gammerscafe: October 2017

Tuesday, 31 October 2017

Monster Hunter World Paris Games Week trailer is full of conquerable monstrosities

Or at least, we hope we can conquer them.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2zVUWDn

Mercy nerfed, Ana buffed in the latest Overwatch PTR

Mercy's Resurrect now has a casting time.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2A6tKma

Sony Pushing Monthly Active Users As A Primary Metric For Measuring Success

During Sony's financial call, as DualShockers reports, Sony has decided that it will start measuring Monthly Active Users (MAU) as one of the main ways it will measure success of the PlayStation brand. It tracks engagement rather than single-time sales, checking in on how many people are engaging with their services on a monthly basis.

This might sound familiar, as Microsoft announced that they would focus on MAU over hardware sales not too long ago. They update on milestones, as well, taking pride in the growth of users over time.

Sony clarifies that console sales are still important, the more units they sell, the likelier they are to hit a saturation point. From there, what matters is tracking direct interaction with consumers. This can mean things like PlayStation Plus subscription, but more often means things like DLC sales, lootboxes, microtransactions, and the like. Sony is checking their numbers against expectations and growth in those criteria.

It does not necessarily mean anything on Sony's business will change to push these metrics, but they have said they are going to explore that space to better match third party microtransaction revenue. At the very least, they are tracking it and seeing where their own games might better fit into the strategy.

[Source: DualShockers]

Our Take
Sony is a business, and businesses are going to do what is best for them, but hopefully they do a lot of audience research before jumping in head first.

from www.GameInformer.com http://ift.tt/2A53Bnw

Looking back at Hugo's House of Horrors

An adventure game fan returns to the 1990s for a spooky reminder of what the genre used to be like.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2lBgXFd

The best DDR4 RAM

We look at several DDR4 memory bundles to find the best options for PC gaming.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2jAroXK

Voice Actor From Devil May Cry 4 Gets Asked About A Sequel

At New York Comic-Con earlier this month, prolific voice actor Johnny Yong Bosch (known for roles like Nero in Devil May Cry 4, Protagonist and Adachi in Persona 4, and Kung Jin in Mortal Kombat X) was asked about rumors about a Devil May Cry 5. His reaction, which on paper says nothing, seems to say more on video than he might have wanted to convey.

Bosch has been well-known in the past year to post on social media about performing with Reuben Langdon, the voice and motion capture actor for Dante, as well as many other Capcom characters like Ken Masters and Chris Redfield. The fan anticipation has reached a fever pitch, as Devil May Cry series director Hideaki Itsuno has been teasing, and subsequently apologizing for not revealing, his current project all year.

During the panel, Bosch does not answer, but physically puts his tongue in his cheek and looks away, leading to laughter and applause from the audience. Afterward, he moves on, but he hopefully gave away more than he intended. Check out the video below and decide for yourself if Bosch is being coy.

Capcom has shied away from Devil May Cry in recent years. An attempted series reboot in 2013 was well-liked by critics, but not popular with fans, and failed to outsell Devil May Cry 4. Since then, Capcom has tested the waters with a modern remaster of DMC4, but has not been clear on their plans for the series afterward.

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Our Take
I hope Bosch isn't just being funny, but there have been a lot of rumors pointing toward a new Devil May Cry. Ideally, Capcom has been listening to fans.

from www.GameInformer.com http://ift.tt/2lCJppV

Don't Miss: Fight or flight—The neuroscience of survival horror

How exactly do horror games work on the brains of players? In this timeless feature, neuroscientist Maral Tajerian unpacks the mechanism behind the scares in Amnesia, Dead Space, Silent Hill and more. ...

from Gamasutra News http://ift.tt/2xxo46w

Daybreak gives PS3 version of DC Universe Online 3 months to live

The DC Universe Online dev plans to shut down the PS3 version of the F2P MMO game on January 31st, 2018 in order to 'focus our resources on further optimizing the game for PlayStation 4.' ...

from Gamasutra News http://ift.tt/2lBj3ou

Inmates review

The scariest thing about Inmates is its lack of a sprint button.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2xHqQCR

Audio: VideoGamer Podcast #235: Super Wolfenstein Origins

The busiest release day in recent memory has come and gone, and delivered three games of very good to exceptional quality: Super Mario Odyssey, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus and Assassin's Creed Origins.

from VideoGamer.com - All Updates http://ift.tt/2xHxQPQ

Spintires: MudRunner is out now with a bumping launch trailer

The overhauled ATV sim is half-off if you own the original.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2yizSuc

Terror and tourism in Tokyo Dark

When you're not confronting a killer, Tokyo Dark lets you explore the city's friendlier side.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2z7nmNk

Crossing Souls is an adventure game styled after '80s cartoons

Three years in the making and built on 30-year-old funk.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2lAsbts

New Footage Of Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night By Former Castlevania Head

A Kickstarter update for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has come along with a video showing progress on the game.

Halloween is a perfectly appropriate time for new footage of the Castlevania spiritual successor, which is making progress since its demo shown and released to backers at E3 2016. It is headed by Koji Igarashi, who kickstarted the project after leaving Konami and the Castlevania series behind.

Check out the new footage below, but you can find the full backer update with music samples here. Bloodstained is scheduled for 2018 for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and officially still PlayStation Vita.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

from www.GameInformer.com http://ift.tt/2xGWnof

The Red Strings Club is a cyberpunk tale of life, happiness, and psychological bartending

The new game from the makers of Gods Will Be Watching is coming early next year.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2zWiPdF

Wasteland 2, Grey Goo, and Prototype 2 go cheap in the Humble Jumbo Bundle 10

More games will be added next week.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2zmxDGq

Video: Juggling the chainsaws of work-for-hire vs. original projects

At GDC 2016, ClutchPlay Games' Amy Dallas tackles the practical realities of balancing work-for-hire projects vs. developing original IP, and what she & her team have learned from doing it for years. ...

from Gamasutra Independent Games News http://ift.tt/2yioQVO

Video: Juggling the chainsaws of work-for-hire vs. original projects

from Gamasutra News http://ift.tt/2yioQVO

News: PUBG is coming to Xbox One in time for Christmas

EA takes a loss in Q2 as digital sales continue to outshine physical

The big story here is that EA (like many game ventures) is accelerating its transition into a business that makes the vast majority of its money from sales of digital goods, rather than physical ones. ...

from Gamasutra Console/PC News http://ift.tt/2lAkEuQ

EA takes a loss in Q2 as digital sales continue to outshine physical

from Gamasutra News http://ift.tt/2lAkEuQ

Feed the undead elves in Gwent's 'Saovine' holiday event

A new update went live yesterday.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2yk1K0U

Perception, A Horror Game About Being Blind, Is Out Today On Switch

Deep End Games' horror-thriller game, Perception, is not only out today on Nintendo Switch, but a "remastered" patch has been released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC that adds a host of new content.

Perception is a first-person horror game where the player, who is blind, attempts to explore a house that has more than an average amount of spooks and scares going on. Players see the world in terms of what vibrations and sounds tell them, which definitely makes it easier for things to get the jump on you.

The new remastered patch, which is part of the base Switch version, gives you several difficulty levels to choose from. You can choose to be almost completely free of danger or to dodge it at every turn. There have also been clarifications to the story through new dialogue, gameplay and balance changes, and new lines recorded for the main character.

Perception is currently on sale for $14.99 on Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. You can find our review for the game right here. If you're looking for a scary game tonight, it might be worth a shot.

from www.GameInformer.com http://ift.tt/2zmWc6g

Profits and revenue on the rise for Konami's video game branch

For the first six months of its 2017-2018 fiscal year, Konami saw a year-over-year increase in profit and revenue for both its Digital Entertainment branch and the company as a whole. ...

from Gamasutra Console/PC News http://ift.tt/2xFIbvD

Get a job: Sucker Punch is hiring a Level Designer

Sucker Punch is looking for a Level Designer with a passion for creating compelling layouts to join its team in Bellevue, WA. ...

from Gamasutra News http://ift.tt/2z7QpAD

Profits and revenue on the rise for Konami's video game branch

For the first six months of its 2017-2018 fiscal year, Konami saw a year-over-year increase in profit and revenue for both its Digital Entertainment branch and the company as a whole. ...

from Gamasutra News http://ift.tt/2xFIbvD

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is leaving Early Access in December

Vaulting and the new desert map are on the way soon.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2h1vaJU

The best Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 deals

Which manufacturer should you buy from?

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2gqdohf

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Releasing On Xbox One On December 12

Confirmed during a Microsoft Special Event stream, the much-anticipated PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds will be releasing on the Xbox One on December 12, making good on the promised 2017 release date by a scant few weeks.

The game, which is being published by Microsoft on the Xbox One but has been on available as an early access title on PC since April, is Microsoft's big move to get attention for the Xbox One and Xbox One X this holiday. It is not surprising, as Battlegrounds has slowly and quietly become one of the biggest games in the world over the last six months.

One major change for the Xbox version is that, unlike the PC version, the game will run on Microsoft's internal Azure servers rather than the Amazon servers that are being used now. This also limits any possibility of crossplay, but the possibility was already unlikely due to the differences between a mouse and a controller in terms of aiming.

While there hasn't been a retail version announced, it is not hard to imagine one will come some time after the game's December 12 release date. Xbox One X enhancements like HDR and 4K will also follow some time after launch.

Our Take
Microsoft has definitely been in a hurry to get the game out on the Xbox in time for Christmas, but it only makes sense. Having exclusivity to Battlegrounds could end up being a big deal.

from www.GameInformer.com http://ift.tt/2ijACVb

The best Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 deals

Find the best prices from your favorite manufacturer.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2gnGpGw

PlayStation 4 Hits Shipments Of 67.5 Million

Sony, whose financial quarter also ended recently, has confirmed that the PlayStation 4 shipments have topped 67.5 million, indicating that shipment numbers have sped up later in the generation rather than slowing down.

Sony's financial year, like a lot of Japanese's companies, runs from April to the end of March, so this current quarter is the second quarter of 2017 by their accounting. In other words, in the past three months, Sony shipped 4.2 million PlayStation 4s this quarter, which is up 0.3 million from the same quarter the previous year.

While shipments are not sales numbers, they indicate that retailers are ordering more units to replenish sold ones. The number indicates that the PlayStation 4 is picking up pace, which is rare for consoles coming into their fifth years on the market. Even despite more heated competition from rival consoles, the market in general is expanding with Sony selling more PlayStation 4s year over year.

Assuming Sony hits its goal for shipped units by the end of the financial year, they should be hitting nearly 80 million units by April.

[Source: Gematsu]

Our Take
The Switch is selling well, but Sony is not slacking at all, and currently still leads the market in the install base. The PlayStation 4 continues to be the most popular console and it is difficult to see if there's any way for the competition to reverse that.

from www.GameInformer.com http://ift.tt/2gQzhon

GTA Online is dishing out Double GTA$ and RP for Halloween

It's trick-or-treat time in Los Santos. (You probably don't want the trick.)

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2hr0q20

Epic Star Cards and most Battlefront 2 weapons will no longer be loot box rewards

EA says it's heard the players and is making changes to progression before launch.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2zWH63k

Check out the three-hour Witcher musical that's opening soon in Poland

The hills are alive with the sound of Geralt.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2hr5ovt

Steam Controller is on sale for $35 and Steam Link for $15, or get both for $45

Two for the price of one.

from PC Gamer http://ift.tt/2zWH2R8

Opinion: Playing the Night Witches tabletop RPG with 16 people

Night Witches is an RPG about an all-woman WWII-era Soviet night bomber regiment. Despite subpar equipment and no small amount of sexism, they terrorized the Nazis all across the Eastern Front. ...

from Gamasutra News http://ift.tt/2hrhhBT

Opinion: Playing the Night Witches tabletop RPG with 16 people

Night Witches is an RPG about an all-woman WWII-era Soviet night bomber regiment. Despite subpar equipment and no small amount of sexism, they terrorized the Nazis all across the Eastern Front. ...

from Gamasutra Independent Games News http://ift.tt/2hrhhBT

Captain Ginyu Takes The Spotlight In FighterZ Character Reveal Trailer

The captain of the Ginyu Force leads the charge in Dragon Ball FighterZ's newest trailer.

Released October 30 by Bandai Namco Entertainment, the video shows Captain Ginyu in action against Goku. In addition to his own strikes and Body Swap technique, he can summon the other members of the Ginyu Force like Burter, Jeice and Recoome for long ranged beam attacks, tackles, and telekinetic blows.

Players can test out his moves themselves when Dragon Ball FighterZ hits store shelves January 26, 2018 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Until then, stay up to date on all the new announcements with our month-long coverage hub.

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Our Take
Those poses though.

from www.GameInformer.com http://ift.tt/2z1JE3q

EA tweaks Star Wars Battlefront II's loot box drops following beta feedback

Following a short open beta earlier this month, EA has altered how the game's loot box system works in-game to "help keep everyone on a level playing field." ...

from Gamasutra Console/PC News http://ift.tt/2zmQj9d

EA tweaks Star Wars Battlefront II's loot box drops following beta feedback

Following a short open beta earlier this month, EA has altered how the game's loot box system works in-game to "help keep everyone on a level playing field." ...

from Gamasutra News http://ift.tt/2zmQj9d

Bloodborne Gets A Tie-In Comic Book In February 2018

Fear the Paleblood! Titan Comics just announced a tie-in comic for Bloodborne, featuring an entirely new story set in Yharnam. As reported by Gamesradar, Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep is set to begin the hunt in February.

It's unclear when in Yharnam's timeline the comic takes place, but it features another nameless Hunter embarking on a quest into the dark, beast-filled streets of Yharnam.

Titan Comics, which released tie-ins for The Evil Within 2 and Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus earlier this year, has a history of quality licensed comics and the talent behind Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep promises to continue that good work. Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep will be written by Ales Kot and feature art by Piotr Kowalski.

Fans of Bloodborne's Gothic, cosmic horror should expect more of what they love, but Kot also wants to welcome newcomers to Yharnam. "There will be mystery, the weird, the eerie, the horrific and the bloody," Kot said in a press release. "And there will be an undercurrent of decaying romanticism, walking hand in hand with brain-mashing, soul-cleaving action, together ascending towards the Blood Moon as drawn by the talented and depraved Piotr Kowalski. Ascend with us, Hunters old and new."

Although it won't take the place of a proper sequel, Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep seems like a good opportunity for fans to return to Yharnam's plague-ridden streets when it comes out in February.

[Source: Gamesradar]

from www.GameInformer.com http://ift.tt/2zUv1M5

EA And DICE Tune Lootboxes In Battlefront II

During the beta for Star Wars Battlefront II, players noticed that the loot box aspect of the game implied some grinding or paying for what the game called Crates. After heavy criticism coming out of the beta, DICE have announced major changes to the way the crate system works.

Before and during the beta, Battlefront II would only dole out weapons and abilities above the base tier through crates. This on its own could be annoying, but it encouraged players to pay for crates in order to just get the best weapons and abilities from the beginning or get frustrated and pay for crates in hopes of losing less.

Now, DICE have promised to make the following changes:

Epic Star Cards, the highest tier of Star Cards available at launch, have been removed from Crates
You'll need to reach a certain rank to craft upgraded Star Cards
Weapons are locked behind specific milestones
Class-specific gear and items can be unlocked by playing as them

In short, DICE want to de-emphasize a player's ability to pay-to-win. Now, it is more about putting in the time to unlock weapons through playing as a class. Getting Heavy weapons requires playing as a Heavy and reaching play milestones like kills and wins. Crates are still incorporated in the game, but now do not do everything, which marks a major difference from how it used to work.

A full explanation of the changes can be found here. The post notes that all post-launch content for Battlefront II will be free, which means the crates were likely EA's attempt at monetizing the game post-release without DLC revenue.

Star Wars Battlefront II is scheduled for a November 17 release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Our Take
This is a good change, but one I wonder if EA would have made had there not been so much clamor over lootboxes in recent weeks and months.

from www.GameInformer.com http://ift.tt/2zVtAx2