Posts By Alex Esten

This weekend, World of Tanks: Xbox 360 Edition is free to play for all Xbox Live members, no Gold membership needed. The free weekend is rather timely, as well, …
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In a post over at Xbox Wire, Xbox Live Program Manager Micheal Dunn provided a bit more insight into the Xbox One’s Reputation system. It is designed to give …
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Earlier today, Polygon noted the Xbox One Titanfall bundle is now available at $449.99 in the Microsoft store. This discount comes after both Walmart and Best Buy dropped the …
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Earlier today, Signal Studios, creators of XBLA hit Toy Soldiers, announced an agreement with Microsoft that transferred the IP rights back to the developer. This grants it more control …
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Today at GDC 2014, Microsoft announced 25 games to be released as part of the ID@Xbox program. Major Nelson provides some further details in a blog post.

Xbox Wire released a brief rundown of the games that has been re-posted below:

• “1001 Spikes” by Nicalis – This hardcore side-scroller features precise controls and a degree of difficulty that means starting with 1001 lives is not at all a guarantee you can make it through the game! Every level is custom designed to be beaten… barely. The game also includes co-op and cutthroat multiplayer modes.
• “Calibre 10 Racing Series” by Bongfish GmbH – “Calibre 10 Racing Series” is a spiritual successor to “Harms Way.” The game is entirely multiplayer in a new experience that combines action-packed racing with fast-paced first person shooting.
• “CastleStorm” by Zen Studios – It’s Knights vs. Vikings in “CastleStorm,” a super genre mash-up of 2D physics destruction mashed with tower defense brawler! “CastleStorm” features a story-driven solo campaign, a custom castle editor, online multiplayer, co-op modes, and more.

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Well, it finally happened: someone has broken the 1,000,000 Gamerscore mark. Major Nelson offered warm congratulations to the dedicated gamer, Stallion83, through a tweet. Breaking 1 million is an …
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Last week, Undead Labs announced the second expansion to its zombie apocalypse simulation surprise hit, and recipient of XBLA Fans’ GotY 2013 award, State of Decay. The new DLC …
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Last week, Undead Labs Founder Jeff Strain sat down with Gamasutra to talk about State of Decay, where the industry is going and what Undead Labs will be doing along the way.

Strain, an industry veteran who has been involved with some monumental PC gaming endeavors, has a history of market disruption. He was instrumental in establishing Blizzard as a premiere gaming powerhouse from 1995 to 2000, during which time he turned BattleNet into a critically important multiplayer platform and the only place to play some of the highest-rated PC games ever.

Later, he founded ArenaNet with fellow Blizzard developers, releasing Guild Wars in 2005, which redefined much of what was expected in an MMO. In the subsequent years, Guild Wars saw two chapter additions, a few expansion packs and, eventually, a direct sequel in 2012. It grew to be a compelling alternative to the market leaders and, in many ways, surpassed them.

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There has certainly been a lot of “dream IP” talk coming from Telltale Games lately. A few months ago, Dan Connors and Kevin Bruner held a Reddit AMA where the discussion inevitably swung to their top choices for a licensed property. Fans also chimed in with Firefly, Star Wars, and Indiana Jones.

In a recent interview with OXM, Telltale co-founder and president Kevin Bruner expressed his aggravation with James Bond games that misrepresented the super spy as a “mass murderer.” He is a long-time diehard fan and if Telltale were able to play in the Bond universe, it seems Bruner has quite a few ideas.

However, we would slightly disagree with some of Bruner’s take on Bond. The character, even in his quieter moments, has always been fairly ruthless. The early Fleming novels could be very, very cold and the best Bond film portrayals often walked that line between heroically sinister and emotionally empty.

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Magic 2014: Duels of the Planeswalkers Deck Pack 3 was recently released January 8, 2014 on Xbox Live Arcade for $2.99, and Joystiq posted details of the pack, which …
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