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Zavvi taking Xbox One pre-orders for £399.99

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:33:00 +0100

Retailer Zavvi appears to be the first to have gone live with Xbox One pre-orders.

It is currently asking for £399.99 for the new machine. It is also asking £49.99 a piece for a number of games – FIFA 14, NBA Live 14, Madden NFL 25, UFC 14 and Call of Duty: Ghosts.

It should be noted that Forza 5 was tonight confirmed as a launch title for the machine. EA has said the same of Battlefield 4.

Zavvi is currently also charging £399.99 for PS4 pre-orders.

UPDATE: GAME is also taking pre-orders, although it has not confirmed a price. Instead it is accepting deposits for £20.

“Gamers all around the country have been eagerly waiting to find out what Microsoft will be bringing to the table – today we have our answer: not only is the Xbox One a really powerful piece of gaming hardware, it promises the next level in home entertainment," Game Retail's category director Charlotte Knight stated.

"The UK gaming community is obviously excited by the prospect of this next generation console and we can’t wait to see it in action at E3 next month!

“It is worth reminding everyone who’s interested in the Xbox One that many console launches have seen demand significantly outstrip supply, so we would urge anyone wishing to get their hands on a Xbox One from launch to place a deposit with our store teams or online as soon as possible.”

Xbox One owners can connect existing cable and satellite boxes via HDMI pass-through

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:45:00 +0100

The impressive TV functionality demonstrated in tonight’s Xbox One reveal will be available to everyone.

Previous TV integration with Xbox 360 was dependent on specific agreements with suppliers and was mostly limited to the US.

This is not the case with Xbox One. Instead, users will be able to attach the console to their Sky, Virgin, BT or Freeview box via an HDMI pass-through. The console will them simply display its output directly, although Xbox-specific functionality will be overlaid.

Some of the more technical features demoed, such as the NFL interactivity, will need to be handled directly through Xbox Live.

Ubisoft confirms Creed IV, Watch Dogs and four more games for Xbox One

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:42:00 +0100

Hot on the heels of the Xbox One reveal, Ubisoft has announced it has at least six titles on the way for the new console.

The publisher's offering will include Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Watch Dogs, which will be available for Xbox One by the end of the year. Which sounds like "on day one" to us.

Ubisoft also promised "at least six next-gen games" for Xbox One within the console's first year on sale. No doubt some of these will be surprise reveals at Microsoft and Ubisoft's respective press conferences at E3 in a just under three weeks.

The six next gen games will include a mix of "new episodes of existing franchises, new IPs and digital titles". Any new IPs will be some of the eight that Microsoft has claimed are in the works for Xbox One.

Xbox One not backwards compatible

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:21:00 +0100

Xbox 360 owners won't be able to play their games on the console's successor, Microsoft has confirmed.

Xbox Live VP Marc Whitten told The Verge that the newly-announced Xbox One console will have no backwards compatibility.

"The system is based on a different core architecture, so back-compat doesn't really work from that perspective," he said.

This is nothing new, of course. The Xbox 360 only played a limited number of original Xbox games, while rival PS3 was not compatible with any PS2 games.

Back in February, Sony confirmed that PS4 will not be backwards compatible either, but users will be able to play PS3 games via a streamed back catalogue set up with the help of cloud gaming service Gaikai, which Sony acquired last year.

Whether or not Microsoft has any plans for a similar service has yet to be confirmed, but given the modest collection Xbox Originals available for download on 360, it's at least a possibility.

UPDATE: Xbox One WILL NOT be always online but WILL block pre-owned, WILL require Kinect

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:18:00 +0100

The new Xbox One WILL NOT require a constant internet connection. But it WILL block pre-owned.

Wired reports that all games will require installation onto the console. Individual games will be tied to a user’s Xbox Live account. If a disc that has already been installed on another machine is inserted, users will be prompted to pay a fee to access it.

The same will apply even if a user simply lends the game to a friend.

This is quite probably the “change of model” that UK retailers were briefed on by Microsoft representatives last week. MCV understands that some retailers have said they will be willing to sell this 'fee' along with the pre-owned games themselves.

On the plus side, once a game is installed onto a console the disc will no longer be required to play it in the future. And as it will remain registered to a user's account it can be redownloaded at a later date.

Microsoft has however confirmed that the machine will not require a permanent internet connection, with Don Mattrick saying in a post-event interview: “Gamers – we got your back.”

It has also been confirmed that Xbox One will not function if Kinect is not connected to the console.

UPDATE: Wired has added an amendment to its story claiming that Microsoft has contacted them "to say that the company did have a plan for used games, and that further details were forthcoming".

Furthermore, Official Xbox Magazine UK editor John Hicks added on Twitter: "At no point when I was talking to MS did they say there was a fee for used games. They said used games were important and supported."

OXM suggests that if a user sells a game they will be able to deactivate it with Microsoft, eradicating the need for the new owner to pay for an unlock fee. The mechanism would still stop users lending games to their friends, however.

UPDATE 2: T3's deputy editor added the following on Twitter: "[MS] told me that once you sell a game, the license transfers in the cloud. So a new gamer activates it, it's removed from yours."

UPDATE 3: Microsoft has also issued a new statement regarding the console's online requirements. "Xbox One does not have to be always connected, but Xbox One does require a connection to the Internet." That presumably means online activation is required but then offline play is OK?

Call of Duty: Ghosts gets Xbox airing, DLC exclusivity

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:09:00 +0100

The new Call of Duty: Ghosts looks to pack an impressive next-gen tech punch.

The game is built on a brand new engine and will also be set in a new world populated by new characters. A dog is even set to star as an actual squad member. And yes, the dog was motion captured!

Furthermore, Activision has extended its agreement with Microsoft to release all DLC for the game exclusive on Xbox One for a limited period.

Obviously Activision was keen to point out the increased visual fidelity of the new game which boasts enhanced fluid dynamics, reactive smoke and even interactive animal AI – walk through a pond and the fish will swim out of the way.

Infinity Ward has also introduced a lean feature, as seen in many rival shooters, that allows players to peak out from behind cover.

Multiplayer has had a significant revamp too with the headline feature being the introduction of dynamic maps. Events such as earthquakes and floods will change the level as it progresses. Players will even have the chance to control some of these alterations.

Character customisation has also undergone a revamp, with players now able to alter the look of their fighters.

Infinity Ward: We could have left Call of Duty

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:02:00 +0100

The team that invented Call of Duty said it could have abandoned the series altogether.

Instead, developer Infinity Ward chose to leave the Modern Warfare brand behind, and build a whole new Call of Duty with a new engine and new characters.

“We all really knew we wanted to continue making Call of Duty,” said Infinity Ward executive producer Mark Rubin.

“Because that was on the table, we could have done something else. But we wanted to make Call of Duty and we wanted to create a new universe, or a new story at least. We wanted new characters and new experiences.

“The easy thing would have been, as we had finished the arc of Modern Warfare 1, 2 and 3, to start a new arc within that same Modern Warfare universe. That was the week one step. But as we started to develop what we wanted as a story, and how we wanted to have the characters exist, we realised we didn’t want to do this in the Modern Warfare universe.”

Call of Duty: Ghosts received its worldwide debut during Microsoft’s new console reveal today. But was shown to press last week. The game is due on current generation and next generation consoles.

For more on Call of Duty: Ghosts, make sure to read this Friday’s edition of MCV.

Activision: Call of Duty is not in decline

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:01:00 +0100

Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg has hit back at critics that claim the Call of Duty series is past its peak.

At a special event that revealed the next game in the series – Call of Duty Ghosts – Hirshberg praised the franchises’ development teams, describing the process of building a new Call of Duty “the hardest creative assignment of them all.”

“Sometimes people like to write the story and ask the question: ‘How long can Call of Duty last?’” he said.

“Sometimes people have suggested that this franchise is cresting or has crested. And I know it seems like it should. But there’s just one problem. It’s not. In fact, by just about every measure we look at, Call of Duty has never been stronger. This franchise is not only still vibrant, it is still growing.

"Sales of the game, sales of the downloadable content, number of monthly active users, the number of daily active users, average play, social media influence, whatever you look at, hard measures or soft measures, this is a franchise that is still on the rise after all this time.

“That’s remarkable. Keeping Call of Duty relevant, growing, thriving and still surprising people is not easy. In fact, it might actually be the hardest creative assignment of them all. We are all attracted to the blank page, the creative opportunities where there are no restrictions, but a franchise like Call of Duty has more responsibility to its fans.

"And then to keep coming up with new and meaningful ways to innovate each and every time, to keep it fresh and exciting. I think our teams have done that better than anyone.”

Call of Duty: Ghosts is due on current and next generation platforms and hits shelves on November 5^th.

For more on Call of Duty: Ghosts, make sure to read this Friday’s edition of MCV.

Infinity Ward shows off stunning new Call of Duty engine

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:00:00 +0100

Activision and developer Infinity Ward has finally shown the world what it can expect from the next generation of Call of Duty.

The upcoming new game in the series, Call of Duty: Ghosts, will use a number of new graphical techniques to make the game ‘more immersive than ever before.’

The traditional Call of Duty gameplay appears largely unchanged. In the footage shown to the games press last week, the game features a number of cinematic set-pieces, including a spectacular underwater attack on a submarine. Anyone expecting a big departure from the series would be disappointed.

In fact, Infinity Ward is continuing down the cinematic route and has teamed up with Stephen Gaghan for the game’s script. Gaghan is best known for writing Traffic, as well as writing and directing the George Clooney movie, Syriana.

“Infinity Ward has set the gold standard for this genre in the last generation and make no mistake, they are going to set it again in the next generation,” said Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg.

“Ghosts will showcase what is possible on the next gen. It will be a leap forward for the franchise and I think it will be the best Call of Duty we have ever made.”

Other new features in the game includes a realistic dog companion, which Infinity Ward promises will be a significant addition to the title. The game’s multiplayer has also been upgraded. The firm wouldn’t reveal all the changes it is making to this side of the game, but did reveal dynamic multiplayer maps (complete with events such as Earthquakes).

But the most significant difference in this Call of Duty is the visual upgrade. A piece of technology called Sub-D, tech originally developed by movie giant Pixar, has been incorporated in the game that dramatically increases in-game polygons. Sub-D is designed to create smoother curves and remove noticeable edges, it also adds contouring via 3D rendering without the need for the developer to do anything.

Sticking with the tech information, Ghosts also boasts a big increase in texture density and polycount, which leads to an increase particle count.

Complete with the usual low latency and 60 frames per-second, and Infinity Ward hopes it has created the most immersive Call of Duty game so far.

“This new tech allows us to make those worlds that we are playing in more realistic and more visceral,” said Infinity Ward executive producer Mark Rubin, who leads development on Call of Duty Ghosts.

“All of that kind of artistic detail that we put into the environment, the more realistic and natural it feels to you, the more the player’s imagination melds with that game, then the barrier between the player and the game gets even thinner.”

For more on Call of Duty: Ghosts, make sure to read this Friday’s edition of MCV.

UPDATED: Microsoft reveals the Xbox One, out this year

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:51:00 +0100

Don Mattrick has taken to the stage in America to reveal the brand new Xbox.

Called the ‘Xbox One’, the tagline is: "For the first time you and your TV are going to have a relationship."

Furthermore, the machine will be launched worldwide later this year.

Cloud is to be a significant feature of the new console and one that Microsoft argues will open up new possibilities not available with the current generation of machines.

Mattrick says the new machine will offer “inspiration” for the world’s best games creators with “simple, instant hardware that puts users at the centre of the experience”.

Kinect still takes centre stage, particularly for the dashboard interface.

As rumoured, live TV will play a prominent role with the new machine with users able to instantly swap between TV, gaming and music simply by telling the machine with the voice.

It’s not yet clear whether the TV functions will require regional compatibility or whether cable or satellite boxes will be universally compatible.

Spielberg to make Halo live-action TV series

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:50:00 +0100

Microsoft has teamed up with one of Hollywood's biggest filmmakers to bring Master Chief's adventures to TV.

The platform holder announced a live-actio Halo TV series is currently being made between 343 Industries and Steven Spielberg.

"I've been playing games for decades," the award-winning director said in a pre-recorded video. "The stories have become more compelling as the technology has improved.

"I'm incredibly excited about the incredibly journey Halo will take us on."

The announcement was made by 343's Bonnie Ross who pointed to the popular Halo 4 webseries Forward Unto Dawn, which served as a prequel to last year's best-selling shooter, as proof that Halo can work as a TV show.

Forza 5, Quantum Break and a tonne of new IP confirmed

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:47:00 +0100

Microsoft has named some of the games heading to Xbox One.

Forza 5 has been confirmed as a launch title for the machine and looks to up the visual ante over anything we’ve previously seen in the series before.

Also shown was new Remedy title Quantum Break. It started with real-life footage of a mum and a child, with the mum asking what was wrong with the child. “Do you really want to know?” she replied, before touching the side of her mum’s head. We then cut to a dramatic CGI scene of a tanker crashing into a bridge.

EA earlier confirmed Xbox One releases for FIFA 14, Madden NFL 25, UFC and NBA Live.

Microsoft says it is now investing more in new game development than it has at any point in the past. In fact, it vowed to release 15 exclusive first party games in the machine’s first year on the market – and eight of these will be new IP.

New Xbox Live system detailed

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:43:00 +0100

Microsoft is revamping its online gaming service for the launch of its next console, Xbox One.

During today's Xbox reveal, the platform holder confirmed the new Xbox Live service will be powered by a whopping 300,000 servers. According to Microsoft, that's more than the entire world's computing power in 1999.

By comparison, the original Xbox Live was powered by 500 servers. This was upped to 3,000 for the launch of Xbox 360 and today this stands at 15,000 servers.

The impressive computing power will allow users to access music, movies, games and save files anywhere at any time.

Xbox One will also come with a special program that allows users to capture moments from their gaming sessions, as well as edit them and share them with friends.

Naturally, achievements are back and matchmaking has been rejigged so that it can run in the background, allowing Xbox One gamers to search for matches while playing a game, watching a movie or browsing the internet.

The platform holder also claimed the system boasts "direct game computation", which apparently means "bigger games with more players" and "living and persistent worlds".

More will be detailed at E3.

EA Sports announces four games for Xbox One

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:35:00 +0100

Electronic Arts' sports division currently has four games in the works for Microsoft's new console, including FIFA 14.

EA Sports' Andrew Wilson took to the stage during today's Xbox One reveal, announcing the new titles would be the start of a new "broad strategic partnership" between Microsoft and EA, a deal that will be detailed over the coming months.

Wilson confirmed four titles are heading to Xbox One, including FIFA 14, Madden 25, NBA Live 14 and a new UFC title.

All four will be powered by the new Ignite engine, which Wilson said allows developers to create "living worlds", utilise "true motion capture" and offer NPC players with "human-like intelligence".

EA Sports titles will also use Xbox Live to provide gamers with a daily stream of new content, as well as exclusive content for the hugely popular FIFA 14 Ultimate Team.

The three operating systems and improved controllers that power Xbox One

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:32:00 +0100

Microsoft has detailed the key tech innovations that will power the Xbox One.

Three operating systems will run inside the system – the Xbox dashboard, a kernel version of Windows and a third that allows for seamless switching between the two.

MS proudly claims to have eliminated wait times, with users able to seamlessly switch between the console’s many features simply by telling the Xbox with their voice.

The machine will be powered with 8GB or RAM (presumably DDR3, as there was no mention of DDR5 as is found in PS4) and house an 8-core CPU. A Blu-ray drive is included and MS claims the machine is “practically silent”.

Also included is a brand new Kinect sensor that has been completely redesigned. It can understand a more conversational tone of voice and can transfer an impressive 2Gb of data per second in 1080p, with a wider field of view than the old Kinect.

It can also track the controller in much the same way as we see with PlayStation move, and will recognise when a player is picking up the pad of a Smartglass device.

It was described as “rocket science level stuff”. Certainly, it seems a world away from the current Kinect and can, amongst other things, detect shoulder and wrist rotation as well as a user’s heartbeat.

There’s a new controller, too, with 40 “design innovations” introduced over the current design. “Dynamic impulse triggers” apparently offer feedback.

Kinect, Snap Mode and voice commands central to Xbox One

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:23:00 +0100

Microsoft has shown off Xbox One's capabilities as an entertainment platform with the new interface.

Controlled by Kinect, the Xbox One allows owners to use voice commands to navigate menus and activate different apps.

The console is activated by calling "Xbox On", with Kinect recognising the user and taking them to their personal home screen. There is no more manual log-in or the need to wait for game updates.

The Home Screen is based on the user's activity, showing the games, music and movies they have been using most recently.

Swiping your hand through the air takes you over to the Trending page, which shows which titles are popular among both your friends and all other Xbox One users. Calling "Xbox Go Home" takes you back to the home screen.

Users will be able to activate TV, films and music with similar voice commands, as well as universal hand gestures, such as grabbing the air and moving your hands apart to make your chosen app full screen.

Xbox One also features instant switching between games, TV, music, movies and Internet Exporer - again, this is activated by voice commands.

Microsoft also announced Snap Mode, which allows Xbox owners to use multiple apps simultaneously. For example, players can watch a movie while browsing the internet on the same screen.

Finally, Skype will be included, allowing gamers to chat to other Skype users while watching movies or playing games.

The New Xbox launch - WATCH IT HERE FROM 6PM

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:36:00 +0100

Microsoft will reveal the new Xbox at an exclusive American press event at 6pm tonight UK time.

But the good news for UK gamers is that you can see the whole thing live right here.

The video below will go live at 5:50pm tonight (May 21^st 2013). What are we to expect? It’s very hard to say at this stage.

MCV’s best guesses can be found here. A few more tidbits that have emerged throughout the day can be seen here. And a list of things that definitely won’t happen can be seen here.

MCV will also be posting news stories live throughout the event covering the headline news to emerge from the showcase.

See you in an hour!

Job losses rock Trion Worlds

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:53:00 +0100

Defiance developer Trion Worlds has been hit by a "massive" round of layoffs.

Sources speaking to IGN claimed that more than half of the company has been let go, with some claiming as many as 80 per cent of staff were laid off.

It has also been claimed the most of the layoffs affected Defiance support and developer staff, as well as those working on multiple projects on top of their work on the title.

Developers were also allegedly escorted off the San Diego office, where most of the development of Defiance was situated, with claims some senior staff may not receive severance pay due to “undelivered services”.

Trion has denied many of the claims however, and said that figures suggesting 80 per cent of staff had been laid off were “exaggerated”, although it did not specific how many staff were let go.

A spokesperson also said claims that staff had been escorted off the premises and were not being offered severance pay were “100 per cent false”.

"To best position Trion in a rapidly changing industry, we have reorganised our teams and are expanding our free to play offering,” read a statement form the studio.

Earlier this month, MMO and transmedia title Defiance, which accompanies a TV series of the same name, surpassed one million registered users.

It is not currently clear what the mass layoffs mean for the future of Defiance, and whether it will negatively affect the game in the long-term. The TV show was recently commissioned for a second series by SyFy.

Layoffs at developer Trion come five months after the studio laid off as many as 40 staff in December. At the time, the company said the redundancies were “in response to market conditions, product timelines and the natural evolution of our company”.

Story originally published on Develop

3DS game giveaway gets TV ad push

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:56:00 +0100

Nintendo is giving away 3DS games, and is promoting the offer via TV.

The firm’s ‘So Many Games’ promotion is a buy-three-get-one-free offer. Consumers who register three recently released 3DS titles will get a download version of a fourth one free.

The games in the promotion include Luigi’s Mansion 2, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate, Castlevania: Mirror of Fate, LEGO City Undercover, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D and the upcoming Animal Crossing: New Leaf.

Nintendo is already advertising the offer with online site takeovers, and the promotion will appear alongside TV ads for the games included in the offer.

“The So Many Games promotion is a great way to not only reward loyal fans, but to also reward newcomers to the Nintendo 3DS community,” said Nintendo’s junior product manager Vanisha Kavia. “There are great titles included in the promotion, and they are suited to all types of gamers.

“In terms of marketing activity, we will be promoting the trailer on YouTube as well as on our social media channels. The promotion will also be featured as a tag on all TV ads for games included in the promotion between now and the end of June and will deliver over 1,000 TVRs. So we really hope this promotion will be a success in highlighting that there has never been a better time to own a Nintendo 3DS.”

Riccitiello confident that next-gen consoles will prosper

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:02:00 +0100

Former EA boss John Riccitiello believes that PS4 and the new Xbox will both be commercial successes.

“I can’t keep track of the number of people who have told me they don’t believe the new consoles, long rumoured to be coming from both Microsoft and Sony this fall, will succeed,” he wrote in a lengthy editorial on Kotaku.

“Almost everyone says they see games on smart phones and tablets taking over the game biz. They see the multi-year decline of console software at retail, as reported by NPD, and they think the console gaming is done.

“[But] console gaming is very different. I don’t have the fastest thumbs, so playing with any skill at all requires my focus. I am fully engaged. The room with the biggest TV is the most important entertainment room in my house. And there, console gaming rules. In the room where the entertainment stakes are the highest, console gaming wins.

“I believe that console gaming is going to explode on the scene of consumer electronics with this next generation of consoles.”

However, Riccitiello adds that there is certainly potential for both machines to fall short of expectations if they fail to deliver on key points demanded by the market.

“Sony and Microsoft absolutely need to deliver new boxes that really impress us,” he added. “They need to deliver platforms that enable game experiences that are not possible on current consoles.

“None of us has seen the future. But based on everything I know and what I have seen, most everything is pretty much in place to put console gaming front-and-centre again. I see 2013 as the year that brings gaming pizzazz back to the living room, where it all really started.”

Specifically, Riccitiello has identified four hurdles that both companies will need to successfully jump if they wish to succeed.

“The first and most obvious of these pitfalls is if Sony or Microsoft forgets who brought them to the dance in the first place. Gamers,” he insisted. “The risk is that either or both of the new platforms emphasise ‘value-add’ experiences too much, both in the user interface on the consoles themselves, or in the story they tell consumers when they unleash their avalanche of advertising.

“A second potential pitfall has to do with supply. Consumers today have gotten used to getting what they want, and getting it immediately. The window of time to establish a new world order in consumer electronics is no longer measured in multiple years, as it was in the early 2000’s. Today, it is measured in a year, if not a handful of months.

“The third issue is price. Last time out, Sony priced their fully-featured PS3 at $599. This made some sense with a launch hampered by a lack of supply. It won’t make sense, either for Sony or Microsoft. Not if they decide to invest in enough supply to really compete for consumer attention in a world used to new hot products from companies like Apple and Samsung selling 5 and 10 million in the first month.

“The fourth issue involves how they handle a few third-rail topics. The question of the always-on connection is one that causes some gamers’ blood to boil.

“Some gamers fear the new consoles could be more about a DRM-walled garden than about enabling new types of connected gameplay. More about squashing pre-owned games than allowing us to play the games we own at our friends houses, in dorms or at home, without having to bring the disk with us. I don’t believe consoles managed as walled-gardens will succeed longer term.”

Microsoft tipped to take the streaming war to Sony

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:24:00 +0100

Fresh rumours suggest that Microsoft will use tonight’s Xbox reveal to announce a fresh drive toward cloud gaming.

The Wall Street Journal says that Microsoft has, amongst other things, significantly explored the possibilities of cloud gaming. The tech could be used not only to play instant on-demand back-catalogue Xbox 360 titles but also to instantly upload gameplay footage to the internet.

Both of these features, of course, have already been confirmed for PS4.

Apparently Microsoft’s attitude to streaming games has been more cautious than Sony, which paid in the region of $380m to acquire cloud gaming service Gaikai.

Microsoft, however, has been hesitant due to the costs of maintaining such a network, though sources suggest that it has persevered with its investigations.

The Wall Street Journal’s story also names a number of other possibilities mentioned by various sources. These include the long-rumoured 3D gaming glasses and the ability for users to plug their Sky or cable box directly into the Xbox, bringing the TV experience into the Xbox ecosystem.

In fact, these rumours suggest that one of Microsoft’s goals with the new Xbox is to unite the TV and gaming experience. This way gamers would be able to contact friends or send invites even when they’re watching the TV.

There’s also the chance that users will be able to tune into friend’s gameplay sessions and watch them live.

Is this what the PS4 looks like?

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:02:00 +0100

No, it isn’t. But this attempt at piecing together the snippet’s from yesterday’s video is great.

Sony successfully stormed the Xbox party last night by releasing a teaser video showing a handful of blurry images of the new hardware. Now one Redditor has compiled all of the snippets and tried their hand at suggesting what the PS4 may in fact look like.

Of course, the odds of the machine actually looking like this are virtually zero. But it can’t be a million miles away, right? I mean, a box under the TV is a box under the TV.

Here it is:

EXCLUSIVE: The 11 secrets of tonight's Xbox reveal

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:27:00 +0100

You’ve undoubtedly read lots of rumours about tonight’s Xbox reveal. Forget them. Forget every one of them.

Microsoft’s secretive Next Generation Security Enforcement Team has over the last few years been quietly working in conjunction with a number of national and international law enforcement agencies to suppress the truth.

What MCV does here today puts all of its staff in mortal danger. To be frank, most of its staff will be lucky to survive the day. But we do what we do in the name of justice and it’s about time you finally discovered the 11 secrets of tonight’s Xbox reveal.

1. MICROSOFT HAS PAID NINTENDO FOR MARIO EXCLUSIVITY
Now you understand the truth behind Nintendo’s recent agreement with Sega to grab Sonic exclusivity. The Wii U has so far failed to perform and Nintendo needed a cash boost. What better way then to auction off its most valuable asset? Sonic will fill the void left by Mario who’s off to front a range of Kinect-controlled mini-game collections designed to target the family market. Meanwhile, Japan’s From Software is secretly working on a grittier take on the Mario universe that is due to launch in Q4 2014.

2. IT WILL BE BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE WITH THE DREAMCAST
What a killer app! All real gamers know that the Dreamcast is the best console ever made so Microsoft hopes that backwards compatibility with Dreamcast discs will give it an upper hand in the next-gen battle. Compatible titles will even offer emulated 56k modem support for online play. Note that this functionality will be prematurely terminated in the summer of 2015.

3. ITS FLAGSHIP LAUNCH GAME IS SUPERMAN 64 HD REMAKE TO TIE IN WITH MAN OF STEEL’S BLU-RAY RELEASE
What’s that? Superman 64 was crap? Well that didn’t stop them releasing sequels to Army of Two, Sonic Adventure and Leisure Suit Larry did it? To tie-in with the DVD and Blu-ray release of Man of Steel this Q4 the new Xbox will launch with an EXCLUSIVE HD remake of Superman 64. It will feature FULL 1080p HD support, online leaderboards, unlockable concept art and an exclusive new remixed soundtrack from Rebecca Black.

4. GAMES WILL BE SOLD AS QR CODES
The days of buying polished plastic in boxes are over! Instead retailers will now sell QR codes printed onto playing cards. Consumers will take these home, present them to Kinect and then the console will download the title. See you later pre-owned! What’s that? Your broadband connection isn’t very good? Well feck off then – Microsoft doesn’t want your type playing on its shiny new console ahyway your technological heathen.

5. KINECT WILL CUT THE POWER IF IT SEES THAT YOU’RE TIRED
Health and safety is important. Very important. For the first time MCV can reveal that the great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandson of Don Mattrick recently travelled from the future to visit Microsoft’s Redmond HQ. He was able to do this using the time travel functionality included in Kinect 17.0. He used the journey to warn his dad that in the year 2274 Microsoft is ritually humiliated by the British tabloid press when a keen gamer playing popular fight simulator Ninja Kick Bastard 2 on the XStation fell dead due to exhaustion. It has decided to pre-emptively tackle the issue by having Kinect 2.0 switch off not only the power to your console if it detects that your eyes are drooping but in fact cut off all power to your house. Safety first.

6. WEAR PROMOTIONAL T-SHIRTS FOR BIG MONEY SAVINGS
New business models will dominate the next Xbox. New games will be free. At the end of the first level gamers will be presented with an opportunity to pose wearing a promotional t-shirt carrying the branding of Microsoft’s preferred affiliates. Kinect will then take your picture and upload it to all of your social media channels and you’ll then be granted access to the next level of the game. Those who refuse to comply can go play some shitty smartphone game or something.

7. IT WILL SHIP WITH A COOLER BAG
Whatever you do don’t mention the Red Ring of Death. Microsoft has sniper teams posted on the roofs of both Redmond and Microsoft’s Reading HQ in the UK ready to take out any staff accused of mentioning the RROD as they leave the office. And despite excessively engineering and re-engineering the new Xbox to avoid any over-heating problems, in these times of rampant global warming there is simply no way Microsoft can guarantee against all heat-related problems. In a wise move, Microsoft will mitigate this by including a branded cooler bag with every new Xbox. Should the console ever crash or shut down due to overheating users will be advised to place the console into the cooler bag for 30 minutes, after which time it should function normally.

8. YOU WILL BE CHARGED LATE FEES FOR RENTALS
The new Xbox WILL be the centre of your multimedia world. When purchasing one owners must sign an agreement saying that they will toss any competing AV equipment out of the window when they get home. Movie rentals will be offered but the T&Cs require that users confirm that they have watched the rented media before the rental period expires. Failure to do so will result in late fees being automatically deducted from a user’s Xbox Live account.

9. IT WILL OFFER EXCLUSIVE INTERACTIVE CORONATION STREET AND EASTENDERS CONTENT
Any sane-minded executive knows the real money in the games industry is to be found by expanding the market and reaching new audiences. As a result Microsoft has penned agreements with both the BBC and ITV to offer exclusive interactive content for viewers of both Coronation Street and Eastenders. At key moments during the show the Xbox will display an on-screen prompt offering the chance to launch content associated with the show. For example, during the Christmas show Xbox owners will be promoted to mimic an irate northern miner. If they can muster an accent convincing enough to fool Kinect they will be offered the chance to play a Ken Barlow-themed min-game where they have to escape from the police.

10. KINECT WILL CHARGE YOU FOR WATCHING MOVIES OR PLAYING GAMES AT A FRIEND’S HOUSE
The amazing interconnected world of Xbox will mean that the days of importing user profiles are over. Instead, when visiting friends Kinect will automatically scan you upon entering the room, sign you in and update your profile with your current location. Once the Xbox has finished reading out promotional offers from its affiliates and prompting you to buy a customised pizza from the rancid chicken takeaway down the road, it will then also apply appropriate charges to your account for any films you watch or content you consume. Very handy.

11. IT WILL HAVE AN IN-BUILT PEZ DISPENSER
Kids are stupid because despite Microsoft investing a tonne of cash into Viva Piñata none of them played it. Nor did they play those sodding Sesame Street or National Geographic Kinect games that Microsoft licensed at great cost. So Microsoft has decided to cut to the chase and directly lure kids to its new console by offering an in-built pez dispenser. Games will offer sweets as rewards for either various activities such as completing levels or declaring brand affiliation on What’s App.

FIFA! Battlefield! Forza! Illumiroom! All the latest rumours and facts about tonight's Xbox reveal

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:20:00 +0100

In less than eight hours time Microsoft will reveal the successor to the Xbox 360… which leaves plenty of time for the guessing game to continue.

First off, we have a couple of confirmations, both from EA.

The publisher has announced that FIFA 14 will tonight be shown off for the first time running on next-gen hardware. The press were first shown the game last month, but it was never divulged what machine the game was running on.

DICE has also said that “big announcements” are due today for Battlefield 4 – presumably at Microsoft’s event.

EA’s involvement is particularly interesting seeing as it had seemingly forged an alliance of sorts with Sony towards the end of the last generation. PS3 hardware was routinely used in press briefings and plenty of EA titles offered either exclusive content or timed exclusivity of content on Sony’s machine.

Don’t forget too that Activision’s Call of Duty: Ghosts will also feature heavily tonight. In fact, you might want to check MCVuk.com at around 7pm tonight if you’re a COD fan.

That’s all the tedious facts out of the way so let’s move on to the rumours shall we?

Siliconera has spotted a Microsoft trademark application for Forza Vista. No next-gen reveal would be complete without a racer, right?

Much of the industry had been quietly hoping for the long-awaited Project Gotham 5 reveal (MS has been touting that licence about behind the scenes for some time now) but a new Forza will do just nicely.

GameSpot also reports on word from fully qualified Microsoft tipster Paul Thurrott who reckons that the company’s impressive Illumiroom technology will feature as part of tonight’s reveal.

Expect plenty more speculation throughout the day. Lap it up – the games industry doesn’t get many days like this.

Rhode Island selling Kingdoms of Amalur IP to repay 38 Studios debt

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:40:00 +0100

Another chapter has begun in the ongoing 38 Studios saga, as the governing body of Rhode Island looks to sell its Kingdoms of Amalur IP in effort to repay some of the $130m owed to the state.

The Providence Journal reports that lawyers close to the sale have confirmed interest in the game’s assets from multiple unnamed parties.

The report adds that along with the Amalur brand, ‘drawings’, ‘designs’ and ‘other related work’ relating to separate projects are 38’s most viable assets to sell.

“Who knows what the value ultimately will be. But there is interest in the assets,” Providence-based lawyer Richard J. Land said.

Court hearings for the case are set to take place later this week.