Microsoft promises games from “four continents” at E3

May 23, 2013 by Andy in News Snippets, Videogames, Xbox and tagged Blue Dragon, E3, Exclusives, Gaming, Lost Odyssey, Microsoft, Microsoft Studios, Mistwalker, XBOX, Xbox One | Leave a comment

While gamers may have been disappointed by the lack of games at Microsoft’s Xbox One reveal, E3 is right around the corner, and that’s where the console maker will be showing off its heavy hitters. Promising 15 console exclusives in the Xbox One’s first year alone, Microsoft also stated that they will be showing “games from four continents.” The Xbox reveal was focused mainly on the system’s hardware and capabilities while E3 will be more about the gaming. As such, the event was more general or “globalized” with Microsoft promising to tell “a more local story that is customized and more regionalized” with the Xbox in the future.

As Kotaku stated, a Lost Odyssey 2 would be a welcome addition to the system’s gaming library that could help entice international audiences. If nothing else, maybe a Blue Dragon? With E3 just over two weeks away, it shouldn’t be long to find out what developers overseas have in store for us.

Source: Kotaku

Crytek’s “Ryse” resurfaces

May 22, 2013 by Andy in News Snippets, Videogames, Xbox and tagged core game, Crytek, E3, Gaming, Kinect, Microsoft, Microsoft Studios, Ryse, XBOX, Xbox One | Leave a comment

Crytek’s Ryse was first announced as Codename: Kingdoms in 2010 at Microsoft’s E3 press conference as a third-person action game. It was drastically changed when it was shown again just one year later as a first-person Kinect game featuring you as “the weapon.” My thoughts on this change weren’t exactly positive, and I’m sure Microsoft heard a lot of negative feedback regarding this new Kinect-based “core” game.

Ryse has, yet again, re-evolved with the confirmation that it is heading to Xbox One as a controller-based, Kinect enhanced game. Microsoft promised at yesterday’s Xbox One unveiling that 15 exclusive games were headed to their next-gen console in its first year and it appears that Ryse will be one of those games, accompanying Remedy Entertainment’s Quantum Break. Crytek has updated their Ryse page with a countdown teasing more information in 18 days–which marks the beginning of this year’s E3.

Source: IGN, Crytek

Quantum Break teaser

May 21, 2013 by Andy in Videogames, Xbox and tagged Microsoft, Microsoft Studios, Quantum Break, Remedy, Remedy Entertainment, XBOX, Xbox One | 1 Comment

“Time is the fire in which we burn.” Remedy announced their upcoming Quantum Break exclusively for Microsoft’s Xbox One today. Curious about what the Alan Wake developer is working on? Check out their teaser below:

Remedy Entertainment shows Quantum Break

May 21, 2013 by Andy in News Snippets, Other, Videogames, Xbox and tagged Alan Wake, Gaming, Microsoft, Microsoft Studios, Quantum Break, Remedy, Remedy Entertainment, XBOX, Xbox One | Leave a comment

Unless it’s a misdirection, Remedy Entertainment’s next title will not be the much-desired sequel to 2010’s Alan Wake. While I am disappointed that the studio won’t be continuing the journey into darkness of the troubled writer just yet, it’s exciting to see them working a new property exclusive to Microsoft’s console. Microsoft has been starved for console exclusives and Remedy is an exceptionally talented developer and it’s exciting to see what they have in store for gamers.

Rumor: Project Gotham Racing Announcement for Next-Gen Xbox

May 6, 2013 by Andy in Videogames, Xbox and tagged Bizarre Creations, Gaming, Lucid Games, Microsoft Game Studios, Microsoft Studios, Next Gen, Next Xbox, Nextbox, PGR, PGR5, Project Gotham Racing, Project Gotham Racing 5, racing game, XBOX, Xbox 720, xbox successor | Leave a comment

Lucid Games, one of the studios formed after the closure of Project Gotham Racing developer Bizarre Creations, is said to be preparing for a mid-May reveal of a new game. The next Xbox is also going to be revealed mid-May; this has led to some speculation that the studio is working on a racing game for Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox successor. Given the background of the staff at Lucid Games, that speculation is leaning towards an upcoming reveal for a new installment in the PGR franchise. It’s been several years since we’ve seen a new PGR game and having an established franchise make a comeback for the next Xbox’s launch would definitely be beneficial for system sales. This is all a bunch of rumors and speculation, however, so we’ll have to wait until the actual mid-May reveal to see how right or wrong we really are.

Source: Joystiq

Alan Wake Breaks 2 Million Sales

April 30, 2013 by Andy in News Snippets, PC, Videogames, Xbox and tagged Alan Wake, Alan Wake 2, Alan Wake Season 2, Alan Wake's American Nightmare, American Nightmare, Gaming, Microsoft, Microsoft Game Studios, Microsoft Studios, PC, Remedy, Remedy Entertainment, Steam, XBOX, Xbox 360, Xbox 720 | Leave a comment

Remedy’s psychological action thriller Alan Wake has managed to sell over 2 million copies on both Xbox and PC. The game, which debuted on Xbox in May of 2010, has taken just under 3 years to complete this task, but Remedy remains hopeful about the future of the franchise. Being a new IP from a small studio, it’s entirely understandable that sales for Alan Wake weren’t on par with bigger budget games from the powerhouse developers, but it’s proven to be financially and critically successful.

News of this sales milestone comes just in time for Microsoft’s next Xbox reveal in just under a month. While Remedy owns the Alan Wake IP, Microsoft is the series publisher and Remedy has stated in the past that the software giant is in charge of the franchise’s future. Remedy has also been teasing a reveal of their latest project for some time now, so I wouldn’t be surprised at all if we see an Alan Wake: Season 2 reveal at Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox reveal or E3.

Source: Games Radar

Gears of War Film Actually Happening?

April 30, 2013 by Andy in Film, News Snippets, Videogames, Xbox and tagged Battleship, Entertainment, Epic Games, Gaming, Gears of War, Gears of War Movie, GoW, GoW Movie, Microsoft, Microsoft Game Studios, Microsoft Studios, Videogames | Leave a comment

It’s been a long time since we’ve heard anything about the long-planned Gears of War movie. First news of the film came back in 2007 when New Line Cinema gained the rights for the film, but it’s been trapped in development hell for several years after losing its director and $100 million budget. However, the film now has a new producer: Scott Stuber. Stuber served as the producer on Seth McFarlane’s Ted as well as the blockbuster bomb Battleship (among others, but Battleship is a pretty stand-out disappointment).

It’s easy to be disappointed with a film adaptation of a videogame before its release given the less than stellar track record of past videogame movies, but it is promising to hear that the script for the film is being developed with Epic games, IP owner of the Gears of War franchise. No one else has signed with the film at this time, but Epic’s involvement with the script and the film now having a producer shows some interest in getting the project off the ground. Whether or not it actually makes it to cinemas (or is actually good) remains to be seen.

Sources: Destructoid, Variety

Rumor: Respawn Entertainment’s First Game to be Xbox-Exclusive

April 29, 2013 by Andy in News Snippets, Videogames, Xbox and tagged Activision, Call of Duty, david and goliath, EA, Gaming, Infinity Ward, Microsoft, Microsoft Studios, next generation xbox, Next Xbox, Nextbox, Respawn Entertainment, XBOX, Xbox 720 | 1 Comment

Respawn Entertainment, the product of a long-winded battle between Infinity Ward creators & staff and Activision, has been rather quiet regarding their debut title since the studio’s founding. Rumors are now circulating that their first game will be an Xbox-exclusive. Sources are stating the next Xbox as the primary system with a focus on online gameplay requiring an always-on connection. An Xbox 360 version is possible, but ports for Nintendo and Sony consoles are not being considered.

The game is said to be set in the future and will have players facing off in David and Goliath battles. “Davids are heavily armed foot soldiers. The Goliaths are giant exoskeletons–Titans–that these soldiers can pilot.” It’s worth noting that Respawn recently filed a trademark for Titan.

According to these sources, Respawn is working on the Xbox 720 version which will utilize a modified Source engine with the developer outsourcing for the Xbox 360 port.

Microsoft will unveil its next-generation Xbox on May 21 with E3 following shortly thereafter, so the legitimacy of this rumor will likely be sorted out in the near future.

Sources: Kotaku, Gamespot

Halo Gets New Comic Series & Director of Global Marketing

April 28, 2013 by Andy in Comics, News Snippets, Videogames, Xbox and tagged 343, 343 Industries, Comics, Dark Horse, Dark Horse Comics, Epic, Epic Games, Halo, Halo: Initiation, Microsoft, Microsoft Studios, ODST, Spartan IV | Leave a comment

Dark Horse Comics will be releasing a new Halo comic miniseries. Titled Halo: Initiation, the series will follow Spartan IV Sarah Palmer in her ODST days and will chronicle her service in becoming the first Spartan IV commander; her character was first introduced in Halo 4. Halo: Initiation is being written by Brian Reed who previously worked on the comic book adaptation of Halo: Fall of Reach as well as the screenplay for Halo 4.

In other Halo news, Epic Games’ global marketing lead Kendall Boyd has parted with Epic in order to work at Microsoft Studios as the Director of Halo Global Marketing. He has shipped over 35 games at Epic as well as EA Sports and THQ.

Sources: Major Spoilers, Destructiod (1), (2)

State of Decay Coming to XBLA this June

April 12, 2013 by Andy in News Snippets, PC, Videogames, Xbox and tagged Class 3, Class3, Microsoft, Microsoft Studios, State of Decay, Survival Horror, Undead Labs, Video Games, Videogames, XBOX, Xbox 360, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies | Leave a comment

Upcoming open-world zombie survival game State of Decay has a new trailer and a June release date. The game is being developed by Undead Labs and published by Microsoft Studios. Synopsis and trailer below:

The end is here. Life as you knew it has gone to hell after the mother of all zombie outbreaks. Now you and the few scattered survivors must band together to survive and rebuild in a 3rd-person action game set in a dynamic open world. You choose where to make your stand, designing and fortifying your home base, performing daring raids for food and ammunition, and rescuing other playable survivors with unique talents. The open, sandbox world develops in real-time, shaped by your actions, dynamically generating content based on your choices and the ever-increasing zombie threat.