Octodad: Dadliest Catch has sold 459,735 units since launching in January last year, Young Horses has announced. Around 150,000 of them were sold on PS4.
Overall, the game earned a gross revenue of $4,902,945 and generated over 200 million Let's Play video views. The majority of people didn't seem interested in finishing the game, however, with only 37 per cent of players completing the story.
For the full list of stats, take a look at the infographic below.
Tesco has cut the price of an 8GB Wii U to £99 – the first time the console has been available for less than £100 from a major UK retailer.
While the reduction doesn't mark an official price cut, it does add weight to reports stating that Nintendo had cut the cost price of the console late last year.
Back in December, MCV reported that the cost price of an 8GB Wii U had been reduced by £70 in an attempt to "clear out" existing stock. Nintendo does not set the retail price for hardware in the UK, with the price instead determined by retailers themselves.
The Basic 8GB Wii U pack usually retails for around £149.99.
The more expensive 32GB Wii U does not appear to have received any major discounting, however, with the Mario Kart 8 Premium Pack still available at Tesco for £199.
A start date for Battlefield Hardline's open beta will be announced tomorrow, Visceral has confirmed.
The announcement follows rumours earlier this week suggesting that the beta is due to go live next Tuesday, February 3.
Once it goes live, the beta will be open to all users on Xbox One, PS4, PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, and allow players to try out two multiplayer modes - Conquest and Hotwire - ahead of the full game's release on March 20.
You might also get the chance to revisit Heist, the multiplayer mode featured in last year's closed beta, although EA has yet to confirm whether Battlefield 4 players reached the requirement set out during last week's Community Mission.
"Listening and responding to the feedback - whether it's from the beta, events, various feedback sessions with the world's most influential and hardcore Battlefield players - have helped us fine tune the game in many ways," said executive producer Steve Papoutsis. "We've made bigger changes like re-shaping Heist mode, tweaking progression and the UI to name a few. But we've also focused on the 'small' things. As you'll see in the dev diary video [below], gameplay aspects like visual recoil have been perfected thanks to your input.
"During the upcoming beta, we expect to get even more useful intel for the final touches before launch (starting March 17). You can still make a difference, especially when it comes to those 'small things' that we might be able to fine tune for launch or shortly after."
Visceral revealed the full line-up of multiplayer maps included in Battlefield Hardline last week.
Frontier Developments has announced Coaster Park Tycoon, a new theme park management sim heading to PC in 2016.
However, the new IP's reveal was joined by confirmation that the developer would be cutting 15 jobs in the UK as it shifts development roles from its Halifax, Nova Scotia branch over to its Cambridge studio.
"With its business emphasis now on two major self-published franchises, Elite: Dangerous and Coaster Park Tycoon, Frontier is re-focusing its development activities in Cambridge where the expertise in these franchises lies," Frontier said.
"Development roles are being moved from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Cambridge, and the overall staffing mix will be changed to match the needs of these two projects. 15 content creation roles have been made redundant in Cambridge (from 281 total headcount), while Frontier continues to recruit in areas such as game and technology programming, server and web front end development."
While little is known about Coaster Park Tycoon, the developer hopes that the game will "raise that benchmark for 'Tycoon' gameplay even further by combining accessible creative features with a sophisticated simulation".
The game will be self-published by Frontier.
Frontier previously developed titles in the RollerCoaster Tycoon series, including RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 and expansion packs 'Soaked' and 'Wild'. It is currently putting the finishing touches to Xbox One's spiritual successor Screamride.
"Coaster Park games appeal to a great many people, as proven by RollerCoaster Tycoon 3," said chief creative officer Jonny Watts. "It is a field for which Frontier has unparalleled expertise and immense passion, and one to which we have long wanted to make a ‘no-holds-barred’ return. We want Coaster Park Tycoon to be another major step forward for the simulation genre, and sit alongside Elite: Dangerous as a second major self-published franchise."
A new game in the RollerCoaster Tycoon series, RollerCoaster Tycoon 4, is also in development at Atari for release on PC later this year.
Don Bradman Cricket 14 for PS4 and Xbox One will launch in the UK on February 13, one day later than its debut in Australia and New Zealand, HES has announced.
The release date applies to both the retail and digital versions of the game.
The new-gen port looks to retain all the features found in the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, including dynamic time of day, pitch degradation and an online save system that lets you continue your multiplayer match where you left off.
The game launched for PS3 and Xbox 360 back in April 2014. A PC version followed in June.
Quantic Dream is developing a remastered version of 2005 murder mystery Fahrenheit, Amazon has revealed.
A listing for Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered was spotted on the retailer's website by NeoGAF earlier today, with the game allegedly due to release on PC next Thursday, January 29.
It isn't yet clear whether the game will release on any other platforms, although Amazon's listing suggests it could be getting a mobile release, too.
The remastered version is said to include updated HD graphics and let players "switch between the updated visuals and the original art assets with the touch of a button".
"All of the in-game textures have been meticulously recreated in HD for mobile and desktop," the listing adds, with the new version also said to feature scenes originally cut from the North American release.
"Guilt is a chilling feeling...," the listing says. "Originally released in 2005, Fahrenheit (known as Indigo Prophecy in North America) was a breakthrough in interactive narrative, teetering between the worlds of cinema and gaming while also embracing them, carving its own unique genre in the entertainment landscape.
"This newly remastered edition features updated graphics, full controller support AND is based on the uncut/uncensored international version of the game. With a rich multilayered narrative, innovative presentation, and a chilling musical score by famed Hollywood composer Angelo Badalementi, Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered serves as the definitive version of the supernatural murder mystery and (re)introduces the groundbreaking title to old and new fans alike."
Key Upgrades:
Written and directed by David Cage, Fahrenheit first released on PC, PS2 and Xbox in 2005, prior to the release of Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls.
Amazon's listing follows shortly after the discovery of achillingfeeling.com, a website believed to be linked to Fahrenheit. Now the cat's out the bag, expect Quantic Dream to make a formal announcement soon.
Want to see how the remaster looks? Head through here to see the first screenshots.
DayZ has sold over 3 million units since launching on Steam Early Access, Bohemia Interactive has announced.
"We would like to say thank you to every single one of the three million players, that have joined us on the journey of making DayZ," commented project lead David Durcak. "You all have helped make DayZ the best open world, zombie survival game. This is an amazing achievement, and we are really looking forward to start sharing with you all of our game design improvements, anti-hack solutions and other optimizations we have been working on for a majority of the last year."
DayZ launched in Early Access in December 2013, with 24 updates having rolled out since the game's initial launch.
A number of updates are also planned for release this year, including the introduction of a new UI, diseases, dynamic events, a new physics system and animal companions.
A beta release is expected later in the year, with a console version also in development. Over 80 people are now said to be working on the project.
DayZ's original creator Dean Hall left Bohemia last year to start his own studio RocketWerkz.
The Trials Fusion Online Multiplayer update is now available as a free download, Ubisoft has announced. Up to eight players can compete on PS4, Xbox One and PC, whilst up to four players can compete on Xbox 360.
New modes include:
Online X-Supercross mode: up to eight players compete on three random tracks, with one winner selected based on the highest score.
Private Game mode: up to eight players pick which track they want to race on and can customise the race’s parameters with options including track gravity, bike’s speed and bike control.
Private Game with Spectator: Players looking to watch online multiplayer can select the track and parameters for the race and invite eight other players to ride so they can watch the race. These matches can also be broadcasted using streaming platforms.
Online Multiplayer will also include a global leaderboard for Online X-Supercross times and record holders.
Ubisoft has also confirmed that the Fire in Deep DLC pack will launch on January 27. The DLC features 11 new tracks, five new achievements and trophies to unlock, 27 new track challenges and lots of new editor objects.
The content is free to Season Pass holders, and £3.99 to everyone else.
Alien Isolation has sold over 1 million units worldwide since launching in October, Creative Assembly has announced.
Despite its critical success, however, sales of the first-person horror have been slower than that of 2013's Aliens: Colonial Marines, which sold 1.31 million units within its first 7 weeks on sale.
UPDATE: SEGA has reached out to VideoGamer.com to clarify that Aliens: Colonial Marines' 1.31m figure represents units sold-in to retailers, while Alien Isolation's 1 million milestone represents units sold through to consumers.
"It has been fantastic to watch the reviews come in and read of the reactions of players, hidden in the bowels of Sevastopol Station, terrified to make the next move," said creative lead Alistair Hope. "We set out to make the Alien game we had always wanted to play and from these figures it seems we also succeeded in making the Alien game another million wanted to play. We hope many more gamers enjoy Alien: Isolation in 2015."
While plans for the series' future have yet to be confirmed, lead game designer Gary Napper said last month that talk of a sequel was a "daily topic" at the developer.
"People have their own ideas for where it should go, our writers have some solid concepts and yes, we do have a great opportunity to continue [Amanda Ripley's] story," he said.
"If we made a sequel I would like to stick to the same terrifying single Alien approach but do more with the environment and interactivity within it."
Robert Bowling's development studio Robotoki has closed.
Bowling confirmed the news in a statement to Joystiq, adding that the studio's closure had forced development of Human Element to be put "on hiatus".
"This week we have ceased operations at Robotoki and the development of Human Element is on hiatus," Bowling told the site. "We were actively negotiating a new publishing deal for the premium version of Human Element but unfortunately I was unable to continue to self-fund development until a deal was finalized."
Human Element had originally been due to launch as a free-to-play title published by Nexon this November. However, Bowling announced at the end of last year that Nexon and Robotoki had ended their partnership after the game was changed to a "premium experience".
Bowling opened Robotoki in 2012 having previously worked as Call of Duty's creative strategist at Infinity Ward.
Human Element was given its first public reveal during last month's Game Awards, with the game expected to be a post-apocalyptic 5v5 hero shooter. It isn't clear how many staff were employed by Robotoki.
Borderlands: The Handsome Collection, featuring the entirety of Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel games, will launch for PS4 and Xbox One on March 27, 2015, 2K and Gearbox have announced.
The games have been "built specifically for next-gen consoles," says 2K, and promise "the absolute highest performance and highest fidelity graphics for any Borderlands game ever played on a video game console".
The new versions will also feature four-player split-screen for the first time in the Borderlands franchise, whilst existing saves on PS3/Vita and Xbox 360 will transfer to the Handsome Collection within the same console family.
All available add-on content will also come bundled in the package. As you can see in the list below, that's a considerable amount of content.
Borderlands 2 DLC
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
The two upcoming Pre-Sequel add-ons will be detailed very soon. All this will be yours for £49.99.
If you want even more Borderlands then you should keep an eye out for the Claptrap-in-a-Box Edition, available for $399/£269.95 in a limited run of only 5,000 units worldwide. This set features a remote-controlled Claptrap steward robot controlled via the CaptrApp iOS and Android app.
The remote controlled Claptrap includes the following features:
The special edition also includes 12 exclusive Vault Hunter lithographs as well as a collectible steel case.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories writer and designer Sam Barlow has revealed Her Story, a crime fiction game featuring non-linear storytelling that sees players investigating the disappearance of a woman's husband.
The upcoming game gives players access to a police database of archived video footage covering seven interviews from 1994, and sees them typing search queries to return clips of the answers.
The game stars Viva Seifert, actress and one half of the band Joe Gideon & The Shark.
"If you can Google, you can play Her Story," says Barlow. "The mechanic of searching for clips in the database is so simple that anyone can pick up and play. But it's a mechanic that quickly reveals its richness and complexity.
"At times it can feel like you're engaged in a genuine dialogue with this woman and her story. It's a unique way to interact with a narrative, a sculptural way of viewing a story - and something that can only be done interactively."
He added: "We're in a Golden Age of videogame creativity right now, with people redefining daily what a videogame looks like and what kind of stories a videogame can tell. It's exciting to be part of that and I can't wait to share Her Story with an audience hungry for new experiences."
Her Story is planned for release early this year on PC, Mac and iOS. A Steam Greenlight campaign is also now live.
Thanks to Xenta we've got a Xenta Folding Gaming Chair up for grabs.
The chair is designed to enhance your gaming experience though its ergonomic design and built-in speakers. Get the full details below.
First off, the stylish black body and red trim design make it look like it means business. The folding factor then delivers a level of practicality to complement the contemporary aesthetic. When you're done, simply fold it in two and tuck it away. Simple.
Far more than just a place to park your behind, the chair is designed to prolong your gaming sessions by being supportive and breathable with a rounded base that allows you to rock and reel with every blow, swipe and shot.
The chair truly comes into its own when you make use of its connectivity. Hook it up to the mains and your console for immersive surround sound courtesy of the built-in speakers. You can even connect up several chairs for an added dimension of multiplayer madness.
Features
We're offering readers two chances to enter, meaning if you enter using both methods you'll have two entries in the prize draw.
Entry 1: Simply follow @VideoGamerCom and retweet this tweet.
Entry 2: Leave a message in the comments section below. To comment you'll need to be a VideoGamer.com member, but this is free and also brings a range of other rewards including being eligible for our Member of the Month competition which rewards three members with a free game each month.
A winner will be chosen at random from all the entries.
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The PS4 version of Saints Row 4: Re-Elected runs at native 1080p with an unlocked frame rate, according to pixel-counting experts Digital Foundry.
The game is said to cap the frame rate at 30fps during cutscenes, however.
The unlocked framerate means that the PS4 remaster can reach 60fps during gameplay, but, according to DF's report, often sits somewhere between 30-40fps.
The fluctuation in frame rate can create "a jerky experience that feels distinctly uneven to play", the site says.
"Beyond a handful of subtle changes to artwork and lighting, upgrades in other areas are kept to a bare minimum, with some effects actually downgraded compared to the existing PC game running with the highest settings enabled," the report adds.
"Texture filtering is poorly handled on the PS4, with markings and general detail becoming blurred at a distance. This actually reduces the impact of surface shaders across wet roads and specular reflections, making the city of Steel Port appear less striking under certain weather conditions. Elsewhere, ambient occlusion appears to be dialled back in strength from the PC release, and depth of field is absent, despite its implementation on the Xbox 360 and PS3."
The PS4 and Xbox One versions of Saints Row 4: Re-Elected were both developed by The Conduit developer High Voltage Software rather than original developer Volition.
The Xbox One version has yet to be tested.
Saints Row 4: Re-Elected launches this Friday, January 23 alongside standalone expansion Gat Out of Hell. Check back soon for our review.
DriveClub's free Japan DLC will release this Monday, January 19, Evolution has announced.
The free download includes five new tracks set within the new location, and are expected to be playable within Single Events, Challenges and Multiplayer.
Then, between January 27-29, DriveClub's fifth expansion pack 'Apex' will release, introducing a selection of new cars and Tour events built around the Japanese tracks. Cars revealed so far include the Jaguar C-X75 Concept, Enzo Ferrari, Caterham R500 Superlight and Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Centennial Edition.
A price for the expansion pack has yet to be confirmed.
A new video featuring one of the five new circuits 'Takahagi Hills' was released earlier today. Take a look at it below.
505 Games has acquired the Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons IP from Starbreeze for $500,000 (£330,804). The deal grants 505 Games ownership of the game as well as related trademarks and domain names.
505 Games says that the acquisition "reflects 505 Games' stated strategy of owning and controlling its own IP, and, moreover, IP that can contribute something meaningful to the world of interactive entertainment."
"The sale represents our final transition to the digital strategy," added Starbreeze CEO Bo Andersson Klint. "With Brothers we've created a strong and critically acclaimed IP, which we now feel can be best nurtured under a new owner."
505 has yet to announce its plans for the future of Brothers, but a sequel seems likely.
If a new game is green-lit, however, don't expect it to be headed up by the original game's director Josef Fares. Fares left Starbreeze to open his own development studio Hazelight last year, with its first title due to be published by EA.
"Brothers will continue to generate awe and admiration for the great storytelling standard Josef Fares set under 505 Games watchful eye," Klint added.
Hard Mode for Destiny's Crota's End raid will begin on Wednesday, January 21 at approximately 6pm GMT, Bungie has announced.
Players can access the raid by selecting the activity in your Director and choosing the new difficulty mode. The launch of Hard Mode also sees the introduction of level 33 as the new target to beat.
"I can't give you a playbook for how to end Crota this time," wrote Bungie community manager Deej. "You don't need my help, anyway. If you've experienced Hard Mode in Vault of Glass, you have some clues for how we can scale up a Raid. Prepare to take better care of your teammates. You'll have fewer options for healing yourself, and each other. The enemies you're about to face are stronger and more prone to temper tantrums. Be brave!"
As you'd expect Hard Mode comes with a host of new loot.
"Hard Mode beckons with treasures all its own," adds Deej. "We reserved some coveted rewards for the best raiders among you. Killing Crota will give you all a fighting chance to earn them."
WEAPONS
Primary Weapons of every variety can be plundered from the Hellmouth. Each has the potential to reach Maximum Attack of 331:
Hard Mode is also the only place to obtain Crux of Crota, which is the final piece needed to upgrade the Eidolon Ally, transforming it into the Necrochasmic.
In addition you'll be able to get yours hands on new ship, Bane of the Dark Gods, and a new Hard Mode exclusive colour palette for your gear called Glowhoo.
Microsoft hopes to make Windows 10 "the best operating system we've ever created for gamers on PCs", with functionality said to have been inspired by the company's work on Xbox.
Teasing Microsoft's plans for the upcoming OS in a video released last night, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said that he was "excited to be talking" about PC gaming at next week's Windows 10 event, before moving to assure Xbox fans that the company will "remain committed to gaming on console".
"For the Xbox team this is the beginning of our discussion with fans about the work that we're doing to bring gaming to the Windows 10 operating system," he said. "It's really nice to finally get to be able to talk about this. We'll continue the conversation throughout the year.
"We remain committed to gaming on console but we know that we have fans and gamers that also play on PC and phone, and it's important that we build out the features that we have, learning from what we've done on console and helping make Windows 10 the best operating system we've ever created for gamers on PCs."
Windows 10 is due to launch later this year with an event revealing Microsoft's plans for the operating system due to be held next Wednesday, January 21.
The PS4 release of Journey isn't "too far off", the game's original developer thatgamecompany has teased.
"Tricky Pixels is still working on the port, and [a release date] won't be announced until it's been completed, but it's not too far off," thatgamecompany tweeted earlier this week.
Sony originally announced that Journey would arrive on PS4 last year.
We contacted the platform holder earlier this month to try and find out the reason for the game's delay, but have yet to receive a response.
The PS4 version is said to run in 1080p "at or near 60fps".
Turtle Rock co-founder Phil Robb has responded to fans upset with the company's DLC plans for Evolve after it was revealed that players would be able to purchase multiple new skins, hunters and monsters shortly after launch.
"A lot of folks seem to be under the impression that we've got all this content done and we shave off a hunk to sell separately," Robb said, reacting to complaints on the game's official forums. "That just isn't the case.
"When Evolve hits the shelves, none of the DLC will be done. Behemoth won't be done. None of the planned DLC hunters or monsters will be done. The only exception to this might be some skins that were working on now while we wait for all the final stages of packaging, manufacturing etc. to finish."
The developer would have included the additional content in the initial release had it had time to "put them in box", Robb adds. But rather than "throw them all out, why not put together a budget to make them as DLC?"
"If we thought we could have finished all those monsters and hunters for ship we would have put them in the box," he continued. "(Keep in mind, we pretty much have to have the game done about 2-3 months before it's available to you guys...we can keep fixing bugs and such, but content is locked.) The bundles that include 4th and 5th monsters, hunters, etc., just mean that when they are done and we put 'em out, you get 'em.
"Hunters and monsters are a pretty big undertaking, they cost a lot of money and time to make. We're hoping that once people see how much new hunters and monsters bring to the game that they'll feel like they got their money's worth.
"As we got closer to finishing Evolve we ended up with designs for a bunch of monster and hunters that we just didn't have the time and money to make. Instead of throw them all out, why not put together a budget to make them as DLC? Means more content for the people who love the game and want more. It also means all those ideas get to see the light of day. Oh yeah, and it means more work for TRS and we can keep paying our bills and making cool stuff!"
Turtle Rock revealed some of its plans for DLC earlier this week, confirming that players would be able to purchase new hunters via a Season Pass, and that additional monsters were in development too.
A Monster Expansion Pack is also available for free to pre-order customers offering access to the Behemoth monster and Savage Goliath Skin.
All additional maps and game modes will be released for free.
"Our number one rule for DLC is never split the community. Never," Robb continued. "So we worked it out so that any DLC maps are free, any new game modes are free. Then, recognizing that not everyone wants to buy DLC, we made sure that even if you didn't purchase any of the paid content, you could still play with people who did! So if I buy a new monster or hunter, and you don't, we can still play together. You may not want to buy it, but your original purchase of the game will be enhanced by it anyway because you can still get into games with people who wanted to buy them. Hell, you can even set the DLC characters and monsters up as opponents in solo games.
"Boom! Your game experience is enhanced, no purchase necessary. Obviously, we hope you like the DLC enough to buy it, but no hard feelings if not. We're still happy that you bought Evolve!
"And NO, we won't be purposely making DLC hunters and monster overpowered to make people feel like they HAVE to buy them to stay competitive. We plan to keep things as balanced as possible for as long as people are playing the game."
Evolve launches on PS4, Xbox One and PC on February 10, with an open beta kicking off on Xbox One today.
Japan is being added to DriveClub for free later this month, Evolution has confirmed.
The previously-leaked DLC will be included in a free update rolling out to all users later this month and include a variety of additional courses set within the country.
Evolution released a video showing one of the new tracks, Nakasendo, in action last night.
"[Nakasendo is] an epic point-to-point drive offering plenty of wide open sections for high speed overtaking and looooong switchbacks where you can get your drift on," said the developer.
"Along with our own research and gameplay data analysis, your input has been a big help in shaping all of the tracks we're developing for Japan. Especially the many, many requests for an epic point-to-point like this and for wider tracks to make fighting for position less frustrating, particularly in online races."
Additional cars, including the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Centennial Edition, will also be available as part of an upcoming expansion pack.
Sony reduced the price of DriveClub's PS Plus Upgrade to £19.99 yesterday, offering the full game to PS Plus owners at almost half the usual price.
I also went back and re-reviewed DriveClub earlier in the day, and after months of trouble found that the vast majority of its launch issues had finally been fixed.
Milestone's new superbike IP RIDE will release on PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on March 20, Pqube has announced.
RIDE includes over 100 bikes from across 4 different categories – Superbikes, Supersports, Naked and Historical Bikes – and allows players to race them across numerous circuits set throughout the countryside and city streets.
Pqube also claims that the game will offer "unprecedented levels of vehicle and rider customisation, presenting players with a vast array of options to keep gameplay fresh and exhilarating over the long term".
The first gameplay footage of RIDE appeared online last year showing a tour around Italian mountain range Stelvio.
The New Nintendo 3DS will release in North America on Friday, February 13, according to a leaked marketing poster allegedly from GameStop.
An image of the poster first appeared on NeoGAF, but is since reported to have been verified by "sources inside GameStop" to Ars Technica.
The posters will allegedly be displayed in stores later today – presumably following an official release date announcement during today's Nintendo Direct.
Interestingly, the poster only features a date for the New Nintendo 3DS XL - not the New Nintendo 3DS. Could the two models be due to launch on different dates?
Select European fans were invited to purchase a New Nintendo 3DS ahead of launch last week, although an official European release date has yet to be confirmed.
Expect to learn much more in just over one hour's time.
Check out the brand new trailer for Call of Duty Advanced Warfare's first DLC Pack Havoc, featuring Hollywood stars John Malkovich and Bill Paxton.
Havoc includes four new multiplayer maps, access to the versatile AE4 directed energy assault rifle, the AE4 Widowmaker custom variant, plus a new Zombies cooperative mode called Exo Zombies.
Exo Zombies features a story told through the eyes of four employees of the Atlas corporation, played John Malkovich, Bill Paxton, Rose McGowan and Jon Bernthal.
"We're looking forward to playing the new DLC content with fans. The response to Advanced Warfare has been amazing and the creativity and gameplay variety of the content coming in Havoc is more exciting than ever," said Michael Condrey, co-founder and studio head, Sledgehammer Games.
Havoc's four new locations are:
Core: Deploy to the Gobi desert where the ravaged ruins of a nuclear fusion plant set the stage for a high-octane warzone. Take down enemies through the wreckage in long-range combat or get up-close and personal in the tunnels surrounding the central turbine. Activate decontamination drones using the map-based scorestreak to help clean out the competition.
Urban: Prepare yourself for brutal, high-speed combat in Dallas Ward 3, a future mega structure, funneling players into a close-quarters free-for-all. This modular compound's verticality unleashes the exoskeleton's capabilities. Stay focused during the timed event as blast doors alter the map's flow and sightlines.
Sideshow: In the shadow of Devil's Tower, Wyoming, this abandoned inn's open layout amplifies its creep factor. Blast your way through the clown inn with close-quarters battles or use long-range site-lines from the mining facilities and natural terrain. Use the map-based scorestreak to activate the lights, music, and magic of the clown marquee and rain down a barrage of rainbow smoke-trailed cannonballs.
Drift: An idyllic ski resort high in the Rocky Mountains is transformed into a festive high-altitude playground, perfect for an all-out firefight. Make your way to the highly contested over watch in the glass observation deck or take a ride on the carousel to deliver 360 degrees of carnage. Players can use the map-altering timed event to their advantage as an avalanche of snow and debris disorients players, intensifying the battle.
Havoc will launch for other formats at a later date.
Prison break game The Escapists will release on Xbox One on February 13, Team 17 has announced.
The Xbox One launch marks the first time the game will be available to purchase on console, having previously been available on Steam Early Access.
The Escapists sees players plotting their escape from six unique prisons, crafting items to help them start prison riots or dig their way out unnoticed.
"The Escapists is a hilarious and truly captivating game that I personally backed on Kickstarter and have followed from the start," said Team 17 managing director Debbie Bestwick.
"Since forming a partnership with Chris, the creator, back in February 2014, the game has gone on to win awards and has received fantastic critical acclaim through its current Early Access release. The work gone in from Mouldy Toof and Team17 on co-developing The Escapists is a great example of how our Indie Partnership Publishing Program works."
A price for the Xbox One release has yet to be announced.
Heroes of the Storm's technical alpha is being taken offline to let Blizzard apply a sizeable update ahead of tonight's closed beta, the developer has announced.
The improvements to the game have been discussed in a new video featuring Blizzard's Kevin Johnson, who highlights the improved tutorial and the addition of ranked play as part of the hero league - accessible to level 30 players.
A new draft mode is also being introduced giving players the option to take turns picking heroes prior to entering a match.
You'll find more details on the update in the video below.
Look out for the beta to go live at around 7pm GMT.
It's a new year and Nintendo has promised to make "new announcements" tomorrow during its first Nintendo Direct broadcast of 2015.
Hosted by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata and Nintendo of Europe president Satoru Shibata, the broadcast will reveal new info on 3DS and Wii U releases due this spring.
The timing of the broadcast could also indicate that Nintendo is ready to announce release plans for the New Nintendo 3DS models for Europe and North America.
Tune in at 2pm GMT tomorrow to find out.
The minimum and recommended system requirements for 2K's Evolve on PC have been revealed, and thankfully you won't need a monster rig to run the game.
Minimum system requirements:
OS: Windows 7 64-bit
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
INTEL CPU: Core 2 Duo E6600
AMD CPU: Athlon 64 X2 6400
SYSTEM RAM: 4GB
NVIDIA VIDEO CARD: GeForce GTX 560
ATI VIDEO CARD: Radeon HD 5770
VIDEO MEMORY: 1GB
HARD DRIVE: 50GB
Recommended system requirements:
OS: Windows 7 64-bit
RECOMMENDED REQUIREMENTS:
INTEL CPU: Core i7-920
AMD CPU: A8-3870K
SYSTEM RAM: 6GB
NVIDIA VIDEO CARD: GeForce GTX 670 or GTX 760
ATI VIDEO CARD: Radeon R9 280
VIDEO MEMORY: 2GB
HARD DRIVE: 50GB
You can also use the Nvidia GPU Analyzer to make sure your PC is up to the job of running Evolve.
PC gamers will be able to tweak the visuals to ensure they get the best performance possible by adjusting the following settings:
2K has also confirmed that those with the system to do it will be able to run the game in 4K resolution. SLI support isn't, however, included from day one, but the developers at Turtle Rock have been working to implement support as soon as possible.
Evolve launches on PC, Xbox One and PS4 on February 10.
Xbox One owners who pre-purchase a digital copy of Evolve from the Xbox Store will be granted immediate access to the Wraith monster, plus hunters Parnell, Abe, Caira, and Cabot in the imminent beta.
Be aware that you will be charged immediately when pre-purchasing from the Xbox Games Store.
The Evolve beta begins this Thursday, January 15 on Xbox One.
Furthermore, this bonus will be carried over to the full game when it launches on February 10.
The digital bonus comes in addition to the regular pre-order reward of the Monster Expansion Pack, which includes a fourth monster and the Savage Goliath Skin. 2K says the pack will be sold for $14.99 to those who don't pre-order.
A new mod for the PC version of Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes has enabled players to tackle the stealth action title from a first-person viewpoint.
-Pao's FPS Mod delivers a surprisingly decent attempt at turning a third-person experience into first-person, but it's certainly no GTA 5 first-person mode.
Check the video below from YouTuber BenBlatcher, who notes that picking up items is a little odd and that some of the weapons look bizarre. That said, the new perspective does mean players can no longer look around corners, bringing a new dimension to the stealth gameplay.
Nintendo has invited a second wave of fans to purchase the New Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Edition ahead of the console's release later this year, according to online reports.
Multiple members of NeoGAF claim to have received an email inviting them to purchase the handheld this evening following an initial wave of emails earlier this week.
The New Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Edition bundle contains the new console along with exclusive Ambassador Edition cover plates, Super Smash Bros. cover plates and a charging cradle for £179.99.
Check the email inbox associated with your Club Nintendo account to see if you've been invited.
The New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL launches in Europe later this year. A precise release date has yet to be announced.
A number of Destiny Crota's End exploits will be fixed in a game update set to release as soon as Tuesday, January 13, Bungie has announced.
The Crota's End raid was introduced with the paid The Dark Below expansion in December.
The fixes should prevent players from being able to complete the first half of Crota's End on their own, when in fact they should be part of a six-person fireteam.
Crota's End – Updates
Pit Encounter
Bridge Encounter
Deathsinger Encounter
Crota Encounter
In addition, Bungie said that Crota's End hard mode is coming very soon.
"Hard Mode for Crota's End is going through the final few stages of deployment," explains Bungie. "It's almost ready. As soon as we have a concrete date to share, we'll set it in stone so you can assemble your crew for that first run, or so you can find the time to tune into the streams and vicariously witness the madness and make note of the new and necessary strategy updates.
"We're not going to spoil any hard mode surprises here. You'll need to learn a new trick or two, but given your past performances, we're pretty sure plenty of you will find a way to come out on top and earn some shiny new trophies to take with you on your next adventure."
The Bungie Weekly Update also confirms that Iron Banner is set to return next week, running from January 13 to 19.