DC Universe Online adds micro-transaction store Very few items available.MMO DC Universe Online has now added an in-game micro-transaction store.The game's publisher, Sony Online Entertainment, opened the store today, according to Massively, however it currently has very few items in stock.Repair-bots and tickets to the Vault are the only items available as of yet. Future items have yet to be named.DC Universe Online is currently available for PC and PS3 http://www.videogamer.com/news/dc_universe_online_adds_micro-transaction_store.html
Kinect-like PlayStation 4 in 2012 ? report According to Taiwanese component makers, who?ve chatted with Digitimes (via), Sony?s next home console is set for a 2012 launch.Equally interesting is the claim that the new home console will feature full body motion controls similar to Xbox 360?s Kinect. Crazy.The PlayStation 4 is said to go into production at the end of this year, with PS3 assemblers Foxconn and Pegatron Technology back on the job. 20 million consoles are expected to be manufactured for next year?s launch.With the PS Vita release around the corner, launching a second console next year is a bit hard to imagine. Could Sony be looking to one-up Microsoft this time around and burst Wii U?s bubble while they?re at? http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/04/kinect-like-playstation-4-in-2012-report/
Video:Mortal Kombat's Compatibility Pack 2 ? due to be released tomorrow [video=youtube;ivgilbH2LVA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivgilbH2LVA[/video] Video:Mortal Kombat's Compatibility Pack 2 ? due to be released tomorrow ? includes fashionable Klassic Noob and Smoke costumes entirely for free. In the somewhat vivid-colored world of Mortal Kombat, this gray-scaled clothing brings contrast when killing your enemy. http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/20...-kombat-with-klassic-noob-and-smoke-costumes/
Gears 3 non-final code leaked, investigation on-going A development version of Gears of War 3was leaked onto torrent sites a few days ago, you may have noticed from a sudden influx of gameplay videos all over the web. Needless to say, those wishing to avoid campaign spoilers may want to cautious when combing the net for the next little while (for the record: we won?t be posting any spoileriffic videos or info).As for who leaked the game, Epic Games and Microsoft are on the case.Next to warning that the code in the wild doesn?t do the final game justice, the companies are ?working closely with our security teams and law enforcement to address the situation,? according to an official statement on the matter.?This content is not from a final build and is not representative of what fans will enjoy when the game launches worldwide on 20th September 2011. http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/04/gears-3-non-final-code-leaked-investigation-on-going/
Portal 2?s soundtrack gets bigger, still free During the final days of May this year, Valve released the first notes of Portal 2?s soundtrack. Furthermore, they were released for free; a good way to keep gamers in touch with a title that more likely than not will be up against the big ones later this year, grabbing a few awards. And it is not unlikely that one of said awards might be for that game?s soundtrack which is quite different and plain weird once you listen to it rather than just hear it while you?re shooting turrets through portals. http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/04/portal-2s-soundtrack-gets-bigger-still-free/
BioWare and DICE, ?knowledge sharing and asset sharing? While the high definition era we?re living in at the moment should by no means go shunned or even be taken for granted, there?s more to a game than just looking at shiny, realistic and/or over-the-top graphics. Sound is just as vital to any game as visuals are, which is why aural collaborations between two giants such as BioWare and DICE is a nice thing to have knowledge about.Mass Effect 3developer BioWare has reportedly been in touch with Battlefield 3developer DICE, asking for assistance and doing ?a lot of knowledge sharing and asset sharing? in the audio department according to sound designer Rob Blake, referring more specifically to the changes in sounds depending on the kind of environment the player is in. http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/04/bioware-and-dice-knowledge-sharing-and-asset-sharing/
PS Store redesign coming ? rumor PlayStation Store is in for a facelift, rumor has it.According to Reg Hardware, Sony is redesigning the destination to be more like Steam and Xbox Live, putting more focus on images and less on text. Wouldn?t that be nice.The new look supposedly comes with much less clutter as well as ?logically marked sections and rolodex lists.?In addition, a new live search function is expected.Also going under the knife is the movie section which is said to be more like IMDb; when selected, a film?s details ? actors etc. ? appear on the right hand side and are clickable (go directly to an actor?s filmography, for example). The same applies to games which can be listed by by genre, publisher, developer etc.All the blue is also a thing of the past, apparently. Expect black background with ?ultra bright colors? in the new design.Sony is believed to be market-testing all the newness right now but, of course, rumor is a rumor http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/05/ps-store-redesign-coming-rumor/
Catherine demo hits PS3, 360 on July 12 [video=youtube;BsdKPNpNsIM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsdKPNpNsIM[/video] Atlus USA have just posted on Twitter that a demo for the upcoming nightmare-puzzler, Catherine, will be available on July 12. Look for the demo to hit both PS3 and 360 on that date, which a week from today, before you start counting fingers.The full release will come a few weeks later on July 26. http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/05/catherine-demo-hits-ps3-360-on-july-12/
Sega, EA ink Japan deal Sega and EA have inked a deal that sees the former distributing the latter?s packaged games in the Japanese marketplace.The first game to carry the duo?s branding is Shadows of the Damnedwhich, while reviewed respectively, didn?t exactly set the charts on fire as it released in the west a week and a half ago. The type of crazy on display in the title may well get a warmer reception from eastern audiences though, so fingers crossed. It?s out in Japan on September 22nd.By next month, Andriasang reports, Sega will be distributing all of EA?s titles in the country, old and new. EA?s goal in the partnership: to use Sega?s channels to expand sales, of course. http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/05/sega-ea-ink-japan-deal/
New Vegas DLC gets new shots; massive patch due, too Bethesda?s detailed the the next title update all the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the RPG are in for before the next bit of downloadable content arrives. And it?s a biggie.There are far too many fixes, modifications and additions to list here, so if you?ve been having issues with something, fingers crossed the changelog on Bethblog has it addressed.The update will be up ?between now and Thursday,? according to Bethesda.The DLC, Old World Blues, is out on July 19th. Find a new batch of screenshots from it in the gallery here (some older ones here). http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/05/new-vegas-dlc-gets-new-shots-massive-patch-due-too/
New ICO Collection trailers are a treat [video=youtube;LW7AzOcoEno]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW7AzOcoEno[/video] Two new promos for this fall?s ICO Collection have surfaced. Both games included ? ICOand Shadow of the Colossus? get their own clips and, needless to say, they look mighty good in their shiny new HD forms.The collection will arrive on store shelves on September 27th in the US and the 28th in Europe. Japan gets it a bit sooner, on September 22nd. http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/05/new-ico-collection-trailers-are-a-treat/
The Secret World of Savage Coast [video=youtube;mak5_2GGDCU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mak5_2GGDCU[/video] Video:Funcom's upcoming RPG The Secret World shows off again in this latest in-game trailer taking us on a tour through Savage Coast and its evil-hosting landmarks and properties. While the game is looking better by the trailer, the release date is not as we're, once again, not treated to one. http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/06/the-secret-world-of-savage-coast/
Get a look at the Mass Effect 3 makeovers Mass Effect 3?s character models have had some time in the sunbed and come out looking all new and shiny. That?s what leaked art for four characters suggests, anyways.Shown in the shot below are Kaiden Alenko, Ashley Williams, Liara T?Soni and newcomer James Vega. We?ve seen Kaiden and his new armor before, but it?s Liara?s new outfit that resembles Mass Effect 2?s Justicar Samara and Ashley?s new hair that interests us the most. Something about Miss Williams? new do rubs us the right way. Uh, anyway, this first look at Vegas also proves to be intriguing. The character boasts a Krogan-like muscular build with optical headgear previously only seen on Garrus. No hockey-mask and hand-claws here, then.Mass Effect 3hits PS3, 360 and PC on March 9, 2012. http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/06/get-a-look-at-the-mass-effect-3-makeovers/
PlanetSide 2 info tomorrow A countdown on PlanetSide 2?s website signals the imminent arrival of intel; as the counter hits zero tomorrow at 7PM, ?classified information? can be expected.Of course, tomorrow is July 7th, aka Bungie day. Taking into account the 7PM reveal and the studio?s obsession with the number.. We?ll just brush it off as a damned odd coincidence.Previously titled PlanetSide Next, SOE is still targeting a 2011 release for the game last we heard.Tomorrow then. http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/06/planetside-2-info-tomorrow/
Incarna?s multiplayer coming this year The multiplayer portion of EVE Online?s latest massive expansion, Incarna, will be made available to players*?this year?, suggesting the annual winter expansion slot as a possible release window, according to senior producer Arnar Gylfason.?The next phase of Incarna will be the multiplayer establishments, and I really don?t think I can give any solid time-line on that just yet. But we?re looking at this year, definitely, for the next big evolution on that front,? revealed Gylfason during a press conference.*But developer CCP hints at more candy being prepared for release for those willing to chew on it before then.?We?re going to see more Captain?s Quarters, more racial variants of Captain?s Quarters added in the next few months. http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/06/incarnas-multiplayer-coming-this-year/
iPad will ?encroach? on consoles, says Darkness 2 dev Digital Extremes?*project director Sheldon Carter might be feverishly working on the console and PC versions of The Darkness II, mainly because there?s a big audience for it on said platforms, but that doesn?t mean he?s not open to ideas and, furthermore, platforms such as the portable ones, like the iPad.?As a thought experiment yeah, I think it?d be pretty awesome,? expressed Carter. ?Swiping with the demon arm and grabbing with the demon arm on an iPad, that?d be pretty cool.? Infesting portables with darkness would be a wise thing to do indeed, especially considering Carter?s words when he says the iPad will ?encroach? on the console market, inevitably. http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/06/ipad-will-encroach-on-consoles-says-darkness-2-dev/
Battlefield 3 beta news in coming weeks Right, time for news of impending news: Details on the Battlefield 3multiplayer beta are aren?t far off, DICE?s Daniel Matros has promised.In a recent ?Don?t Revive Me Bro!? podcast, the community man said to expect news on the testing in a few weeks? time.DICE hasn?t said a word of the beta since it was revealed that access to it would be granted via Limited Edition copies of last year?s Medal of Honor. It?s only known that the beta is happening sometime in September.Only a few of online destinations from the sho0ter have been shown so far, one being Operation Metro (see it in action here). A few images from the post-launch Back to Karkand add-on have been released as well; check out some comparison shots here http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/06/battlefield-3-beta-news-in-coming-weeks/
Big EA announcements tomorrow; watch it live EA will be live streaming its Summer Showcase 2011 event tomorrow. There are ?big announcements ahead!? according to senior events and media manager Wendy Spander (via), so everyone best tune in.At least one of the announcements seems like a no-brainer at this point; after appearing on the websites of ESRB as well as the Korean Game Rating Board last week, the showcase should be the perfect venue to formalize the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the first Crysisgame.EA?s also promising new info on NHL 12, NCAA Football 12, The Simsfranchise, along with a trailer for Funcom?s The Secret WorldMMO.And then there?s ?brand new game announcements and presentations.? Sounds plural.The stream will be available here, starting 1PM PDT. http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/06/big-ea-announcements-tomorrow-watch-it-live/
Skyrim to tell ?one story well? During a fan interview posted on the Bethesda forums, lead designer Bruce Nesmith explained the decision to include more quests in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but less branching, meaning the focus will be on a single story that will play out throughout the game.?We?ve focused on telling one story well,? wrote Nesmith. ?There are decision points in all the quest lines that can change things, but overall it?s a single story.?He described that ?because the side quests are smaller stories, they are more likely to have major branches. For example, you can decide to save or betray someone, which changes the whole end of the quest.?Added Nesmith,*?overall the quest structure in Skyrimis closer to Oblivionthan Fallout 3, in that there are many more quests, but they have fewer branches.? http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/06/skyrim-to-tell-one-story-well/
Duke?s performance drags down the T2 average Shoddy reception of Duke Nukem Foreverhas dragged down publisher 2K Games parent Take-Two?s earnings estimates.Wedbush believes sell-through of the title may be only half of the initially expected 3 million copies. In response, the analyst group has lowered the company?s revenue estimates; that?s $25 million of the company?s Q1 revenue estimates down the drain.LA Noireon the other hand is expected to perform to the tune of 4 million copies.According to Wedbush?s Michael Pachter, Duke?s ?disappointing? return is not a sign of T2?s decline though. Far from it. ?Of the major publishers, Take-Two has had the fewest ?misses? in terms of game quality over the last two years, and as a result, delivered a profitable FY:11 without a GTA release, http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2011/07/06/dukes-performance-drags-down-the-t2-average/
