This was the Xbox 360 version of the game that was shown off a couple of years ago, expect the next-gen version to look considerably shinier.

Hidden amongst all the expected, but now confirmed titles like Watch Dogs, Destiny, Thief and Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag, were promises of games from Rare (reviving a ‘classic franchise’ apparently), and internal Microsoft team Black Tusk studios.

One of the most potentially interesting game announcements however was the confirmation today from Crytek that their heavily rumored Ryse, is indeed heading for Xbox One. A Roman themed first person gladiator game, Ryse has the potential to be one of the most original new IP’s in a while. It is said to use both the new and improved Kinect in conjunction with the controller to enable a truly immersive and brutal experience. The tagline on the game’s official site is the Latin phrase ‘Son came (or come?) to Rome’. Like most of the Xbox One games, much more has been promised for E3, so in just over two weeks time we will know whether we should start to lament or rejoice for Microsoft’s new console.

The post Games Confirmed For Xbox One – Ryse To Be Shown At E3 was originally written by Mark Coupe for ZoKnowsGaming.

So how do you enable this new feature? According to the press release, Pandora Premieres can be added by simply typing “Pandora Premieres” into the search area. Pretty simple to say the least. However, if that proves a bit difficult, users can go to: pandora.com/premieres and achieve the same results.

Give this a whirl and let us know what you think about the new service. First up: John Fogerty and Laura Marling albums.

Source [Pandora]

The post Pandora Introduces Pandora Premieres, Gives You On-Demand Early Access To New Albums was originally written by Travis Wilson for ZoKnowsGaming.

Maybe this will help you decide which console you’ll purchase. Maybe you already know. Maybe you’re a diehard fan of one line, and that’s all that matters. Whatever it may be, check out the comparison chart below and let us know which console you’re going with.

Maybe it’s the Ouya?

Mashable

Xbox One, PS4 and Wii U Compared

	Xbox One	PlayStation 4	Nintendo Wii U
Processor	8-core x86 CPU	8-core x86 CPU	Tri-core IBM PowerPC 1.24Ghz
GPU	AMD powered	Next-gen AMD Radeon, runs at 1.84 Tflops	AMD Radeon running at 550MHz
RAM	8GB	8GB	2GB
Storage	500GB HDD	Unknown	8GB-32GB
Optical Drive	Blu-ray	Blu-ray	Blu-ray
HDMI	In and Out	Out, In unknown	Out
Ports	USB 3.0, 802.11n, Direct Connect	USB 3.0, Ethernet, 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1	USB 2.0×4, 802.11n
Price	Unknown	Unknown	$299 – $349
Backward Compatibility	No	No	Yes, with Wii
Release Date	Late 2013	Late 2013	Now

Source [Mashable]

The post Xbox One, PlayStation 4, And The Wii U – Just Compare Them All Already And Choose was originally written by Travis Wilson for ZoKnowsGaming.

First, the tech specs. While Microsoft didn’t go into a ton of detail about the innards of the new machine, they did share some basic details. It has been confirmed that the system will come with an 8 core CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive. At this stage, we don’t know whether or not the RAM is DDR5 like on the PS4, or the slower DDR3 type. A blu-ray drive has also been confirmed, although Microsoft has confirmed that all games would need to be installed on the systems hard drive. Hopefully E3 should provide some more information on the technical specifications. Visually the machine seems to be built around a ‘set-top box’ model and has a nice minimalist look. The controller is also a natural progression from the existing model, with a few new features like an improved D-pad and rumble feedback located within the triggers.

The Kinect will be a large part of the Xbox One experience as we all expected, and a new Kinect sensor will be bundled as part of every Xbox One sold. The camera will feature some updated tech, including a 1080p HD camera. Microsoft has also confirmed that the system itself will need the Kinect sensor to be plugged in. which seems like a sizeable mistake on Microsoft’s behalf.

Whereas the 2 hour PS4 conference focused a great amount of time and attention on the games you can expect to play later this year, Microsoft mainly spent their time telling us how the Xbox One would function as a complete entertainment system, of which gaming would only be a part of. Some impressive TV functions were shown on the new device, including watching live cable programs, and switching between channels on the fly. Sports TV seems to be a big focus for the Xbox One, with integrated options to allow users live access and updates to their fantasy team while watching live sports. Additionally for Halo fans, 343 Studios also announced that a live action Halo TV series was underway, which is under the control of none other than Steven Spielberg. And just as you would have guessed, the show seems to be an exclusive to be broadcast on the Xbox One.

After about 30 minutes into the conference the first games were shown, although Microsoft had previously made it clear that E3 would be the place that most of their new titles would be shown off. Forza 5 was shown off in a trailer form and looked predictably shiny. It was also confirmed for launch, which should go head to head with DriveClub on PS4. Other games briefly shown were several sports games from EA including Madden, NBA 2K, FIFA, and Call of Duty: Ghosts, which looked pretty impressive.

We also had a chance to welcome a new IP, Quantum Break, which is from Alan Wake, a developer at Remedy Studios. Quantum Break was only shown briefly, and in the odd form of a live action segment mixed in with some CGI footage of a cargo ship piling into a bridge. The game will supposedly be very story based and offer the opportunity to shape your own game through decisions made. From the fairly quick look at the game, it would appear to be a kind of mixture between Alan Wake and Heavy Rain. Finally, Microsoft had a favorable reaction to the news that their own internal studios were working on a total of 15 exclusive games for launch in the first 12 months of the system’s life. Eight of these will be all-new IP’s and should hopefully be a nice mixture of genres. Hopefully E3 will provide our first glimpse of many of these new titles in action.

All in all, the Xbox One reveal provided the complete opposite of the PS4 announcement. While the Sony machine seems to be targeting the core gamer with Sony’s stable of new and existing IP’s, Microsoft is clearly gunning for the entertainment box market. They have promised that loads of new titles will be shown at E3, so at this stage it’s probably best to reserve judgement for the next couple of weeks. Of course we will be right here to give you all the biggest news from Microsoft from that event, as well as from Sony and Nintendo.

The post Xbox One Reveal Round-Up was originally written by Mark Coupe for ZoKnowsGaming.

So without holding you up any longer, head on down and have a look at the trailer below. Be sure to let us know what you think about it. Madden 25 will release August 27, 2013.

Take control of your favorite player, coach, or owner and lead your team to the championship.

The post Madden 25 Playbook #3: Connected Franchise Featuring Owner Mode was originally written by Travis Wilson for ZoKnowsGaming.

Payday 2 will be spreading its wings however, and will be arriving on both PS3 and XBOX 360 as a retail boxed version as well as a digital download on Steam, PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade. For those of you that are interested, there isn’t long to wait either, as the game is due for release this August.

So are any of you guys pumped for this? Did you get hooked on the original crime caper? I personally played the demo, but could not get my head around the tactical element; did I miss out on something special? Sound off below and let us know your thoughts.

The post Payday 2 Scheduled For Boxed And Digital Release was originally written by Mark Coupe for ZoKnowsGaming.

To try and tempt those hardcore fans into pre-ordering early, Ubisoft has announced the retailer-specific DLC bonuses that await those early birds. So here goes:

• GameStop Black Island pack: The deadly black ship, a Captain Morgan costume, and his silver flintlock pistol.

• Amazon Hidden Mystery pack: Extra treasure-hunting mission on Mystery Island, Stede Bonnet’s ship and Sted Bonnet costumes, and multiplayer items.

• Walmart Sacrificed Secrets pack: Captain Drakehis dual-wield swords and pistols, his picture, title, and relics.

• Best Buy Lost Treasures pack: Ivory wheel and spyglass relic.

• Target Trove of Mystery pack: Iron wheel and astrolab relic.

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag will be released on PS3, XBOX 360, PC and Wii U on October 29th, with next-gen versions to follow. Are any of you guys planning on pre-ordering the game? If so, where will you be picking it up from? Which retailer contains your buried treasure?

The post Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Pre-Order Bonuses Announced was originally written by Mark Coupe for ZoKnowsGaming.

Now we never like to steal all of a video’s thunder, so have a look and let us know what you think. Maybe if you look close enough, you’ll know exactly how the PlayStation 4 will look.

The post Sony Reveals A Tease Of What The PlayStation 4 Will Look Like Ahead Of E3 [VIDEO] was originally written by Travis Wilson for ZoKnowsGaming.

Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo!, states “Tumblr is redefining creative expression online. On many levels, Tumblr and Yahoo! couldn’t be more different, but, at the same time, they couldn’t be more complementary. Yahoo is the Internet’s original media network. Tumblr is the Internet’s fastest-growing media frenzy. Both companies are homes for brands – established and emerging. And, fundamentally, Tumblr and Yahoo! are both all about users, design, and finding surprise and inspiration amidst the everyday.”

The deal should be done in the second half of the year, and should increase Yahoo’s reach and audience. More specifically, “The combination of Tumblr+Yahoo! is expected to grow Yahoo!’s audience by 50 percent to more than a billion monthly visitors, and to grow traffic by approximately 20 percent.”

So what do you think about this acquisition. Excited about what it can become or worried about Yahoo’s side of the equation? Let us know!

The post Yahoo! To Acquire Tumblr For $1.1 Billion was originally written by Travis Wilson for ZoKnowsGaming.

• Columns
• Crystal Warriors
• Defenders of Oasis
• Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
• G-LOC: Air Battles
• Shining Force II: The Sword of Hajya
• Sonic Blast
• Sonic Drift 2
• Sonic Labyrinth
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Tails Adventure
• Vampire: Master of Darkness

The post More Sega Game Gear Games Making Their Way To Nintendo’s Virtual Console was originally written by Lorenzo Winfrey for ZoKnowsGaming.