The Joypads » Microsoft

Sony and Microsoft both confirm a June 10 date for their E3 2013 press conferences.

Paul Byron — Fri, 03 May 2013 11:06:59 +0000

Sony have confirmed that their E3 Press Conference will take place on the same date as Microsoft’s, the 10th June.

Sony’s conference will be held at 6PM PST, which is at the EU customer friendly 3am, yes, 3 in the morning. This follows Microsoft’s conference earlier in the day at 9.30AM PST,a much more user friendly 6.30pm BST.

Ubisoft and EA will hold their conferences sandwiched in between these events.

So, will you be staying up into the small hours to watch Sony’s conference? let us know. We’re preparing the matchsticks for our eyes now.

Rayman Legends – Mariachi Madness Screenshots

Paul Byron — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:00:46 +0000

Ubisoft have released a new trailer and screenshots for their forthcoming Rayman Legends game on Wii U, PS3 and 360, showcasing the Mariachi Madness level. Check out the screenshots below.

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon Walkthrough Video

Paul Byron — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:10:15 +0000

Ubisoft have released a walkthrough video showing off the open world gameplay in the over-the-top spin-off Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon.

The game launches next week, so not long to wait for your fix of pink neon 80′s action set in the Far Cry 3 game engine.

Pizza Hut launch Xbox 360 Pizza Ordering App. What?

Paul Byron — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:56:07 +0000

Pizza Hut has launched what has to be the oddest app yet on the Xbox 360 with their Pizza Ordering App.

According to MCV, customers can link their accounts, order any topping or menu item and even place orders using Kinect (expect plenty of unwanted anchovies) in between bouts of Just Dance and Your Shape, we presume.

“We’re always looking at ways to give our audience more of what they’re interested in,” Xbox community guru Larry Hyrb told Polygon. “If you look at our audience, they love pizza. I mean, who doesn’t? It has international appeal, and Pizza Hut is a recognized brand that matches up well with the Xbox brand.

“Pizza Hut has always showed affinity for new ways to order products. Now we can do it on console. The app was a logical progression”

We’re waiting for the obvious follow up apps for Liver Salts and Weight Watchers.

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon smashes its way on to PC and consoles on 1st May

Paul Byron — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:32:49 +0000

Ubisoft’s new standalone spin-off game from Far Cry 3 is out on 1st May on PSN, XBLA and PC. You can check out the fantastic 80′s trailer for the game below.

Taking its inspiration directly from 80′s action sci-fi movies, Blood Dragon is unashamedly brash, loud and typically 80′s all the way through.

Using the Far Cry 3 engine, the game creates a completely new experience where the developers refused to hold back on anything and just let their creative juices flow.

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is out on 1st May on PSN, XBLA and PC.

Thunder Wolves gets new explosive trailer

Paul Byron — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:04:26 +0000

Thunder Wolves, the arcade-style action-flight game from Most Wanted Entertainment, has a new trailer ahead of its imminent launch on PSN, XBLA and PC.

The game harks back to the classic arcade style Desert Strike on the Megadrive, but with modern graphics and gameplay to make use of the current generation of consoles.

There’s still no release date for the game, bar the Q2 2013 promise at the end of the trailer, but check the action out for a taste of things to come;

Origin 50% off on all software

Scott Widdowson — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 15:06:32 +0000

EA Origin is currently having a 50% off on all software via its website. Games such as FIFA 13, Mass Effect 3 and Dead Space 3 are all among the titles available in the sale.

PC:

Battlefield 3 Premium Edition £22.49
Battlefield 3 £9.99
Crysis 3 Deluxe Edition £27.49
Crysis 3 £19.99
Dead Space 3 £19.99

Xbox 360 & PS3:

Mass Effect 3 £14.99
Crysis 3 £29.99
Dead Space 3 £34.99
Battlefield 3 £19.99
Medal of Honor Warfighter £19.99
Need for Speed Most Wanted £19.99
FIFA 13 £34.99

You can view the rest of the sale here

Duck Tales returns this summer: Capcom remasters an old 8-bit classic

Paul Byron — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 18:18:27 +0000

Duck Tales! Many a Saturday morning has probably been filled with THAT theme tune wafting out from the windows of houses everywhere and just as much enjoyment from the 8-bit game version of the cult Disney cartoon was probably had, too.

But now Capcom are bringing it all back in a big puffy HD-cloud of nostalgia with Duck Tales Remastered on Wii U, PS3 and Xbox 360.

Capcom have taken the levels and layout from the original 1989 release as a foundation before expanding upon them to significantly enhance the gameplay experience. All of the visuals from the 8-bit game have been beautifully re-created as hand-drawn and animated sprites, across a backdrop of luscious, re-envisioned level backgrounds. Furthermore, original Disney Character Voices talent, including some from the cartoon TV series, bring in-game characters to life with charm and wit, while the classic melodies of the original soundtrack are given a modern twist.

Further additions to the original include an all new tutorial level where players can get familiar with the iconic pogo jump and cane swing; while Scrooge McDuck’s Museum allows players to track all their stats and compare their progress with others via global leaderboards.

Duck Tales Remastered is due out this Summer on Wii U, PS3 and Xbox 360.

Xbox Entertainment Awards user details accidentally made public

Paul Byron — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:18:45 +0000

Did you vote in the Xbox Entertainment Awards? If so, you might want to check your security details as Microsoft has accidentally made the details of thousands of users public on their awards facebook page.

UPDATE: Microsoft are handing out 1600 MS Points to entrants who’ve been affected by the security breach.

Gamertags and their related email addresses and dates of birth were available on the site and editable.

The website has now been pulled and Microsoft have since apologised for the issue. In a statement to Eurogamer, they explained “We are working closely with affected Xbox Entertainment Awards voters who have been in touch with us to ensure that their Xbox Live accounts have not been compromised and will restore the Xbox Entertainment Award voting app to our Facebook page once the issue is resolved.”

Trade paper MCV expands this statement; “Data security for all Xbox 360 owners is of the utmost importance to Microsoft. Upon learning on March 19th 2013 that a number of UK Xbox LIVE subscribers have inadvertently had a limited amount of personal data disclosed online because of an error with our Xbox Entertainment Award voting app, Microsoft took immediate steps to remove the Application from its UK Facebook page.”

“We are working closely with affected Xbox Entertainment Awards voters who have been in touch with us to ensure that their Xbox LIVE accounts have not been compromised and will restore the Xbox Entertainment Award voting app to our Facebook page once the issue is resolved.”

“Xbox LIVE customers who have any concerns should visit www.xbox.com/security for information on account security.”

Microsoft are usually bullish about their security levels on Xbox Live and have recently added extra restrictions to the service, but it seems that outside of the Live system they’ve not been so successful. Here’s hoping that this was just a glitch and no-one suffers as a result.

Xbox 720 Development Kit leak suggesting an always-on, always-connected system

Paul Byron — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:48:40 +0000

According to a Developer Kit document for the new Xbox (currently code-named Durango), unearthed by VGLeaks yesterday, the new console is designed to be always on and always connected to the internet.

The xdk documentation also explains that the console is designed with the idea of playing games directly from the hard drive. even those bought on disc. ”Play from the Optical Disc will not be supported”.

The always-on, always-connected idea will worry those who still have an internet connection which is capped, or are unable to connect to the internet at home through the main phone line. It remains to be seen how much of the details in this document make it through to the final retail model, however.

Lastly, the document mentions that the device will have both a Blu-ray as standard and an HD version of Kinect which is always connected and in use, as well as several different power states.