Rumor Roundup: PS4, 360 Lite, Black Ops 2 Details

Hello All,

Welcome to this weeks rumor roundup. I've got a lot of exciting rumors for everyone including leaked information about the Playstation 4, a new 360 model called the Lite, and leaked Black Ops 2 details.

[Also, check out drawception for a good laugh]

Playstation 4
It is no rumor that Sony will be releasing the next Playstation within the next few years but a Kotaku Source says that we will be getting codename "Orbis" by Holiday 2013. For those of you unfamiliar with latin, Orbis means "orbit" or "circle". Combine that with the recently released Vita, you have "Orbis Vita" or "Circle Life". Circle of Life anyone? Whether this means the two devices will be married in their capabilities is unclear, but it makes sense.

Onto the Specs:
AMD x64 CPU
AMD Southern Islands GPU

The CPU was expected but the GPU is extremely interesting. The Southern Island GPUs are AMD's high end cards from 2012. With a card like that you can expect resolutions up to 4k. This does not mean that every game will be released running at 4k (just look how many PS3 games actually run at 1080p) but it DOES mean that we can expect every Orbis game to run at full 1080p even in 3D.

The bad news is that with those chips you can throw backwards compatibility with PS3 games out the window. It would take a lot of time and processing power to create an emulator, which Sony would have to do, without the Cell Processor onboard.

The good news from this is that you can expect the Orbis to be much cheaper at launch than the PS3 was. No new Blu-ray drive (most likely will still have one but they are much cheaper now than when the PS3 launched), no backwards compatibility, and no R&D costs on the processor.


Xbox 360 Lite
Coming straight from Microsoft rumor king MSNerd:
"My understanding is that we'll see a Xbox device in late 2013 which does Arcade-style games & all the current & future media apps with Kinect (with near-mode). It will be an ARM-based platform price-competitive with the Apple TV (if you own a Kinect already)"

What this means:
This 360 Lite will essentially be a cheap (~$100), entry level model used only for media apps and arcade downloads; there will be no disc drive. This rumor fits in with all the previous rumors about Microsoft ditching the disc drive for their next xbox. This also places the Xbox 720 at a Holiday 2013-2014 release date.

If the above Playstation Orbis rumor turns out to be true, I expect Microsoft to release their console alongside Sony as to not give them a year head-start.


Black Ops 2 Details
This information is coming from a pulled post from the official Black Ops forum.

Game Modes

• Escort, a new game mode
• Similar to Search and Destroy however a live player must be escorted to one of three areas (or two depending on the map) without being killed.
• The match will have rounds, consisting of one life only.
• Drop Zone and Kill Confirmed will return
• Team Defender and Infected will not return

Pointstreaks

• Will follow from Modern Warfare 3’s system
• Larger emphasis on objectives
• A bomb plant is worth 2 points
• A neutral flag is worth 1, however an enemy flag is worth 2
• A flag assist capture is worth 1, a capture is worth 2
• The Specialist Pointstreak has be modified
• 2 kills now gets you 1 perk
• The 4th kill gets you 2 more perks
• The 6th kill gets you 3 more perks
• The 8th Kill gets you 4 more perks
• You do not get every perk when you reach 8 kills
• Perks only become “Pro” when you have them Pro
• RC XD will not return
• Heat vision
• Is a new Pointstreak reward
• When you get the required points, you can activate this Pointstreak and your player pulls out a scope and attaches it to your weapon.
• This scopes main advantage is it’s ability to detect enemies through most walls.
• Note, the scope can only be attached to primaries not including shotguns
• Item Packages
• Requires 5 points
• Fall along side care packages and air drop traps.
• Features a list of package items only
• Including ammo, mini gun, grenade launcher, rocket launcher, and body armor

Prestiges

• There will be 15 prestiges
• There will be 50 ranks
• Every two prestiges there is a 5 rank increase
• The final prestige has 90 levels

ELITE 2.0

• ELITE is being fully incorporated into Black Ops 2
• Combat record has been modified and re-named as ELITE Stats
• There will be a specific lobby for clan matches (new way of leveling clans)
• Clan Tournaments can now be implemented

Removed

• No MOAB or Nuke
• No last stand
• No death streaks
• No flame thrower attachment

Map Design

• Map design and size will be following Black Ops not Modern Warfare 3

Sniper Rifles

• Improved sniper rifle usage.
• No aim assist for any sniper rifle.
• Less sway

Customization

• No longer just perk 1 chooses the players appearance
• Appearance is a combination of all perks and type of Pointstreak being used.

Hardcore

• Larger emphasis on hardcore than ever before
• No grenade launchers
• Only vehicle guided rocket launchers permitted
• Respawn timings decreased (for most modes)
• 1 bullet in the foot will no longer kill a person, a head or chest shot is usually required.
• A person will now bleed out if severely injured.

Perk System 2.0

• The Perk Pro system has been upgraded
• There is now 2 options a perk can advance to.
• Both require different challenges to unlock
• Once the desired Pro version is unlocked, the player can select that as their “Perk Pro”.
• Once selected, the only way to choose the other option is by entering prestige mode.
• For example Perk slot 1 has the perk called Speed
• Speed – Reduces the time taken to aim down the sight
• > Pro I – Swaps weapons faster
• > Pro II – Throws equipment faster

Combat Training

• Will be returning with vast improvements.
• Difficulty is no longer based on how long the bots take to start shooting.
• Bots now have an advance AI system
• Similar to the behavior seen in the MW3 Spec Ops survival

A lot of information there.

Be sure to check back next week for more rumors and more content on All Things Gaming.

Cheers,

Jon

Attending PAX East 2012

Hello All,

I would like to inform all of my readers and viewers that I will be attending PAX East this year. I plan on updating the site with photos, videos, and impressions during and following PAX (Easter weekend). If you too are going, look for a tall guy wearing an All Things Gaming t-shirt. Feel free to say hello!

Small Section of Last Year's Pax

Sneak peek on what is coming:

HAWKEN PAX East 2012 Party - Invitation Only

I got in the Hawken invite only party so be sure to check out exclusive photos, impressions and hopefully an interview.

Game Impressions and Interviews
As always, PAX East is full of the hottest indie, arcade, and big budget releases. I'll do my best on trying to play them all and getting pictures, videos, impressions, and possibly small interviews to you.

Giveaways
Last year I came home with so much swag I didn't know what to do with it! This year I plan on coming back with even more and passing it along to you. I'll try to get things signed, little knick-knacks and toys, along with anything I can get my hands on. Check back following PAX when I figure out how I am going to distribute everything.


Obviously, I can't say exactly what games I'll be covering as it will remain a mystery until I walk through that door. I'll post about every game I see and go in depth about the games you're interested in.

PAX East is always a blast and I hope to see you there.


Cheers,
Jon

Exclusive: Pokémon for Wii U

Hello All,

This is an EXCLUSIVE piece on Pokemon for the Wii U. I got this information from an un-named source in the industry that I personally trust and has told me leaked information before hand that has turned out to be true.

If you haven't heard of Spyro Skylanders you're probably one in a few. The game has been skyrocketed in popularity and already has a sequel in the works. The game has 32 different creatures to collect varying in rarity and has captured the essence of collection once held by Pokémon. The game comes with a special platform that when a figure is placed on it, it adds the character to your game. In order to play as every character, one must own every statue.

All 32 Characters to Collect

It has been known for some time that the Wii U tablet controller has the same sensor that is used to scan the Skylander characters into the game. Nintendo will be using the sensor and same gameplay idea of Skylanders to create the very first Pokemon for the Wii U. It is still unclear if this will be a Pokémon Stadium-like game with the ability to play Pokémon Black and White 2 on your TV or a full-fledged HD Pokémon adventure game. Either way, the controller will be used to either scan in the next iteration of Pokémon cards or figurines similar to Skylanders. With 649 different Pokémon available I would expect Nintendo to prefer using cards over statues.

I am excited for finally having an HD Pokémon game on a home console. Look forward for a future announcement at E3.

Cheers,

Jon

Rumor Roundup: Wii U eShop, Dark Souls, Bethesda MMO, Dead Space 3

Hello All,

Welcome to this weeks Rumor Roundup.

[Video Coming Soon]

Dark Souls
Something big is coming from Dark Souls. Head on over to their Facebook Page and give them a like in order to start slowly crumbling a wall. Once the page gets enough likes, something for Dark Souls will be announced.

Death is Coming

It is unclear what this will end up being though. This could be the PC version, DLC, or another game. When Dark Souls was in development, FROM Software stated that they would not be releasing DLC because the game would be a complete package. Shortly after Dark Souls was released, they went back on their original word and stated that they would create DLC if they could do it right. My guess is if there is DLC it would be along the lines of inFAMOUS: Festival of Blood where it is a standalone game in the same universe.

Only time will tell, check back later for more information.


Bethesda MMO
More rumors are surfacing that the Bethesda MMO is based on the Elder Scrolls universe. The rumor makes sense as their two biggest franchises are Elder Scrolls and Fallout.


Dead Space 3
Dead Space 3 is rumored to switch to a first person perspective and run on the Frostbite 2 engine. This would be a departure from the norm for the series but I feel like if done correctly, could be a nice change of pace. My biggest worry is that the atmosphere of the game will be lost as the first two are famous for their use (or non-use) of a HUD. If this turns out to be just a rumor, I at least hope the Frostbite 2 part is true because tearing up aliens would never look better.


Wii U Leaked eShop Titles
Nintendo Wii U eShop Titles In Development

Level 5

• Professor Layton Chronicles

Activision

• Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD-Complete (Launch)
• Goldeneye 007: Reloaded (Launch)
• World of Warcraft (Launch)

Capcom

• Resident Evil: The Mercenaries Bio Ops
• Okamiden HD (Launch)

Electronic Arts (EA)

• Boom Blox Wii U
• NFL Blitz Touchdown
• Burnout: Rush Hour (Launch)
• Shank 2 (Launch)
• Crysis (Launch)

Gaijan Games

• Bit Trip Runner 2 (Launch)

Namco Bandai

• Tank! Tank! Tank!
• Meteos
• Pac-Man Battle Royal (Launch)

Nexon

• Dragon Nest

Nintendo

• Big Brain University (Launch)
• Super Mario Strikers Unlimited (Launch)
• Fluidity: Toxic (Launch)

Sabarasa

• Protocol (Launch)

SEGA

• Rodea the Sky Soldier
• Renegade Ops 2
• Phantasy Star Online 2 (Launch)
• Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 (Launch)

Spicy Horse

• Big Head Bash (Launch)

Square Enix

• Demon's Score
• Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Wii U

Telltale Games

• The Walking Dead (Launch)

Ubisoft

• UbiArt Presents: Sketchtarium
• Red Steel 2: Locked a Reloaded
• I Am Alive (Launch)

Valve

• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Launch)
• DotA 2

Be sure to check back next week for more rumors and more content on All Things Gaming.

Cheers,

Jon

Opinion on the Mass Effect 3 Controversy

Hello All,

I've got a pretty big video for you all today detailing the Mass Effect 3 controversy and my opinion of it all. Check it out below and be sure to come back tomorrow for Wednesday's Rumor Roundup about Dark Souls 2(?), Dead Space 3, Elder Scrolls MMO, and a whole lot of Wii U.

I'm also working on your requests, please be patient :).


Cheers,
Jon

Rumor Roundup and Opinion on Day 1 DLC

Hello All,

A new two-part video for you all.

First off, this weeks episode of Rumor Roundup. Check it out for the newest rumors on the Xbox 720, the Steam Box [DEBUNKED], Dark Souls 2, and Mass Effect 3.

Part two continues the conversation about Mass Effect 3's Day 1 DLC with my opinion on the matter.

Cheers,
Jon

Update: C2-Resolved-7

Hello All,

Update
I finally got an email from Sony. Took a bit longer than the 7 business days but I have my money back so I am not too upset. Now I just need to try purchasing the game and installing again. I'll let you guys know if I run into the same error again.

Snippet from Email

Original


C2-12383-7
Many Vita owners have been plagued by the C2-12383-7 error code when attempting to install certain Vita games. I myself have not been able to install Super Stardust Delta. After yesterday's Playstation Network update with no resolution I decided to call customer service to get this resolved. You can find your customer service number in the Playstation Store along the very bottom in the about us tab.

Within a quick 15 minute phone call, with a very nice lady, I learned a few things. First of all, Sony does not even have the error code listed in their system. It seems a little odd that one of the biggest errors preventing hundreds of people from installing their games isn't even listed in their database. Secondly, they're willing to give you a complete refund for your purchase in a matter of minutes. I will be receiving an email within a seven business days with a full refund for the $15 purchase. The woman seemed to believe if I repurchased the items I will be fine.

I'll let you all know if I can install the game next week.


Cheers,
Jon

They're Heeere!

Hello All,

I just wanted to let you all know that I have just uploaded a massive collection (40 IMAGES!) of custom requests for backgrounds and covers. They are now in their respective sections. Some are mixed in with older images since they are broken up categorically so I suggest scrolling through again.

Check out the other 39 requests.

There is also a new section to the site: Customize your Vita: Lock Screens
The page is pretty barren right now but I will be updating it with new lock screens over the next few days.

Check out the new Lock Screens Page

Let me know what you all think of the new backgrounds, covers, and the new lock screen page in the comment section below. If there is anything you would still like to see please comment below or reach out to me at Nohons@AllThingsGaming.net.


Cheers,
Jon

Video Blog #5, Requests Coming Tonight!

Hello All,

I want to upload all of the requests at the same time so be sure to check back tonight when I do a massive upload of all the custom backgrounds and covers I've created. I've also been toying with an idea for a while and finally made a custom lock screen. 

Let me know what you think in the comments below. If you guys like them, I can continue to make more and even mess around with the peel-back graphics.

Video Blog #5 is also live. It covers the rumors about an all digital next-generation of consoles so if you haven't read the post on my site yet, feel free to watch. If you have, nothing really new here.

Cheers,

Jon

AllThingsGaming.net

Hello All,

I am happy to say that nohons.blogspot.com has now transferred to the domain AllThingsGaming.net ! We also have an email address: nohons@allthingsgaming.net if you would like to reach out to me with personal requests, comments, or questions. I am happy to see the site continue to grow and have high hopes for the future. We have just hit 15,000 total views in under a month! I am humbled by your support and will continue to update the site with new content.

Your feedback is important to me, if you have ANY comments or requests please let me know in the comment section below or by email. I look forward to hearing from you and working to improve the site and the content I provide.


Cheers,
Jon

Motorstorm RC Video Review

Hello All,

As promised, here is my video review for Motorstorm RC. I apologize for the lack of video quality in comparison to my previous videos but I didn't have an actual film camera for this one.

Still, enjoy!

Cheers,
Jon

Playstation Vita Game Heaven Announcements

Hello All,

As promised here are all the video games announced and teased during this mornings "Playstation Vita Game Heaven". Most of them are targeted for the Japanese audience but that was to be expected as it was a Japanese show.

Dokuro (at 2:20)

Keiji Inafune Game in the works
(no actual gameplay)

Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki Evolution
(gameplay and behind the scenes)

Metal Gears Solid HD Collection
(June 28th for Japan)

Mobile Suit Gundam: Seed Battle Destiny
(June 7th for Japan)

Persona 4: The Golden

Phantasy Star Online 2
(Shares servers with PC allowing for platform switch on the go)

Project Discovery

Super Robot Wars

Surge Concerto: Ciel no Surge

Not much for the U.S. and E.U. but I am sure we'll get a similar event.


Cheers,
Jon

Rumor: NeXtbox Could Come Without Disc Drive

Hello All,

RUMOR: NeXtbox Could Come Without Disc Drive
I thought something like this could happen. Months ago I was talking with friends about what the next console would do with game media and I came up with a flash card based system. Essentially, every NeXtbox will come with a portable flash card that can hold up to 1-2 games along with a large internal harddrive. Larger flash cards would be available for those that desire it. This means that the NeXtbox would be a digital console relying on downloads from Xbox Live for the games.

One of the biggest struggles with switching to an online-only marketplace is alienating consumers that either lack an internet connection or lack a connection strong enough to download the extremely large game files. This would be combatted with "Xbox Kiosks" similar to the redbox kiosks you see at superstores. At a kiosk you would simply insert your portable flash card and purchase a game to copy over. You would then take your flash card home and copy the game file over onto your internal harddrive. OR you could leave the game file on your flash card and bring it over to a friends console for some gaming action.

This method would allow the portability that we've become accustom to with the control of a digital marketplace. There have been rumors that the NeXtbox would not be able to play used games and switching to the above system would singlehandedly wipe out the used game market but still be able to retain the illusion of owning your content since it is portable and not locked onto your console. The only question is, when the used market is gone and everything is digital, will we the consumer benefit? Will we see an end to online passes, since those were to "make up money lost from used game sales"? Will game prices drop since they are digital and no longer rely on manufacturing and distribution?

Only time will tell. This is just a current rumor with my take on it, so take it with a grain of salt.


Cheers,
Jon

Motorstorm RC Review

Hello All,

Motorstorm RC launched yesterday on the Playstation Vita free of charge thanks to a marketing deal with Scion. If you haven't picked it up already I recommend doing so as the free version may be pulled from the Playstation Store in the coming days.

Get Motorstorm RC for FREE

Motorstorm RC is Evolution Studios' first effort on bringing the acclaimed franchise onto the Playstation Vita. I was very skeptical of this game at first because unlike any of the previous entries in the series, RC ditches the gameplay we've become accustomed to for a more old-school approach. Quick races and challenges for the top spot on the leaderboard replace the lengthy races across treacherous terrain we’ve become familiar with. Instead of being a part of the action, the player takes a zoomed out aerial view. Fans of this style should feel right at home.

If this view isn't your thing, move along.

All the cars you've been used to racing with have been replaced by their mini RC counterpart (sorry, no bikes in this game). There are a total of 8 car classes with 4 different models within each. The Supermini, Monster Truck, Racing Truck, Buggy, Rally Car, Big Rig, Muscle Car, and Super Car are all available for your racing pleasure. Due to the pulled-back aerial view all the cars do tend to look very similar to one another and only really stand out with their handling. 

There are 24 vehicles but all look similar.

There are three different modes for you take head on: Festival, Wreckreation, and Playground. Festival mode has you tackling 64 different races or challenges across the four environments pulled from previous Motorstorm games. The 16 different tracks span the locals Monument Valley, Pacific Rift, Arctic Edge, and Apocalypse. There are 192 medals to earn with three per challenge. Each challenge will have you either racing for first place, attempting to finish a lap in a set time in Hot Lap, trying to rack up 5,000 drift points in the set time in Drift, and overtaking the set number of cars in Pursuit.

Monument Valley, Pacific Rift, Arctic Edge
and Apocalypse are all available.

Wreckreation allows players to attempt to take the top spot on the leaderboard in Time Attack or play through any of the racing modes besides pursuit in Free Play. Time Attack has different leaderboards for each car class and track in the game. These leaderboards are separate from the ones in Festival mode, which is a nice touch.

Time Attack

Playground sounds like exactly what it is. A giant skatepark and playground is open for you to try out each of your cars and complete silly little challenges such as hitting a soccer ball into the goal. You’ll most likely be done with Playground within thirty minutes but it does have its perks. While in playground you'll be notified when someone beats your score and given the option to load up the race in an attempt to take back your spot on the leaderboard. The system feels excellent and really puts an emphasis on competing to hold onto your score. There is also a complete list of all the people who have beat your times in the Pitwall that can be accessed from any menu without having to be in Playground. I personally prefer the Pitwall as I can scroll through the challenges and choose the one that I am interested in.

Getting Air in the Playground

The soundtrack for Motorstorm RC is anything but excellent. The soundtrack is filled with a mix of dubstep and techno music that all blends together into an unrecognizable track list that is easily forgotten. Luckily, like most Vita games, you are allowed to listen to your custom soundtracks in game. The sound effects are all present but the game in unable to rely on them. Often you’ll hear the “ding” alerting the start of the race shortly after the race has actually started. The purring of your little RC battery powered engine cuts in and out as it pleases and sound effects like glass cracking often sounds delayed. The biggest thing I noticed was that the game is unable to playback multiple sound effects. While driving over glass or while drifting all other sounds besides the music disappear and when you crash into a wall, even the music briefly cuts out. Motorstorm RC has every sound effect you’d expect but is unable to combine them into a complete package.

There is sound for glass cracking, sometimes...

Graphics are beautiful on the Vita but the distant approach really detracts from the enjoyment. As previously stated, cars are almost non-distinguishable by their looks. Tracks also become very bland in the Arctic Edge environment. In general, none of the tracks share the same feeling of character that the previous Motorstorm games brought to the table. The tracks feel empty and lack the personality that makes you want to replay them.

Tracks lack expected personality.

The menus in Motorstorm RC work extremely well. The menus overlay the race beneath it allowing for rapid transitions between different challenges or an instant second attempt on the track. Everything is very fast and intuitive.

The controls are the roughest part of Motorstorm RC. The developers allowed for completely customizable controls but the steering remains challenging beyond enjoyment. It took a few races to become comfortable with the controls but they still remained a problem especially in the later events. Instead of steering how you would in other racing games, Motorstorm RC has you simply point in the direction you want to go. 

Be prepared to miss your turn, a lot.

Most of the challenge from later events stems from the faulty controls instead of difficult lap times or tough opponents. Drift challenges more than highlight how terrible the controls are. Be prepared to drive head first into walls on sharp turns and struggle for hours trying to get close to 5,000 drift points in 35 seconds. I enjoy a challenge and have no trouble besting one, but having the controls be the only challenge for Motorstorm RC is just frustrating. I easily obtained 3 medals on every challenge besides Drift.

Drift Mode is nearly impossible thanks to the controls.

If you enjoy duking it out on leaderboards Motorstorm RC will keep you entertained. Even if you can't make your way onto the top 10, the Pitwall will give you the feeling of beating out your competition and push you slowly to the top. There is no classic versus multiplayer but it does not feel like it would fit the game.

Overall, I love racing games and Motorstorm RC does a great job on making the leaderboards a central part of the experience. Every event and car has its own separate leaderboard that will have you battling it out with friends and randoms to hold onto your spot. Beyond that, Motorstorm RC begins to struggle. Controls are extremely frustrating and there is little challenge, even in the Super Car races. The tracks lack the personality that I've come to expect in Motorstorm games and the sound design cuts in and out as it pleases. This game sets the bar for Vita connectivity but struggles to be anything but good.

Video review coming later.

55/100 - O.K.

Game is enjoyable for the most part but big problems bring the complete experience down.

Since I haven't done a review yet here is my scale.

100 - Perfect

90 - Amazing, a small problem here and there but remains enjoyable

80 - Great, a few problems distract from enjoyment

70 - Good, enjoyable, nothing really new but nothing really bad

60 - Mediocre, enjoyable but big problems make some parts passable

50 - O.K., Game is enjoyable for the most part but big problems bring complete experience down

40 - Meh, game did nothing new and was riddled with problems

30 - Bad, unenjoyable game with many problems

20 - Awful, unenjoyable experience that I struggled to get through

10 - Terrible, unplayable, broken, unenjoyable

0 - Garbage, wait, there was a game in this mess?

Cheers,

Jon

Everything Playstation Vita: Remote Play

Hello All,

Another episode of Everything Playstation Vita is live on youtube. Check it out to learn how to set up a remote play connection between your Playstation 3 and Vita and what games work.

More content coming within the next few days.

Cheers,
Jon

FREE Motorstorm RC, Leaked Vita Games, Battlefield 3 DLC, Assassin's Creed 3

Hello All,

Its been a while since my last post or video because I've had a nasty cold and have been focusing on getting a lot of gaming time in. I am back now though with a slew of content coming over the next few days. I am still aiming to have all your requests for covers and backgrounds done by the 10th.

FREE: Motorstorm RC

Motorstorm RC is currently free to download in its entirety thanks to a marketing deal with Scion. Simply boot up the Playstation Store and download "Motorstorm RC PS Vita Presented by Scion". There is no timetable about when the game will be pulled, if ever, so be sure to download your copy sooner rather than later.

Motorstorm RC is Free

Going in I was highly skeptical of its old-school top-down and RC approach but I am loving the game so far. Be sure to check back later this week for my review.

Leaked Vita Games

Four upcoming Playstation Vita games have slipped their way onto online retailer Play.com's website. All four titles: Monster Hunter Portable 3, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Nights, Final Fantasy Type-O HD, and Tales of Innocence R were available for preorder before being pulled from the site. Monster Hunter's Page is still visible. 

Upcoming Monster Hunter Portable 3 for the Vita

While not confirmed yet, it does seem very plausible as Sony was set to announce new titles this coming Friday during the "Playstation Vita Game Heaven" event. Be sure to check back this Friday to see if these games and what other games were announced.

via Eurogamer

Battlefield 3 Expansion Packs Coming Soon

Battlefield 3 is set to receive an additional 3 expansion backs this June, Fall, and Winter. This June, the Close Quarters expansion back will bring "frantic close quarters infantry combat", "vertical gameplay", and further improvements to Frostbite 2's "HD Destruction". The maps will support 2-16 players along with new weapons, assignments, and dog tags.

Close Quarters coming in June

Those of you that prefer all-out warfare with a massive array of vehicles and large destructible landscapes don't fret. This Fall the Armored Kill expansion back will launch touting new vehicles and the largest map in Battlefield history. 

Winter will see the final expansion pack, titled End Game. No information is given at this time. 

Assassin's Creed 3 Announcement Trailer

The previously leaked images for Assassin's Creed 3 turned out to be legit as the game was confirmed with an announcement trailer. Check it out below:

I am glad to see that they're looking to change the series up by bringing it to a whole new time period and environment.

Cheers,

Jon

Rumor: Valve to Reveal "Steam Box"

Hello All,

There is a rumor making its way around the internet that Valve will be creating its own take on the home console, titled the "Steam Box". Essentially, the Steam Box would not be hardware developed by Valve but instead software that resembles Android's place in the mobileOS world. Valve would license the Steam Box software to companies interested in pushing their own version. In order to establish some sort of equilibrium, each Steam Box would have to have a bare minimum of 8GB of RAM, run on a Core i7 CPU, and on NVIDIA GPUs. Valve is rumored to announce the Steam Box at either GDC or E3.

Steam for your Couch

First Impressions and the Cost
I don't know what I truly think about this as there are no concrete details from Valve on what their plans are or if the Steam Box even exists.

As for right now, I just don't see the point. Home consoles work because they are developed by Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft; each with their own console. Would software that can be licensed to any hardware company be a smart idea? Your current home consoles are almost always sold for at a loss and they are already in the $200-$300 range. If hardware companies are selling the Steam Box as an item and are not profitting from games sold or license fees, wouldn't the cost of the Steam Box be driven up drastically. Any higher than the $300 mark and you are already rivaling low-end PCs.

Upgrades, Upgrades, and Upgrades
PCs can be hooked up to a TV as an external display. PCs can use controllers, fightpads, headsets, mice+keyboards. PCs have striving communities, unrivaled matchmaking, and prices that make buy 2 gets 1s look ridiculous. Yet why are consoles so popular that they have had some people screaming that "PC is dying!" for years?

It is because a home console provides a consistant experience that needs no further money or time to play every game released on it. You also know that every game released throughout the consoles lifespan will run its best on that console; not low detail, medium, or max. I know that a high-end PC will last years before needing an upgrade but as newer games are released you will slowly begin slipping from running games on full max to sub max to high until just medium again. PC games are constantly bettering themselves so how long would a system that is locked into its specs last before needing an upgrade? At that point what is the difference from having a PC hooked up to your TV and a Steam Box? Both play the same games and both require upgrades to continue to play the games on the max settings for that device.

Maybe a Steam Box is a Good Thing
If you put a PC in a console shell its still a PC. Consoles are universal items that are built to last throughout the generation for better or worse. There are never any upgrades to consoles and thats why they are popular, you simply get it and forget it. A Steam Box I purchase on release would play the games released before that and in the near future fantastically, but as time passes I would eventually need to start swapping out parts to continue to run the newer games. That right there breaks the mold on what a home console truly is and transforms into a sub-pc. Why put the money into upgrading a PC that can only be used for gaming instead of upgrading a true PC that you could then go hook up to your TV and mimic the Steam Box.

So far, a lot of negativity, but a Steam Box system may just be a good idea.

Instead of thinking of the Steam Box as its own console, think of it as a benchmark. Every computer gets rated on the Steam Box scale and lets you know what games you will be able to play and on what settings. Instead of bouncing from website to website checking GPU, CPU, and RAM specifications simply check your computers current Steam Box ranking. Figuring out if you can run Battlefield 3 on max would be a whole lot easier.

Having a Steam Box benchmark would also be great for game developers. Just as consoles set standards for developers, a set benchmark for PC would be great. Instead of vague "in this general area" of computer capabilities for developers to aim at they would have a set GPU, CPU, and RAM standard. Games would become optimized for those specific benchmarks, which may boost longevity of your PC lifespan before upgrades and increase performance.


As for now, this is just a rumor, but if Valve were to take this road I have a lot of faith in them that they would do it right.


Cheers,
Jon

The Avengers, Upcoming for Vita, Assassin's Creed 3

Hello All,

Although this doesn't have to do with video games, I thought I would share the new Avengers trailer. I've always loved Marvel, with my favorite movie of all time being Iron Man. Needless to say I'll be there for the midnight showing.

Now onto actual gaming news.

Upcoming Announcements for the Playstation Vita
Sony will be having a special webcast for the Playstation Vita titled "Welcome! Playstation Vita Game Heaven". Sony is set to reveal unannounced Vita games, release dates for previously announced games, and upcoming services. The stream will go live at 6am/3am EST/PST respectively on the Japanese Playstation site.

I would suspect there to be information on some of Sony's key franchises making their way onto the Vita and the next round of social networking apps (blogger please :D).

My predictions:

• A release date for Killzone Vita
• This game was announced at last years E3 and has been pushed to the side to focus on the Vita's launch. Now that the Vita has launched world wide Sony can put the focus on what is to come for the system. What better way to do that than with Sony's "LOOK AT THIS!" game. 
• inFAMOUS Vita
• Most of Sony's biggest franchises have all been at least announced for the Vita. There is Uncharted, Killzone, Little Big Planet, Modnation, MLB, Resistance, Unit 13(SOCOM developers). All thats left is inFAMOUS, God of War, and Ratchet and Gran Turismo. At least one of those should be announced but inFAMOUS is my personal favorite.
• Monster Hunter
• There is no doubt that Monster Hunter is insanely popular in Japan. People have been questioning where the next installment in the series is and with Monster Hunter 4 in development for the 3DS we should expect a Monster Hunter game to work its way onto the Vita in the near future.
• Final Fantasy X Release date
• Final Fantasy is another game that is extremely popular in Japan and the rest of the world. With a remake of X already announced we should expect to hear when we will be playing it wherever and whenever we want.
• Demon's/Dark Souls port (one can only hope another way to play the game)
• There is no reasoning behind this prediction besides the fact that I really, really want it. I may need a backup Vita incase I snap the thing in half.
• Yakuza
• Another popular Japanese game that should be making its way onto the Vita sometime soon. If we don't get a release date we should still find out that a game is in the works.

Check back here on the 9th for everything announced.


Assassin's Creed 3
The internet has been buzzing ever since a possible leaked image of Assassin's Creed 3 made its way onto the internet. The photo was taken from a Best Buy newsletter and shows a Native American assassin infront of the US flag (revolutionary war time frame). Throw in another leaked image that displays the Xbox 360's box art and this rumor is starting to look pretty legit.

Leaked Image from Best Buy newsletter

Leaked Assassin's Creed 3 Box Art

Be sure to check back for more information as the story develops.


Cheers,
Jon