After the news earlier today that market research group DFC Intelligence was dubbing the launch of thePlayStation 4 the biggest ever for a console, a statement from Sony President and CEO Jack Tretton confirmed it, backed up by new numbers from the NPD. “PlayStation 4 sales in North America and worldwide have been incredibly strong since launch, culminating in PS4 being recognized as the largest console launch in history,” Tretton explains....
[Update:Red Barrels have now saidthat a new update for Outlast Trials will begin rolling out on October 26. A teaser trailer reveals a new map called the Courthouse. While it doesn’t specifically say, it’s likely that this Halloween update will also come with the new stalker enemy mentioned yesterday. The patch will also implement additional MK challenges as well as some special rewards. As with anything that’s ever been associated with the Outlast series, this new map has all the creepy and violent accouterments that Red Barrels has become known for over the years....
35th anniversary, midlife crisis This year is the 35th anniversary ofPac-Man, a fact that will surely make your dad feel old. At a recent event in Las Vegas, Bandai Namco Entertainment said to look for Pac-Man to “show up in unexpected places this year.” I’ve thought long and hard about where those places could be and compiled my best guesses below. Feel free to post yours in the comments! Mario Kart 8 Pac-Man is no stranger toMario Kartgames having been in all three iterations made for arcades, and with Pac’s recent appearance inSuper Smash Bros....
Science Officer, Pilot, and Engineer Affordable Space Adventuresis coming out in one week, so developerKnapNok Gameshas released a new trailer for the cooperative sci-fi puzzle action title. Inmy time with it at PAX East, I found the use of the Wii U GamePad to be some of the best the console has seen. The communication required between teammates with asymmetrical roles was very cool. Instead of hearing me talk about it, you can instead watch the trailer above, which illustrates the roles....
Reader Kariomart emailed me with the above video, explaining that he was unsure if the entire concept was a joke or if this was a serious, sincere venture. The game in question is calledThe Zoo Race, and is a Christian game somehow based on Noah’s Ark, except people in a library turn into animals and then race while what I can only presume is the voice of God oversees the whole sordid, twisted, horrifying affair....
Time keeps on slippin’ into the future, and so do all of these cool-looking handheld gaming systems. After yesterday’s news from Valve that thefirst wave of Steam Deckswould be bumped out of December, Panic hasannounced a delayfor the indie darling Playdate. The Playdate, a quirky handheld with a crank, was supposed to ship in “late 2021” as of the most-recent schedule. (Never mind theinitial 2020 target.) But due to a last-minute issue that Panic has summed up as a “battery tragedy,” the earliest Playdate systems will now ship in “early 2022” — and that delay isn’t the only mishap it’s dealing with....
Some free, some paid HasRocket Leagueinfiltrated your dreams yet? Give it time. It’ll happen. Patrick showed us the upcomingUtopia Coliseum, but developer Psyonix has more in store for early August. A free update will add that arena plus Spectator Mode, updated Goal explosions and Demolitions, 70+ country flags, and the song “Firework” by Hollywood Principle. Free is good. There’s also paid content coming up. The Supersonic Fury DLC ($3.99) unleashes the American muscle car Dominus and the slick Japanese street racer Takumi, six decals for each, and new customization options (rocket boosts, wheels, paint types) for the full vehicle lineup....
If you’re keeping track — I’m not sure how you are —Star Wars: Battlefront IIImight have changed hands several times. Initially, it was Free Radical’s game. Theleaked alpha footagefrom last week (literally) had their watermark all over it. When the studiopseudo-closed,Battlefront IIIwas allegedly handed over to the PlayStation Portable developer of the second game, Rebellion. Then, we reported it wassupposedly given to Pandemic, the studio responsible for starting the series....
For a split second, I almost thought I was looking at a Dynasty Warriors demake A handful of cool game reveals were shown off at thePlayism Game Showthis weekend, but one upcoming title in particular — a Japanese mythology action-roguelite game calledSamurai Bringer— stood out to me. Alphawing’s pixelated style really drew my eye. To be honest, we’ve seen a ridiculous number of roguelite games on Steam to varying degrees of success, and have run off on plenty of demon-slashing adventures in recent years....
Hook, line, and… As I’ve grown older in age, I’ve developed an appreciation for minimalist puzzle games. There’s something so appealing about playing a title that cuts out all of the excesses of the triple-A market and hones in on the mechanics that carry the title. Being a medium based on player interaction, I love when games let their design and systems do the talking instead of drawn-out conversations with NPCs....
The director behind the upcomingSplinter Cellremake is leaving Ubisoft. David Grivel announced his departure onLinkedIn, as spotted byVGC. Grivel started out at Ubisoft Paris working onGhost Recon: Future Soldierbefore moving to Toronto’s office. There, he worked on games includingSplinter Cell Blacklist, theFar Cryseries, and eventually the remake ofSplinter Cell. “After more than 11 years at Ubisoft, it is now time for me to go on a new adventure,” Grivel wrote on his LinkedIn page....
PS2 Classics… I can’t say I know a lot about theStar Oceanseries. It’s a JRPG set in space and is published by Square Enix. I know the series has been going on for awhile and that the last sequel is considered one of the worst. That really is the extent of my knowledge of these games. I guess the news that a PS2 classics release ofTill the End of Timecoming to PS4 will be great for fans looking to rekindle their love for these titles....
Deluxe Edition coming in May Bandai Namco has announced that PlayStation 4 and PS Vita releaseSword Art Online: Hollow Realizationis now headed to Switch. The latest entry in theSAOaction-RPG series will launch on the Nintendo console in Japan in April, before arriving on North American and European shores in May. The Switch release will be a “Deluxe Edition” of the 2016 release, including the base game and its two updates;Abyss of the Shrine MaidenandWarriors of the Sky....
