News

News

Xbox One and PS4 "a generation ahead of the highest end PC" – EA CTO

Xbox One and PS4 "a generation ahead of the highest end PC" – EA CTO

EA’s chief technology officer Rajat Teneja says that the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are a generation ahead of the best PCs on the market.

“Both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 have adopted electronics and an integrated systems-on-a -chip (soc) architecture that unleashes magnitudes more compute and graphics power than the current generation of consoles,” wrote Teneja in a post on LinkedIn.

“These architectures are a generation ahead of the highest end PC on the market and their unique design of the hardware, the underlying operating system and the live service layer create one of the most compelling platforms to reimagine game mechanics.

“Our benchmarks on just the video and audio performance are 8-10 times superior to the current gen,” he wrote.

“The compute capabilities of these platforms and the data transfer speeds we can now bank on, essentially removes any notion of rationing of systems resources for our game engines.”

News

US Square Enix president Mike Fischer has quit

US Square Enix president Mike Fischer has quit

Mike Fischer is no longer president and CEO of Square Enix North America.

As reported by Polygon, Square Enix has confirmed that Fischer quit earlier this month.

He had been in the role since July 2010.

News

Atari to auction all IP piece by piece

Atari to auction all IP piece by piece

After failing to find a buyer for its entire back catalogue, Atari will auction its IP piece by piece.

In January Atari filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and since convened with about 180 potential buyers only to receive 15 unsatisfactory bids for its entire catalogue.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Atari will hold auctions over four days in July, and is seeking a minimum of US$22.2 million (AU$22.9 million) in total.

News

Dead Island studio announces free-running zombie title Dying Light

Dead Island studio announces free-running zombie title Dying Light

Dead Island studio Techland has announced another zombie title: Dying Light.

The Polish studio said the game was a free-running zombie survival title with a day/night cycle.

Zombies are slow in daylight, but their numbers and strength increase at night.

News

“Microsoft did not target the highest-end graphics” – Xbox One engineer

“Microsoft did not target the highest-end graphics” – Xbox One engineer

A Microsoft engineer says the company purposefully didn’t aim for the highest possible specs on the Xbox One.

Speaking in a video touting the power of the Xbox One, Microsoft’s silicon development general manager Greg Williams told Engadget that Microsoft's engineers “purposefully did not target the highest-end graphics”.

"We targeted more as a broad entertainment play and did it in an intelligent way," he said.

News

The indies react: No self-publishing on Xbox Live hands money to competitors

The indies react: No self-publishing on Xbox Live hands money to competitors

Destructoid has gathered a number of developer reactions to the news that Microsoft won’t allow self-publishing on the new Xbox Live.

It's worth noting that Sony, Nintendo, and Valve all allow self-publishing on their respective game distribution platforms.

Brian Provinciano, creator of Retro City Rampage:

News

Need for Speed: Rivals announced by EA

Need for Speed: Rivals announced by EA

EA has announced Need for Speed: Rivals, the latest entry in the long-running racing franchise.

Rivals is in development at Ghost Games – EA’s newest studio – in partnership with Burnout and Need for Speed: Most Wanted developer Criterion Games.

The game will run on EA’s Frostbite 3 engine, and capture “the adrenaline and intensity of the street’s ultimate rivalry between cops and racers, in a stunning open road environment”, according to EA.

Players that manage to avoid the police will accumulate Speedpoints, which may be used to unlock new cars and items, but which will make them a more valuable target for the cops.

Gamers will also be able to play as the police, and work together to nab racers and earn promotions within the police force.

News

Battlefield 4 release date announced

Battlefield 4 release date announced

Battlefield 4 will be available from October 31, DICE has announced.

The game is confirmed for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PC.

“Powered by the advanced Frostbite 3 engine, Battlefield 4 delivers a genre-defining all-out war experience brought to life with unmatched visual and audio fidelity, superior character animations, and dynamic destruction that ensures no two matches are alike,” said DICE.

News

Triple-A development "fundamentally broken" – former Trion Worlds GM

Triple-A development "fundamentally broken" – former Trion Worlds GM

The current model of triple-A game development is fundamentally broken, according to former Trion Worlds general manager and CCO Scott Hartsman.

Speaking with Massively, Hartsman made it clear that he was talking about the system rather than companies or individuals.

“I don't know of anyone who's hired with the intent of treating people disposably. No one ever wants that, even the companies frequently perceived as ‘evil’,” he said.

News Index


Microsoft backpedals on Xbox One used game, always online statements
Microsoft backpedals on Xbox One used game, always online statements
NEWS Confusion reigns.
XO
Metro developer "was never playing on a level field" – former THQ boss
Metro developer "was never playing on a level field" – former THQ boss
NEWS Compares 4A to the Jamaican Bobsledding team.
PC, 360, PS3
Action: First-Person
MMO Rift goes free-to-play in June
MMO Rift goes free-to-play in June
NEWS With patch 2.3.
PC
RPG: MMO
Madden to skip Nintendo hardware for the first time in 22 years
Madden to skip Nintendo hardware for the first time in 22 years
NEWS Stop us if you've heard this one before.
WiiU
Microsoft's IllumiRoom prototype is a table mounted projector
Microsoft's IllumiRoom prototype is a table mounted projector
NEWS Works with Kinect to detect, project.
Most 3DS and Wii U devices are connected to the Internet – Nintendo
Most 3DS and Wii U devices are connected to the Internet – Nintendo
NEWS Average of more than 80 per cent worldwide.
WiiU, 3DS
Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine XBLA launch delayed
Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine XBLA launch delayed
NEWS Steam availability unaffected.
PC, 360
Modern horror games too action-oriented – The Evil Within creator
Modern horror games too action-oriented – The Evil Within creator
NEWS True scares few and far between.
PC, 360, PS3
More Binding of Isaac: Rebirth details emerge
More Binding of Isaac: Rebirth details emerge
NEWS Original crosses two million sold mark.
2
Metro: Last Light PC specs detailed
Metro: Last Light PC specs detailed
NEWS 3D supported.
PC, 360, PS3
Action: First-Person
Motion control "a gimmick" that "adds nothing" – DICE
Motion control "a gimmick" that "adds nothing" – DICE
NEWS No Kinect/Move support in Battlefield 4.
PC
Minecraft creator voted second most influential person in the world
Minecraft creator voted second most influential person in the world
NEWS Proof democracy does not work.
Microsoft apologises for employee's always-on tirade
Microsoft apologises for employee's always-on tirade
NEWS Dealing with it.
Microsoft will win next gen console war - Bushnell
Microsoft will win next gen console war - Bushnell
NEWS Dev tools, online functionality the difference.
2
More than US$1.5 million up for grabs in StarCraft II World Championship Series 2013
More than US$1.5 million up for grabs in StarCraft II World Championship Series 2013
NEWS New global ranking system introduced.
PC
Strategy: Real Time
Metal Gear Solid 5 is Ground Zeroes plus The Phantom Pain [Updated]
Metal Gear Solid 5 is Ground Zeroes plus The Phantom Pain [Updated]
NEWS Call me Ishmael.
360, PS3
Marvel Heroes MMO gets a release date
Marvel Heroes MMO gets a release date
NEWS Spandex mandatory.
PC
Metro: Last Light "one of, if not the best looking game you can actually buy"
Metro: Last Light "one of, if not the best looking game you can actually buy"
NEWS A new PC benchmark?
PC, 360, PS3
Action: First-Person
Missile Command world record falls after 31 years
Missile Command world record falls after 31 years
NEWS Imagine looking at those graphics for 56 hours straight.
Massive new expansion coming to Civilization V
Massive new expansion coming to Civilization V
NEWS New civilisations, scenarios, and an emphasis on trade and culture.
PC
Strategy: Turn Based
Microsoft does not consider the Steam Box a threat
Microsoft does not consider the Steam Box a threat
NEWS Valve not a competitor to consoles.
Metro: Last Light release date confirmed
Metro: Last Light release date confirmed
NEWS "It will receive all the attention it deserves.”
PC, 360, PS3
Action: First-Person
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance release delayed
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance release delayed
NEWS "Shipping delay" blamed.
360, PS3
Action: Third-Person
Mario Golf, Donkey Kong Country Returns, new Mario & Luigi announced for 3DS
Mario Golf, Donkey Kong Country Returns, new Mario & Luigi announced for 3DS
NEWS Wii U gets large Mario Bros DLC.
Monkey Island creator Ron Gilbert to open PAX Australia
Monkey Island creator Ron Gilbert to open PAX Australia
NEWS Friday morning "storytime" keynote address.
Man auctioning massive "history of video games" collection for US$550,000
Man auctioning massive "history of video games" collection for US$550,000
NEWS Storage space a potential problem.
Mysterious new StarCraft-related site appears
Mysterious new StarCraft-related site appears
NEWS ARG, promo, or something more?
PC
Strategy: Real Time
Minecraft, Trials, Walking Dead help double XBLA's annual revenues
Minecraft, Trials, Walking Dead help double XBLA's annual revenues
NEWS Budget game service has record year.
Medal of Honor series canned
Medal of Honor series canned
NEWS Warfighter scores "lower than it deserved".
PC, 360, PS3
Action: First-Person
More than 53,000 playing Path of Exile open beta
More than 53,000 playing Path of Exile open beta
NEWS "Well above expectations" – Wilson.
PC
1