11 years ago
Xbox One and Windows 10 continue to grow together
Yesterday at GDC Phil Spencer shone more light on how Xbox Live and Windows 10 will be further brought together when Windows 10 launches later this year. The biggest announcement in regards to the union of the two services is the Windows Universal App Platform. This new Platform means that a developer can build one project to target multiple devices with what appears to be relative ease. Hopefully this means that there will be more PC ports to the Xbox One and vice versa. An additional benefit of the Windows Universal App Platform is that players will soon be getting a cross-buy feature, meaning that games that choose to opt-in to the program will only require a single purchase on one platform and the ability to play on both will be unlocked.
The Xbox Live SDK will also be making its way over to Windows 10 which means that we should be seeing more cross-platform play between Xbox One and Windows 10. The first example of this is Motiga’s first game, Gigantic, a new MOBA that will allow players on Xbox One to face-off against their friends on Windows 10. Another game that will be making it’s way over from PC is Elite Dangerous; it will be launching at some point during the summer as a timed console exclusive. It seems that players of both platforms will be playing in the same galaxy and their actions will affect the world for each other but no concrete word as of yet on if players of different platforms will be able to play with and against one another.
The ID@Xbox Program will also be making it’s way over to Windows 10, which should lead to only greater games for everyone and even more cross-buy opportunities. For those curious about what this means for players check out the video below to see just how many games and developers are already taking advantage of all the new tools at their disposal.
11 years ago
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood coming in May
Today Bethesda announced Wolfenstein: The Old Blood, a standalone prequel to MachineGame’s Wolfenstein: The New Order. Taking place in an alternate-history 1496, the game will yet again follow BJ Blazkowicz in his bloody fight against the Nazis.
The game will tell two interconnected stories, told across eight chapters. Rudi Jäger and the Den of Wolves has Blazkowicz infiltrating the infamous Castle Wolfenstein in order to find the coordinates of General Deathshead’s compound. The search for the coordinates continues in The Dark Secrets of Helga Von Schabbs, in which our hero finds the city of Wolfburg where a Nazi archeologist is searching for ancient artifacts that hold dark powers.
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood will launch May 5 on Xbox One for $19.99. The first gameplay footage will be revealed at PAX East this weekend, and will be streamed on Twitch. Until then, you can check out the announcement trailer after the jump.
Source: Bethesda Blog
11 years ago
Compulsion Games unveil We Happy Few and PAX plans
Compulsion Games have announced their next game, We Happy Few, with an announcement trailer that can be seen below. After their work on Contrast, they have decided to take a new approach to their development cycle. This time they want fans to start playing the game as soon as possible so that they can start collecting feedback and then utilize it to improve the game. Which would also explain why they announced that the game will be playable at PAX East for all who want to stop by and check it out, Booth #6216.
There’s no time frame for a release date yet since the game is still quite early on in development so the announcement trailer and some new artwork will have to hold us over until Compulsion Games decides to reveal new information.
11 years ago
Microsoft says it’s not afraid to experiment with ID@Xbox
In a recently published feature, XBLA Fans explored multiplayer sports/platformer game #IDARB‘s path to release — for free. As part of our reporting for that piece we spoke with ID@Xbox Director Chris Charla about Microsoft’s newfound willingness to give independent Xbox developers as many game codes as they want.
According to some Xbox Live Arcade developers XBLA Fans has interviewed over the years, the console holder wasn’t always so forthcoming with game codes. It wasn’t the only complaint developers had, either. While there was nothing quite like Xbox Live Arcade when the Xbox 360 first launched in November of 2005, the competition quickly caught on and, in some cases, surpassed the OG of indie game stores with arguably more developer-friendly offerings. Droves of high-profile XBLA developers spoke out against the platform and turned their affection toward Steam, mobile and/or the PlayStation Network in XBLA’s twilight years.
Despite a growing public perception that Microsoft was sitting back and letting this happen while the PlayStation Network became the new place for indies to be on consoles, Charla told us that wasn’t case. Redmond was listening for suggestions as to how it might iterate on XBLA and create a new indie environment with more modern solutions.
“When we started ID@Xbox, well, actually way before we started it, we went [on] a huge listening tour and talked (and listened) to more than fifty studios about what we were doing right and wrong in terms of how we were working with independent developers,” recalled Charla. “ID@Xbox really grew directly out of those conversations. I think XBLA was rad, it was revolutionary, but I also think there was a period where the market changed and we needed to change with it. That’s really where ID@Xbox came from.”
11 years ago
Payday 2: Crimewave Edition coming this June
Payday 2: Crimewave Edition will be coming to the Xbox One this June courtesy of 505 Games and OVERKILL. The game will come bundled with over a year’s worth of DLC, including The Big Bank Heist and the first female character, Clover. It will also include all of the updates in the last year to Payday 2. Not to mention the usually expected next-gen upgrades of 1080p resolution, better framerate, etc.
The game will be available for pre-order digitally at a 25 percent discount and will also come with the Hard Time Loot Bag. This special pre-order bonus will unlock numerous digital cosmetic bonuses, plus in-game cash to get new players started. A more specific list of the bonuses as well as the new announcement trailer can be seen below.
11 years ago
LA Cops arrive on Xbox One on March 13
Joining the fray of games being released in March is LA Cops, a ’70s-based top-down shooters featuring six playable cops with mustaches and aviator glasses cleaning up the mean streets of LA. Players take control of two different cops at the same time and handle the duties of law enforcement in 13 different levels of gameplay with up to five different upgradable unique weapons.
Let the bad guys know that LA Cops are on the case on March 13.
Take a look at the groovy trailer below.
11 years ago
Fruit Ninja Kinect 2 slices more fruit on Xbox One on March 18
Get ready to slice and dice more fruit.
Fruit Ninja Kinect 2 hopes to build on the success that its predecessor had with a bigger and better experience. The game will feature five new game modes, four-player multiplayer and a new progression system that allows players to earn new blades, dojos and belts as challenges are completed. A brand new set of characters named Katsuro, Mari, Han and Nobu lead the way through the Blueberry Moon Festival. Players will be dodging shurikens, avoiding spot lights and cutting up forests of bamboo on their way to being a champion of stealth.
Halfbrick Studios CEO Shainiel Deo had this to say about Fruit Ninja Kinect 2: “This is the most satisfying, complete and accessible party game ever created. The new Kinect sensor makes a world of difference, and Fruit Ninja Kinect 2 has been built from the ground up to take full advantage of the latest hardware.”
The sequel to the Xbox Live Arcade classic Fruit Ninja Kinect is making its way exclusively to Xbox One on March 18 for $14.99.
Check out Fruit Ninja Kinect 2‘s live action trailer after the jump.
11 years ago
Roundabout review (Xbox One)
Roundabout was developed and published by No Goblin on Xbox One. It was released on February 20, 2015 for $14.99. A copy was provided by No Goblin for review purposes.
Where do I begin when reviewing Roundabout? The absolutely ridiculous ’70s B-Movie FMV cut-scenes? The insane gameplay? The bonkers music and voice acting? Or maybe with the fact that when I beat the game I was at 29 percent completion — not even 30! Roundabout is an almost review-proof game, but I’m going to try.
In Roundabout, you play as Georgio (of course, played by a woman, because why not), a limo driver who can’t seem to stop spinning. The game has a top-down point of view, and an open world in which you pick up people who need you to take them places and complete wacky objectives. It’s like a cross between Crazy Taxi and the old top-down Grand Theft Auto games — except you can’t stop spinning, which turns everything into a game of figuring out how to maneuver without blowing up.
11 years ago
Fable Legends will be free to play
Lionhead Studios has announced that Fable Legends will be free to play for all Xbox One users with a Gold subscription and will also be free on all Windows 10 PCs. All story-related content will be free for everyone, and everything that is directly related to gameplay will be able to be earned and unlocked. In addition, there are customization aspects of the heroes that can be bought with real money or earned via an in-game currency transaction.
There will be a rotating cast of heroes available for free for a yet-to-be-determined amount of time before they are eventually rotated out for a new cast; however, all progress on each hero is saved between free weeks. This process is very similar to how League of Legends alternates which champions are free each week for players. There will also be a way for players to earn each hero, and those heroes will also be available for purchase for those willing to pay.
The game’s director, David Eckelberry, made an in-depth video explaining the decision-making process and reasoning behind the game becoming free to play. Lionhead has also posted a FAQ on their website, which can be read here, that answers most questions that players might have in regards to the announcement. Take a look at the video for yourself after the break.
11 years ago
Trine 3 announced
Today Frozenbyte revealed the third installment in their co-op puzzle platforming series Trine. Titled Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power, the game will continue the story of the Three Heroes as they embark on a brand new adventure. Details are limited right now, but the announcement trailer offers a glimpse at what the game will look like. Check it out after the jump.
Trine 3 will launch later this year, initially on PC. While it has not been announced for Xbox platforms, it’s worth noting that the past installments of the series did make their way to consoles.