GamerFront

How Used Game Sales On The Xbox One Will Work [Rumor]

2013-05-24T19:49:59Z

Since the reveal earlier this week, Microsoft’s Xbox One has been the talk of the town. Unfortunately, the news hasn’t been great. One of the biggest concerns has been the ability to buy and sell used games for the upcoming console. The concern started when we found out that the latest addition to the Xbox family would install all games to the hard drive, and tie them to an Xbox Live account. With each game tied to an account, how would you sell the game when you are done with it? Microsoft promised there would be a way, and now we have reports on just how that might work, the first is from MCV UK:

“A gamer walks into a retailer and hands over the game they wish to sell. This will only be possible at retailers who have agreed to Microsoft’s T&Cs and more importantly integrated Microsoft’s cloud-based Azure pre-owned system into its own.
The game is then registered as having been traded-in on Microsoft’s system. The consumer who handed it over will subsequently see the game wiped from their account – hence the until now ambiguous claim from Phil Harrison that the Xbox One would have to ‘check in’ to Microsoft’s servers every 24 hours.
The retailer can then sell the pre-owned game at whatever price they like, although as part of the system the publisher of the title in question will automatically receive a percentage cut of the sale. As will Microsoft. The retailer will pocket the rest.”

As for how much you can expect to pay for a used game, ConsoleDeals has learned from a trusted source that second-hand games will only be sold at a discount of 10%. While shelling out around $54 for a used copy of a very recent title isn’t a big surprise at a local game shop, you won’t be finding better deals on Craigslist, or even borrowing games from your friends any longer. Remember how Microsoft said there would be a fee for activating a game on a second account? That 10% discount applies there, as well, meaning your friends would have to pay $54 if they wanted to “borrow” your game.

The main idea behind this push seems to be to put more money in the pockets of publishers and developers (along with Microsoft, who will also be taking a cut). While I can’t really argue against a developer making money on their own game, buying, selling, trading, and borrowing used games has been one of the staples in console gaming. Something that set it apart from the PC. With that advantage gone, and companies like Valve working to get gaming PCs into the living room, this could prove to be a very risky move by Microsoft.

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Wii U Sales Skyrocket After Disappointing Xbox One Reveal

2013-05-24T11:26:04Z

Microsoft hasn’t been having a good week, despite their recent unveiling of the Xbox One earlier this week. Immediately after the conference, Sony’s stock jumped up over 9 percent, though some would argue that the reason for this isn’t entirely due to the Xbox One’s reveal. However, it’s hard not to blame this next fact on this disappointing performance by Microsoft…

The Wii U, which has been bleeding due to its poor performance in both the Japanese and American marketplaces, shot up over 200 ranks on the Amazon Marketplace, from #390 all the way up to #40. That’s an 875% increase in sales in just two days.

While initially surprising, it’s hard to remain that way when thinking logically. The Wii U seems to be the only next-gen console that will actually be gamer-friendly, with no threat of constant Internet connection or blocking of used games. While Sony seems a bit more understanding of its consumer, the Wii U will most likely carry many of the same titles for a fraction of the cost. While the lack of a blu-ray player may be discouraging, I doubt any of us will be getting rid of our PS3s any time soon (as currently the Wii U is also the only console that is backwards compatible–including digital downloads… Another thing the Xbox One lacks).

In any case, it looks like Nintendo may be back in the console race after all.

You can read the original story here!

“Overwatch” Added To CS:GO To Let Gamers Police Themselves

2013-05-24T02:31:23Z

When it comes to cheating in games it’s usually hard to really punish somebody. After all, while a cheater might get banned from a specific server for things like wall-clipping or having an aim-bot, the fact is many times they don’t really get punished. If there is an employee who checks up on reports of cheating, the fact is they tend to get overwhelmed with the massive amounts of reports that come in. What can be done?

Well Valve is hitting on a new idea to help punish cheaters and other players who exhibit “disruptive behavior”: let the community do it themselves. Dubbed “Overwatch”, the program works by getting prospective Overwatch Investigators to review a replay of “The Suspect’s” match to see if what they are doing can be considered “disruptive”. If the investigators collective agree that yes, this player is being disruptive, then a ban will be issued based on the severity of the offense and the suspect’s history of convictions.

Right now the system is in beta, but it seems to be a pretty good idea at least in concept. In this system not all investigators are equal, where a higher-scoring investigator’s verdict can carry more weight than a lower-scoring investigator. I only wish more games would use a system like this, because there’s nothing worse than getting banned because a single judge was having a bad day.

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EA Announces Need For Speed Rivals, To Be Released Later This Year

2013-05-23T21:37:59Z

EA has announced their latest game in the Need for Speed series, titled Need For Speed Rivals. You can expect to see it come out on both the current and next gen consoles, which include the Xbox 360 and Xbox One, the PS3 and PS4, and even the PC. The Wii U doesn’t look like it’ll be getting the game, however, mostly due to the fact that the Frostbite 3 engine being used for the game won’t work on the system.

From the start it sounds pretty similar to EA’s NFS game 3 years ago, Hot Pursuit. It’s set in a giant fictitious county and the environment is completely open, and players can take on the role of either a street racer or a police officer. However, what makes Rivals different is that EA is introducing AllDrive, where essentially gamers will be able to enter and exit their friend’s “county” seamlessly and “on-the-fly”. An example that EA’s spokesperson gave is that if you and a buddy are chasing different suspect on a different part of the map, and you two end up meeting up, at that point the game will transition into a co-op state where scoring and objectives get changed as well. It’s a pretty cool idea, but with EA’s track record I’m a little nervous.

After all, you might expect EA to go and force the game to be always online, even after the SimCity fiasco. Luckily for NFS fans, that’s not the case: according to Marcus Nilsson “You can play this alone with a disconnected box as much as you want. It will work with AI in the open world, and it will take you through the single-player progression of the game. That’s something that is very dear to us, and foremost Need for Speed is a game that you play through yourself.” Of course, that doesn’t mean they’re not going to push AllDrive, but at least it’s good to know that you’ll still be able to play the game even if the servers all crash. You can expect to see Rivals come out for the Xbox 360 and PS3 on November 19th, and the PS4, Xbox One, and PC versions coming out “later this year”.

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Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition Slated For PC Release

2013-05-23T02:07:25Z

Those who are a fan of the arcade classic Mortal Kombat can expect to see the “Komplete Edition” out for PC very soon. The game was released for PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2011, and later saw a port for the PS Vita. The Komplete Edition features not only the 2011 game itself, but all DLC, including 15 classic skins for the MK characters, as well as four characters only available for download – Skarlet, Kenshi, Rain, and the horror icon himself, Freddy Krueger. Three additional fatalities for Sub-Zero, Scorpion and Reptile have also been added.

Mortal Kombat initially saw some controversy in Australia during its release in 2011, when it was banned by the country because it didn’t feel as though its current ratings could apply to the amount of violence present in the game at the time. Later, when Australia’s rating system included the R18+ listing, an uncensored version of the game was released.

A download version of the game will be available on July 3rd in the North American and European continents, with a physical copy to be released on August 6th in North America and August 2nd in the EU.

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Rockstar Announces GTAV Collector’s Bundles

2013-05-23T13:56:33Z

Looking forward to Grand Theft Auto V? Here’s something else to add to your hype. Rockstar has just announced three different versions of the game, slated to come out September 17th of this year. For those looking to keep it simple, there’s the regular $59.99 edition, which will still include access to pilot the “Atomic Blimp” in-game for those who pre-order.

High above the streets of Los Santos floats the Atomic Blimp, hawking Los Santos’ finest tire company (whose products are available in any LS Customs garage). Pre-order now to gain the ability to pilot the most iconic and leisurely aircraft in the Los Santos skies (please note that all pre-orders made before today will also get access to the blimp).

The Special Edition (priced at $79.99) includes the following:

Full retail copy of Grand Theft Auto V
Collectible SteelBook with Exclusive Artwork
This special SteelBook features double-sided, never-before-seen artwork of Michael, Trevor and Franklin. Custom color and metallic treatments bring out the detail of the artwork created exclusively for this SteelBook.
Blueprint Map
This exclusive, additional 21.5” x 26.75” map displays a blueprint view of Los Santos and Blaine County. Cryptic markings indicate locations for fast cash and other points of interest for the up-and-coming entrepreneur.
Special Ability Boost
Michael, Franklin and Trevor each have a unique special ability. With this boost, the special ability bar will generate 25% faster.
Stunt Plane Trials
Single player Stunt Plane Trials let you take on additional aerial challenges spread throughout Los Santos and Blaine County.
Bonus Outfits, Tattoos and More
Michael, Franklin and Trevor get bonus outfits in their wardrobes, character specific tattoos at tattoo parlors, and special deals from shopkeepers across Los Santos and Blaine County.
Additional Weapons
When visiting Ammunation stores in single player, merchants will have special weapons in their inventory available for free: the Pistol .50, Bullpup Shotgun and melee Hammer.

The Collector’s Edition (priced at $149.99) includes all of the above, in addition to the following:

Grand Theft Auto V Security Deposit Bag with Logo Key
Inspired by the heists in Grand Theft Auto V, this custom 10.75” x 8.5” money bag features a pop-up style lock and laser cut logo key to secure important items. The reverse side features a pressed Rockstar Games logo on the security mount with a framed ID window.
Grand Theft Auto V New Era 9FIFTY™ Snapback Cap
This exclusive New Era 9FIFTY™ cap features an embroidered Los Santos logo on the front, a stitched, black Rockstar Games logo on the wearer’s left side, a Grand Theft Auto ‘V’ logo applique on the opposite side, and snapback closure for an adjustable fit.
Custom Characters for Grand Theft Auto Online
Get classic Grand Theft Auto characters to use within the Grand Theft Auto Online Character Creation System.
Unique Vehicles and Garage Property
Players will instantly receive a garage to store custom vehicles. In single player, the garage will be stocked with the 1930’s style Hotknife hotrod and the CarbonRS sports bike. In Grand Theft Auto Online, players will get the high-end Khamelion electric car.

The Collector’s Editions will come in a premium outer box to protect the contents, with the game’s logo on top and laminated with a scuff-resistant film.

The Xbox One Is Not Indie Game Friendly

2013-05-23T01:04:01Z

Over the past several years indie games have really been blowing up in popularity. Because of their small (sometimes single person) development teams, indie games have really made a niche market for themselves in having low cost, yet immersive games, with games like Minecraft rivaling other major productions in units sold and pure profits. Microsoft had been trying to court indie developers for awhile with their Xbox Live Indie Games space, but it looks like that’s out the window with the Xbox One.

According to Microsoft’s Matt Booty, general manager at Redmond Game Studios and Platforms, in order to get an indie game released for the Xbox One the developer must have a publisher. This is quite different from Sony and Nintendo’s response to the indie game question. Both of those companies are trying to attract more indie developers, by allowing them to self-publish their games.

It’s a little disappointing to see Microsoft take this kind of stand, but after watching their announcement on Tuesday I can’t say I’m surprised. After all, the Xbox One seems to really be catering to the mainstream crowd, the kind of folks that watch lots of sports and TV and play shiny games with lots of explosions. Indie games might just be too underground for Microsoft.

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Kerbal Space Program 0.20 Update Has Been Released!

2013-05-23T00:26:23Z

To me, Kerbal Space Program is a brilliant game. For all its simplicity (build rockets, and try to fly them) there’s quite a bit of complexity and depth in the game, and it’s not even officially released yet. After all, do you want to risk blowing up some of your brave kerbalnauts on a giant boomstick, or would you rather take a more nuanced approach and test your vehicle with an unmanned probe? What kind of maneuver and burn is necessary to get you to the Mun, or Duna, or even Jool? And are parachutes really necessary? It’s the kind of game that I feel can be used to really inspire a new generation of rocket scientists and teach them just exactly how flying in space works.

That’s why I’m excited for the latest update forKSP, 0.20. The new update comes with 7 new stock parts for your space ship, including a cupola and small lander with an IVA view, 2 new probe cores, a large docking clamp, a medium wheel, and attachable command seats for your kerbals. The update is also coming with some tweaks and bug fixes in the back ground, and is being optimized to use about 30% less memory than in the previous patch.

The biggest thing that comes with this update, however, is the addition of customizable flags for your missions! There will be 23 stock flags to choose from, and editing them will be easy with the flag interface in the editor. And speaking of the editor, one of the best changes is the ability to delete and change your command pod while building a ship. In the past you were forced to pick a command module off the bat, and if you wanted to change it you would have to start from scratch.

If you have KSP on Steam then you should already have the update installed automatically. Otherwise you’ll have to go to the kerbalspaceprogram.com store to download the latest version. And hey, if this game seems to be right up your alley, there’s a free version available, which you can download here!

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Battlefield 4 Is Coming This October

2013-05-21T23:31:46Z

Battlefield 4, the latest in the Battlefield series, is set to be released on October 29th of this year. This news comes to us from the game’s official Facebook page, and confirms that it will be released for the PC, the Xbox 360, and the PS3. It’s also been confirmed that it’s going to be released for the PS4 and the Xbox One, Microsoft’s latest console, though at this time there’s no official release date for those consoles, and subsequently, those versions of BF4. I’d expect to see the PS4 and Xbox One to come out sometime in November, though I’ll admit it’d be a nice change of pace to see them come out a little earlier than that.

Activision has also announced the first expansion pack that will be available for the game. Called China Rising, it’ll pack in 4 extra maps, as well as extra vehicles and weapons. It’ll be available for purchase at launch (begging the question “why don’t they just put it in the game in the first place?”) though if you pre-order BF4 you’ll get it for free as a bonus.

It might just be worth picking up this year, especially if I get one of the next gen consoles. After all, it looks absolutely gorgeous, even if it’s just your standard shooter. And hey, who knows, maybe it’ll actually be something more than “just” a shooter?

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Microsoft’s Major Nelson Clarifies Some Details On Used Games

2013-05-22T11:27:57Z

One of the biggest things to come out of the reveal for the new Xbox One yesterday is how the new console deals with used and borrowed copies of games. Unlike consoles in times past, where you can trade and sell and swap to your hearts’ content, the Xbox One is instead doing away with all that, and won’t let your buddy borrow your copy of a game unless he pays for the price of the game. Each game comes with a CD-Key, and when it’s associated with an account, that is it.

Microsoft’s Major Nelson has decided to try and clear up the “confusion” a bit, and say what Microsoft is planning on doing. According to him, at this time the only thing “confirmed” is that they “designed Xbox One to enable our customers to trade in and resell games at retail.” That might seem to suggest that you should be able to sell your copy of a game to some place like GameStop, but it’s hard to see how that would work if everyone is given a CD-Key for each game. Right now, Microsoft is not saying any more about it.

The other big issue is letting your friends borrow your copy of a game. As it stands right now, unless your friend wants to pay for the price of a game when he boots it up into his console, he won’t be able to use it on his machine and account. Major Nelson has clarified that “should you choose to play your game at your friend’s house, there is no fee to play that game while you are signed in to your profile.” It makes sense, seeing that Microsoft has really been ramping up the whole “cloud” feature of the Xbox One, though I can easily see a scenario where your sibling is playing a game and finds himself getting booted out of a game when you sign on with your profile at somebody else’s house.

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