (2010) “2-Player Co-op (Player 2 Press Start)” Official Music Video. [online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u_YYlXY0mU [Accessed: 15 Mar 2013].

YouTube (2012) The World Is Saved: Gamer Music Video. [online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBzqOa9y02I [Accessed: 15 Mar 2013].

Dishonored wins Best Game BAFTA

‘Dishonored’, a famous first person shooter video game in which gamers play a bodyguard-turned-assassin who seeks revenge on members of a conspiracy which framed him for murder, has been named Best Game at the 2013 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) video games awards which took place in London last night (5th March 2013).

It managed to beat an astounding fifty two other video games which include the likes of

• Far Cry 3
• FIFA 13
• Journey
• Mass Effect 3

Journey, PlayStations own title, left with the most awards (5), which included Artistic Achievement and Online – Multiplayer.

BAFTA Video Game Awards Breakdown

Best Game: Dishonored (winner)  

Nominations: Journey, Mass Effect 3, The Walking Dead,

FIFA 13,

Far Cry 3

Online Multiplayer: Journey (winner)

Nominations: Assassin’s Creed III, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Need For Speed Most Wanted, Halo 4, Borderlands 2

Game Design: Journey (winner)

Nominations: Dishonored, Far Cry 3, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Borderlands 2, The Walking Dead

Artistic Achievement: Journey (winner)

Nominations: Halo 4, Borderlands 2, Far Cry 3, The Room, Dear Esther

Original Music: Journey (winner)

Nominations: Diablo III, Assassin’s Creed III, The Unfinished Swan, The Walking Dead

Audio Achievement: Journey (winner)

Nominations: Far Cry 3, Beat Sneak Bandit, Halo 4, Assassin’s Creed III, Dear Esther

Mobile & Handheld: The Walking Dead (winner)

Nominations: LittleBigPlanet (Vita), New Star Soccer, Incoboto, Super Monsters Ate My Condo, The Room

Story: The Walking Dead (winner)

Nominations: Journey, Far Cry 3, Thomas was Alone, Mass Effect 3, Dishonored

Game Innovation: The Unfinished Swan (winner)

Nominations: Fez, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Wonderbook: Books of Spells, Journey, Kinect Sesame Street TV

Debut Game: The Unfinished Swan (winner)

Nominations: Deadlight, Forza Horizon, Dear Esther, Proteus, The Room

Action: Far Cry 3 (winner)

Nominations: Hitman: Absolution, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Halo 4, Mass Effect 3, Borderlands 2

British Game: The Room (winner)

Nominations: Need for Speed Most Wanted, Forza Horizon, Dear Esther,

Super Hexagon,

LEGO: The Lord of the Rings

Performer: Danny Wallace (The Narrator) (winner)

Nominations: Nolan North (Nathan Drake), Melissa Hutchinson (Clementine), Dave Fennoy (Lee Everett), Adrian Hough (Haytham), Nigel Carrington (The Narrator)

Family: Lego Batman 2 (winner)

Nominations: Minecraft: XBOX 360 Edition, Just Dance 4, Skylanders Giants, Clay Jam, LEGO The Lord of the Rings

Strategy: Xcom – Enemy Unknown (winner)

Nominations: Dark Souls: Prepare To Die, Diablo III, Great Big War Game, Total War Shogun 2: Fall of the Samurai, Football Manager 2013

Ones to Watch: Starcrossed (winner)

Nominations: Project Thanatos, Pixel Story

Online Browser: SongPop (winner)

Nominations: The Settlers Online, Merlin: The Game, Runescape, Amateur Surgeon Hospital, Dick and Dom’s HOOPLA!

Sports/Fitness: New Star Soccer (winner)

Nominations: Forza Horizon, F1 2012, Nike+ Kinect Training, Trials Evolution, FIFA 13

Fellowship: Gabe Newell (winner)

Nominations: n/a

Sources;

BAFTA (2013) Games in 2013 | Bafta Awards. [online] Available at: http://awards.bafta.org/award/2013/games [Accessed: 6 Mar 2013].

BBC News (2013) Dishonored wins Best Game Bafta. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21677124 [Accessed: 6 Mar 2013].

Guardian (2013) Bafta video game awards 2013. [online] Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2013/mar/05/bafta-video-game-awards-2013-live [Accessed: 6 Mar 2013].

Xbox plan to announce the 720 soon!

With all the hype surrounding the latest PS4 and the announcement which took place last week in New York, Microsoft have indeed reacted to this, although not in the way that you may have expected.

Of course there is, and probably will always be, a dispute between Sony and Microsoft who are the biggest competitors when it comes to Video Game Platforms,  WHOIS data, has allegedly stated that XboxEvent.com was registered yesterday.

Another rumor is that Xbox may reveal the Xbox720 at E3 on 11th June, however with the Game Developers conference happening very soon perhaps Microsoft may decide to announce then.

More will be released on this story soon!

 

Updated 17th April 2013: Please note that since this post has been published the website mentioned is now removed.  Please visit https://pwnersmanual.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/xbox-720-reveal-date/ for more Xbox 720 news.

Video Games and Violence

Hi!

I am doing some research based on video games and violence.  Please can you take some time to complete my survey http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/M8CGXX8  and let me know your thoughts, all answers are anonymous.

For more information surrounding video games and violence check out my blog post, https://pwnersmanual.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/a-brief-look-at-video-game-violence-a-political-and-video-gamer-view/

THANK YOU!

Don’t forget to check out my other gaming posts below.

Sony PlayStation 4

It’s official Sony have announced the PlayStation4

While the dual shock 4 does look similar to the prototype (admittedly this did disappoint me at first), do not let this stop you!

The all important features:

Share: As rightfully predicted by many, the PS4 features a ‘share’ button in which they can select some gameplay footage to share with friends and bring together the social experience. Not only this but players can also help out other players who may be stuck in a certain part of the game. Personally I love this aspect of having people who are able to help me when I am stuck in a game, and how other players worldwide can help. This is definitely what sold it for me!  Think ‘Onlive’.

Enhanced PC GPU

8GB UNIFIED MEMORY- this is a huge upgrade! Developers can now load larger levels and more textures

Touch screen

Blue bar

Hello Share and Options, Goodbye Start and Select – The Start and Select buttons which have been around consoles for 24 years are now being replaced making way for new buttons – ‘Share’ and ‘Options’.  This shows a change not only in media but also society.

Informed system architecture

The new PS4 seems to fit perfectly with the not so new PS Vita,
maybe this is a reason why they went cheaper before the soon to be popular demand.

Top 10 Best Selling Video Games of January 2013 (USA)

The NPD Group have revealed the Top 10 highest selling Video Games sold in  America during 30th December 2012 and 2nd February 2013 (January period).  They are the following:

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops II (360, PS3, Wii U, PC)**

2. Far Cry 3 (360, PS3, PC)

3. Just Dance 4 (Wii, 360, PS3, Wii U)

4. NBA 2K13 (360, PS3, Wii, Wii U, PSP, PC)**

5. Madden NFL 13 (360, PS3, Wii, PSV, Wii U)

6. DMC: Devil May Cry (PS3, 360)

7. Halo 4 (360)**

8. Assassin’s Creed III (360, PS3, Wii U, PC)**

9. Skylanders Giants (Wii, 360, PS3, 3DS, Wii U)**

10. FIFA Soccer 13 (PS3, 360, PSV, Wii, Wii U, 3DS, PSP)

**(includes CE, GOTY editions, bundles, etc. but not those bundled with hardware)

Liam Callahan, who works for NPD,  reflects upon the January period quoting

“With the exception of Capcom’s new Devil May Cry, January saw no major releases to speak of on the top ten, so 2012′s year-end hot sellers like Call of Duty and Far Cry 3 continued to top the charts. That said, new releases did fare a bit better than in past January periods.”

Some of the above figures may come as a surprise to many, with Just Dance 4 beating games such as Halo 4 and DMC, however it is important to take into account the release dates, target audiences and importantly sales of individual games being combined into groups by platform.  For those who love the game ‘Ni No Kuni’, this came close ranking at number 11 however it would have ranked number 7 if sales of individual games were not combined into groups by platform.

Sources;

IGN (2013) NPD: Black Ops 2, Far Cry 3 Top U.S. Sales Charts for January – IGN. [online] Available at: http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/02/14/npd-black-ops-2-far-cry-3-top-us-sales-charts-for-january [Accessed: 18 Feb 2013].

NPD (2013) Video Game Industry Market Research – Video Gaming Trend Analysis – NPD.com. [online] Available at: https://www.npd.com/wps/portal/npd/us/industry-expertise/video-games/ [Accessed: 18 Feb 2013].