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Tag: PS4

  • Check Out Some New Need For Speed Rivals Gameplay

    It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything from EA regarding its annual racing game franchise – Need for Speed Rivals. With it being the first game in the series to grace next-gen consoles, you’d think EA would be a little more aggressive with its marketing. Instead, the publisher has only revealed the first trailer for the sure to be awful live action movie based on the franchise.

    That all ends today though with the release of a new trailer for Need for Speed Rivals that shows our first real look at some next-gen racing footage. The first thing you’ll notice is that it looks really good. Racing games are always some of the best looking games on any platform, but Need for Speed Rivals looks exceptionally beautiful. It doesn’t hurt that the environments, including the snowy mountains, look more lifelike than ever before thanks to the game’s use of Frostbite 3.

    As for the gameplay, it looks like tried and true Need for Speed gameplay. Players will either take on the role of a racer trying to escape from cops, or the cop trying to take down racers. In this particular trailer, you will get to see the tools cops can use to take down opposing racers, including spike strips and EMPs.

    If you were expecting something different out of EA with its Need for Speed franchise, you’re probably not going to get it this time around. It does, however, look like the developers at Ghost Games and Criterion are adding some kind of story mode into the title. Whether it ends up being as insipid as past story-based Need for Speed titles remains to be seen though.

    Need for Speed Rivals will launch November 19 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. It will launch on November 15 for the PS4 and November 22 for the Xbox One.

    [Image: eavision/YouTube]

  • Watch Some Battlefield 4 “Levolution” In Action

    One of the more impressive aspects of Battlefield 4’s multiplayer is a new feature called “levolution.” It allows players to drastically change the map by destroying a landmark that then opens up new areas of play while restricting others.

    To give players a glimpse of how this feature works, EA recently interviewed DICE’s Thomas Andersson to get a behind the scenes look at a level called Flood Zone. In this map, there’s a broken levee that’s leaking water. If players destroy that levee, the streets are then flooded with water making it impossible for land vehicles to traverse the map. From there, the map becomes an aquatic battlefield with players able to either swim into buildings to find sniper areas or they can commandeer boats to patrol the now flooded streets.

    Over the weekend, EA announced all 10 multiplayer maps that will ship with Battlefield 4. Of course, Flood Zone is included, but EA also announced a the final 10th map that will ship with the game – Zavod 311. This particular map takes place in a run down Soviet era tank factory that houses an undetonated warhead. If players detonate it, a large chimney will fall and make it much more difficult for vehicles to move in the area.

    If you want to see some levolution for yourself, those who got into the Battlefield 4 multiplayer beta can start preloading it now. It will go live on October 1 for all those who preordered the game. A public open beta will then begin on October 4.

    [Image: eavision/YouTube]

  • Xi3 Piston Brings PC Gaming To The Living Room On November 29

    Last week, Valve revealed its plan to take over the living room with a three pronged attack – SteamOS, Steam Machines and the Steam controller. SteamOS will be out this year, but Steam Machines will not. The original Steam box that was shown at CES this year will though.

    Xi3 announced today that its Piston Micro PC will launch on November 29. The $999 PC will arrive on November 15 for those who preordered one during the SXSW 2013 Gaming Expo.

    “The Piston Console is just Xi3’s first step in what we believe will be a transformative
    technology revolution for the Living Room,” said Jason A. Sullivan, Xi3’s founder, president and CEO. “Unfortunately, I can’t tell you what I know is coming because it’s not time to tell you. But I will say this: the bar has been raised. Piston is smaller, lighter, and will last longer, provide more gaming options and be more powerful than any other gaming console on the planet. The reason I feel confident in saying this is because we started with a clean slate, unlike competing manufacturers. And that Tabula Rasa approach is what sets Piston apart from other gaming systems today and what will set us apart tomorrow.”

    Despite unintentionally name dropping one of the biggest gaming flops of the last decade in its press release, the Xi3 Piston packs a little more punch than Richard Garriott’s MMO. For $999, you get a tiny PC with an 128GB SSD, an ethernet controller that prioritizes gaming traffic, a 3.2 GHz AMD Trinity APU with Radeon 7000 series GPU, and 8GB of RAM. It should be noted that the SSD can be expanded to include two 512GB mSATA SSDs for over 1TB of storage.

    Xi3 claims that this set up will allow the Piston to display out to three monitors or a single 4K monitor. Such a claim is technically true, but it looks like the Piston will be using the AMD A8-5600K complete with Radeon HD 7560D. In a comparison test on Tom’s Hardware, the A8-5600K could only manage about 22 FPS at 1080p with Skyrim set to medium.

    For those looking for a gaming PC for your living room, you could do much worse than the Xi3 Piston. At its $999 asking price, however, it’s a little steep. You could buy the components it uses and build a comparable living room PC for half the price. Hell, you could go with a better CPU, add on a more powerful discrete AMD GPU and still come in under $1,000.

    In short, the Xi3 is a decent first attempt at bringing PC gaming to the living room. The specs will be more than enough to play any PC game released before 2010, but anything after that becomes dubious. If you want a living room machine to play sophisticated games on, you’re much better off buying a PS4 or an Xbox One. Either of those consoles will provide much better looking games at half the price. If you’re adamant about sticking with a PC, you can either build your own or wait for whatever Valve has in store with its Steam Machines in 2014.

    [Image: Xi3]

  • Assassin’s Creed 4 Gets A New Trailer, Confirms Launch Days

    With Ubisoft’s commitment to delivering a new Assassin’s Creed title every year, you can expect these kinds of updates for the foreseeable future. They usually start around the annual E3 and continue up until the holiday shopping season officially begins. This year, however, Ubisoft has a litle more work to do, because they are releasing Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag on just about every console on the market. This includes the almost-defunct Xbox 360 and PS3, as well as their next-gen relatives, the Xbox One and the PS4. There’s also a version being released for Nintendo’s WiiU, which may be something of a shock to those who breathlessly follow the console wars. For the non-console gamers, Ubisoft hasn’t forgotten about you either.

    Both the PC community and mobile device users will have a version of AC4 to fool around with. To celebrate this massive release schedule, Ubisoft released another trailer for their tentpole title, which focuses primarily on cinematics that won’t look anything like the actual gameplay:


    As you can see, this particular version of the trailer indicates a Day One launch for the next-gen consoles, which means Assassin’s Creed 4 will be available for the PS4 on November 15, and for the Xbox One on November 22. A screenshot confirms these dates:

    Assassin's Creed 4 Launch Dates

    The non-next-gen version of Assassin’s Creed 4 will be, as the image suggests, available on October 29. For those wondering about the PC version, it is getting its own launch date that will fall between the PS4 and Xbox One on November 19. As for the mobile device offshoot, Assassin’s Creed: Pirates, the date still hasn’t been announced, but considering the launch cluster for the home devices, mobile gamers shouldn’t have to wait too long.

    [Lead image courtesy of Ubisoft’s YouTube]

  • GameStop Prepares For PS4 And Xbox One Launches With Hiring Spree

    Does it sound like a dream come true to work at GameStop? If so, the impending launch of the Xbox One and PS4 may have just given you the excuse you need to join their team.

    GameStop announced today that it plans to hire 17,000 seasonal workers this holiday season in preparation for the Xbox and PS4 launches. Next gen consoles aren’t the only reason GameStop is hiring, however, as it also needs some extra help to deal with what it expects will be a busy holiday season.

    “Providing our customers a great experience is of paramount importance when it comes to defining who GameStop is as a retailer and delivering the total value we offer our customers,” said Mike Buskey, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at GameStop. “The holiday season is our busiest time of the year, accounting for approximately 40% of our annual revenue. As we near the 2013 holiday season, and the upcoming launches of the PS4 and Xbox One consoles, it is critical that we attract and retain high quality-talent both in our stores as well as in our consumer electronics refurbishment and distribution centers.”

    As you can see above, GameStop is not only hiring employees for its retail locations. In fact, it would be impossible to cram 17,000 new employees into its shrinking number of retail locations. Most of the new hires will instead be assigned to GameStop’s refurbishment operation center or one of its two distribution warehouses. For the former, GameStop is looking for technicians to help refurbish used consoles that can then be resold at its retail locations. For the latter, they’re looking for warehouse workers to help ship out all the orders GameStop’s online presence will undoubtedly receive this holiday season.

    So, is there any benefit to working with GameStop? Like with most retail locations, the main benefit comes in the form of discounts – a 15 percent discount to be exact. Those who work as Game Advisors at GameStop’s retail locations also have the ability to “rent” new games and take them home for a few days.

    While GameStop may say that it’s only hiring seasonal employees, there’s always the chance that it could turn into a career for some of the new hires. It does happen, but you just have to be hardworking and, more often than not, a little lucky.

    To find out more about GameStop’s hiring spree, check out its careers Web site for a list of all open positions.

    [Image: Business Wire]

  • Of Course Killzone: Shadow Fall Will Have A DLC Season Pass

    The next generation of consoles will bring with it a lot of changes – better graphics, social integration and live streaming to name a few. One thing that won’t change, however, is the game industry’s relentless pursuit to make you pay for DLC before it even comes out.

    Sony announced today that it would be continuing the tradition started by L.A. Noire with the Killzone: Shadow Fall season pass. But wait, isn’t Guerilla making all multiplayer map packs free in the latest Killzone? That’s true, but Guerilla never said anything about non-competitive multiplayer content. After all, most shooters these days have a co-op component as well.

    Here’s all the stuff that Killzone: Shadow Fall players will get if they choose to buy the season pass:

    Online co-op expansion pack
    Focusing on team play and intense combat, the online co-op expansion pack adds a new co-operative game mode in which you and up to three online friends must survive against impossible odds. Fight waves upon waves of enemies in four new arena maps, featuring a unique leveling system and new unlocks.

    Three online co-op map packs
    Each map pack consists of two brand-new arena maps you can play in co-op mode with your friends. Please note that these arena maps will only work with the online co-op expansion pack.

    Two additional multiplayer expansion packs
    We’ll reveal more about these additional multiplayer expansion packs when Killzone Shadow Fall’s launch date nears. Suffice to say they’ll offer many hours of additional multiplayer thrills!

    Sony also notes that those who buy the season pass on day one will receive an “exclusive OWL combat drone skin and a unique Multiplayer Spotlight move”

    We may never be able to escape the specter of paid DLC or the season pass, but Killzone: Shadow Fall is handling it pretty well. Getting free multiplayer map packs while having to pay for the co-op mode seems like a pretty fair trade off to me.

    If the season pass seems like something you’d be interested in, it will be available to purchase alongside Killzone: Shadow Fall on November 15 for $19.99.

    Oh, and while you’re here, you might want to check out the latest multiplayer trailer for Killzone: Shadow Fall. It might help you decide if the season pass is worth it:

    [Image: PlayStation Blog]

  • Here’s Some Assassin’s Creed IV Multiplayer Gameplay

    Starting with Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, Ubisoft introduced multiplayer into the franchise in an attempt to convince people to hold onto their copies of the game. As the franchise has evolved from then, so has its multiplayer. Now with Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Ubisoft is further refining the franchise’s mulitplayer.

    In a new trailer released today, Ubisoft shows off some mulitplayer gameplay from its latest Assassin’s Creed title. Like in past games, players be tasked with stalking and taking down other players as they hide in plain sight among crowds of NPCs.

    The latest trailer doesn’t show off any new modes, but it does show off some of the new environments players will be competing in. The jungle environments look to be the most impressive as far as scale is concerned, and the multitude of trees should give players plenty of places to hide in.

    Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag launches on October 29 for the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U. The PS4 version will launch on November 15, and the Xbox One version launches on November 22. There’s still no set release date for the PC version, but it’s expected in November as well.

    [Image: Ubisoft/YouTube]

  • Microsoft: Xbox One’s Disc Drive Prevents It From Being Stood Vertically

    Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 could be stood horizontally or vertically. In fact, Microsoft and Sony would both regularly display their respective consoles standing vertically. That won’t be a possibility with the Xbox One.

    At Tokyo Game Show, Microsoft’s Albert Panello told GameSpot that players shouldn’t stand their Xbox One vertically. It’s not like a vertical Xbox One is impossible as the design would allow for such an orientation. Instead, Panello says that the Xbox One’s slot loading drive was built only for horizontal orientations and that players should go vertical only “at [their] own risk.”

    Why would Microsoft remove the ability to stand the Xbox One vertically? After all, the Xbox 360 let users stand it vertically. Panello says that the majority of Xbox 360 gamers (80 percent) stood their consoles horizontally. Sure, Microsoft may be ignoring 20 percent of its fans who prefer to stand their consoles vertically, but it shouldn’t be a big deal to most players who prefer to go horizontal.

    So, where does this leave the PS4? For both the PS2 and PS3, Sony made a console that could be stood vertically. That’s not going to change with the PS4 despite it also sporting a slot loading drive. In fact, Sony has already shown the PS4 standing vertically in some of its promo videos and photographs.

    Xbox One Wasn't Built To Go Vertical

    Is it a big deal that the Xbox One can’t be stood vertically? That really depends on what kind of space your entertainment center has. Some people prefer to go vertical as it affords them more space, but most Xbox One owners will probably not have any problems.

    [Image: Xbox/YouTube]

  • TGS 2013: PlayStation App Launching On iOS, Android This November

    With SmartGlass, Microsoft has turned any mobile device into a second screen for the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Sony has done the same in a limited fashion with the PS Vita, but will be expanding it to more mobile devices with the launch of the PS4.

    During its Tokyo Game Show 2013 keynote, Sony announced that it will be releasing a PS4 remote play app on both iOS and Android in November. The app will allow any mobile device to serve as a second screen or even a controller in compatible PS4 titles.

    Beyond serving as a second screen, the PlayStation App will also let users access many features of the PSN. That means players will be able to interact with friends, send multiplayer invites, see their trophies and access the PlayStation store all from within the app.

    The PlayStation App will probably gain more features in the coming months to better match what SmartGlass can do. Currently, SmartGlass users can watch TV shows and get instant information on said show through their tablet or smartphone. Sony will undoubtedly add similar features and more to the wide range of multimedia apps hitting the PS4.

    Here’s a video of Sony’s Shuhei Yoshida showing off the PlayStation App during last night’s keynote. It should be noted that the translation is a little garbled so please bear with it:

    [Image: GamesHQMedia/YouTube]
    [h/t: Polygon]

  • PS4 To Include HDMI-Enabled Video Capture

    While this isn’t locked into a concrete-like state, it certainly appears as if the PlayStation 4 will support HDMI-enabled video capture, which means we will soon be getting an absolute avalanche of YouTube uploads from PS4 owners all over the globe. Make sure you click “Like” and “Subscribe” when the deluge hits. Regarding the capability, news of PS4 video capture has been rumored. Thanks to a tweet from the head of third-party relations at Sony Computer Entertainment, Brad Douglas, the rumor has turned into an outright announcement:


    Knowing that video capture will be a thing with the PS4, it’s not hard to see the implications of such technology. Tons and tons of gameplay videos on YouTube, along with untold terabytes of animated gifs taken from these PS4 videos. After Nintendo’s infamous mishandling of YouTube gameplay videos, it’s hard not to wonder what happens if a rigid publisher isn’t keen on gameplay videos of their product showing on the Internet.

    Considering Sony appears to be giving future PS4 owners the capability, will disgruntled publishers have a leg to stand on?

    There’s also the issue of owners using the feature to capture other content besides gameplay. Something like Blu-ray movie, for example. It’s likely Sony will include some kind of DRM to prevent such attempts; but what happens when that DRM gets cracked? Firmware updates out the wazoo, that’s what.

    [Hat-tip to Polygon]
    [Lead image courtesy]

  • Check Out Battlefield 4’s Multiplayer In New Trailer

    Battlefield 4 and Call of Duty: Ghosts will go head-to-head later this year on next-gen consoles. At this point, I think we can all agree that Battlefield 4 will take the visuals crown, but gameplay is king no matter how you slice it. It’s with that in mind that both EA and Activision are starting to sell their respective shooter’s multiplayer modes to the public.

    In the latest trailer for Battlefield 4, DICE shows off what kind of multiplayer mayhem players can expect from its latest title. Everything on display here has already been shown before, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive. In fact, it makes it even harder to wait for the full transition to next-generation consoles so the talented developers at DICE won’t be held back by the aging hardware of the PS3 and Xbox 360.

    The end of the trailer also serves to remind gamers that EA is taking part in a transition program where those players who buy a physical copy of Battlefield 4 for the Xbox 360 or PS3 can upgrade to the digital version of the same game on the Xbox One or PS4. You can find more details about that here.

    If you’re more of a Call of Duty fan, you’ll want to check out the new Call of Duty: Ghosts trailer. It may look as pretty as Battlefield 4, but it has space battles and dogs jumping into helicopters. Remember folks – visuals aren’t everything. Sometimes all it takes is a dog to make the entire gaming world fall in your lap.

  • Here’s Everything That Comes With The Watch Dogs DedSec Edition

    You’d think Ubisoft would lay off the expensive special editions for next-gen launch titles, but that’s obviously not happening. It’s launching a collector’s edition for Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and its newest IP – Watch Dogs – will be getting its very own DedSec Edition.

    In a new video, Ubisoft unboxes the Watch Dogs DedSec Edition that’s headed to Europe this holiday season. There are some minor differences between this version of the game and the U.S. special edition, but it’s largely the same. The below video should give you an idea if the DedSec Edition or its U.S. equivalent is worth your hard earned money:

    The real standout in this edition of the game is the 23cm tall Aiden Pearce figurine. It’s rare to get good figurines out of special editions so it’s nice to see Ubisoft rewarding its most ardent fans with something a little nicer than the norm.

    Of course, we can’t forget all the digital bonuses that come alongside special editions these days. Players who buy the DedSec Edition will get three new single player missions alongside exclusive weapons, outfits and items.

    Watch Dogs will launch on November 19 for the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U and PC. The Xbox One version will launch on November 22 and the PS4 version will launch on November 15.

    [Image: ubisoft/YouTube]

  • Valiant Hearts Is Ubisoft’s Take On World War I

    World War I doesn’t get a lot of love in video games. It’s understandable to a point as it’s hard to make any of the battles in that conflict “fun.” That being said, WWI can serve as an excellent backdrop to a narrative-based game, and Ubisoft is doing just that.

    Ubisoft this morning announced a new downloadable title called Valiant Hearts: The Great War. It’s a 2D adventure game powered by Ubisoft’s UbiArt engine – the same engine that powers Rayman Legends and Child of Light. Here’s the official synopsis:

    This is the story of 5 crossed destinies and a broken love in a world torn apart. All of them will try to survive the horror of the trenches following their faithful canine companion. From the green forests of the French countryside, to dank trenches and snowy fields, go back through history in this emotional adventure as friendship, love, sacrifice and tragedy befall each one as they help each other to retain their humanity against the horrors of war.

    Check out the trailer below to see what may be one of the best story-based games of 2014:

    [Image: ubisoft/YouTube]

    Valiant Hearts will be released in 2014 on both current and next-gen consoles.

  • New Trailer For ‘The Evil Within’ Looks Crazy, Disappears Quickly

    The fact that Shinji Mikami, who created the Resident Evil series, is making a brand new horror survival game is, of course, worth any gamer’s attention. Hence the collective geek scream of joy that was overheard when The Evil Within was announced. While it isn’t scheduled for release until next year (2014), the delay only gives the anticipation more time to build. It’s that, or the impending feeling of doom as more and more footage is released to the public.

    Speaking of which, there’s a new trailer for The Evil Within that popped up at Sony’s press conference in Japan, and it, too, looks impressive/daunting. The problem is Bethesda, the game’s publisher, isn’t ready to release the footage to the public, and so, they are pulling copies that show up on YouTube. Case in point belongs to VG247.com and their embedded video, which has already been booted by ZeniMax, Bethesda’s parent company. While we’ve managed to find another upload, it’s doubtful it will last too long.

    Get it while you can:


    You’ll notice the game being previewed was called Psycho Break, which represents the game’s title in Japan, much like the Biohazard/Resident Evil Japan/Non-Japan title switch. If you navigate to the Twitter account being publicized in the trailer–@PsychoBreakJPN–you’ll notice the tweets are primarily in Japanese, but the look and feel uses the same theme as its Western counterpart.

    As for the what we saw in the trailer, I’m sufficiently freaked the hell out, especially during the trailer’s closing sequence. I can imagine many pants being soiled when that part plays out in 50-plus inches of high definition glory. The game is being developed for all current and next-gen consoles. PC gamers will be getting a version, too.

    [Lead image via Bethesda]

  • Sony’s PlayStation Vision Previewed in New Video

    Early this morning, Sony held its big Tokyo Game Show presentation in Japan. In addition to some new game previews and a Japanese release date for the PlayStation 4, the company also chose the venue to tout its new, slimmer Vita and a set-top box it’s calling the Vita TV.

    The Vita TV in particular is a bit confusing. It can stream movies and TV the same as other set-top boxes, but it can also play PS Vita, PSP, and PlayStation One games on a TV using a PlayStation 3 controller. In addition, it will be able to network with the upcoming PlayStation 4 console to provide remote play on other TVs.

    Just how this all fits into the variety of other PlayStation devices Sony has can be confusing, so the company has put out a video showing all of its devices working together. The video demonstrates how Sony is imagining gamers will interact with PlayStation over the course of one day using their smartphones, PlayStation 4s, and Vitas. It also includes how parents might use the the Vita TV to avoid family conflict over the living room TV and a vivid demonstration of how Sony is using wireless streaming to turn the Vita into a mobile PlayStation 4:

  • Here’s The First Gameplay From PS4 Exclusive Deep Down

    At Sony’s February PS4 event, Capcom announced an interesting new title called Deep Down. For the past year, we only saw a few trailers that didn’t really tell us a lot. Now Capcom has shown off some actual gameplay for the title.

    This morning, Capcom shared four minutes of live gameplay from Deep Down at Sony’s press conference in Japan. In it, we see a game that looks a lot like Dark Souls, but with a more involved multiplayer component. We only get to see the multiplayer being shown, but Capcom says it will be playable at Tokyo Game Show later this month.

    Interestingly enough, Capcom revealed during the demo that the game takes place in New York in the year 2094. The publisher wouldn’t say anything beyond that so we don’t exactly know why the setting looks to be a medieval dungeon crawler.

    We’ll hopefully see more from Deep Down later this month at TGS. It’s definitely one of the most exciting PS4 launch titles announced thus far.

    [Image: GamesHQMedia/YouTube]

  • Frostbite 3 Engine Brings Beautiful Destruction to Battlefield 4

    At the recent Gamescom 2013, the folks at VG247.com had a chance to sit down with the creative director for DICE, Lars Gustavsson to discuss some of the concept of Levolution in the upcoming Battlefield 4. During the interview, Gustavsson could hardly contain his excitement while discussing how the Frostbite 3 engine will impact players, thanks to dynamic environments that allows the development team to add more environmental destruction “than ever,” something that was teased during the Siege of Shanghai launch trailer that hit at E3.

    While destructive environments have been apart of the Battlefield legacy, especially in the Bad Company series, player actions can now change the layout of a map. For instance, a once-dry land assault can turn into an amphibious mission, all because the attacking team destroyed the levy, flooding the very streets the battles are being fought on. Another source of pride for Gustavsson is the ability to include dynamic waters in the maps.

    During one of the missions, a calm sea is struck by a vicious storm, producing turbulent waves players will have to negotiate, some of which is teased in the following video:


    Clearly, Gustavvson is incredibly excited about the potential of the Frostbite 3 engine, and judging by the footage–which was run on an extremely high-end PC, no doubt–his excitement is justified. The gameplay shows some really intense firefights with lots of debris and leftover destruction flying around. According to the VG247 article, some of the footage seen in the video is from the new Obliteration Mode, which tasks teams with destroying enemy bases that randomly spawn around the map. Apparently, teams win by destroying three enemy bases, which sounds a little bit like the Rush gameplay option.

    Battlefield 4 will be available on October 29 for the PC, Xbox 360, and the PS3. It will also be available on the next-gen consoles after they launch.

    [Lead image via EA]

  • Here’s 14 Minutes Of Watch Dogs Gameplay

    For the past year, Ubisoft has really been pushing Watch Dogs as its next big franchise. Unfortunately, we’ve only ever seen pre-rendered trailers or small snippets of gameplay. Now that we’re only a few months away from launch, Ubisoft has finally decided to show us a long gameplay demo.

    In a new trailer from Sony, Watch Dogs’ animation director shows off 14 minutes of Watch Dogs gameplay running on the PS4. Like always, the game is quite the looker, and will be undoubtedly lauded as one of the best looking launch titles on next-gen platforms.

    What makes this gameplay trailer special is that it’s the first trailer to show non-mission gameplay. Most of the best moments in open world games comes from unscripted gameplay, and Watch Dogs will have plenty of it.

    Watch Dogs will launch on November 19 for the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U and PC on November 19. It will launch on November 15 for the PS4, and November 22 for the Xbox One.

    [Image: PlayStation/YouTube]

  • Watch Mark Cerny Talk About His PS4 Launch Title Knack

    Mark Cerny is the most delightful hardware/software engineer that you’ll ever meet. His talk about his experiences as the PS4’s lead system architect sounds like it would be boring, but it’s actually a fascinating look into the mind of a gamer that just wants to make things more fun.

    Well, Sony put out a new Conversations with Creators video with Cerny about PS4 launch title Knack. It’s a new platformer being made by Sony Japan Studios, and it already looks to be one of the strongest launch titles of the bunch. That could be due to Cerny having a lot of experience in developing strong platformers as he helped out Insomniac Games and Naughty Dog on games like Ratchet and Clank, and Crash Bandicoot. He even served as a producer on Sonic The Hedgehog 2.

    In the video, Cerny says that he would love for people playing Knack to have the same feeling they had when playing Crash Bandicoot for the first time on the original PlayStation. To that end, the game will evoke a challenge similar to older platformers on the harder difficulty settings, but it can also be enjoyed by those new to games on the easier difficulties.

    All in all, it’s sounding like Knack is the kind of game that I love to see accompany a console launch. It has a strong personality and a familiar, yet distinctive, gameplay that’s seemingly only possible on new hardware. Kameo: Elements of Power gave me that kind of feeling at the Xbox 360’s launch, and I can only hope that Knack does the same for the PS4.

    [Image: PlayStation/YouTube]

  • Sony Announces Two More Indie Games At PAX

    PAX Prime took place over the weekend and Sony held a small event showcasing some of the indie titles headed to its platforms. Most of the games shown at the event were already shown at E3 or Gamescom, but the company did announce two new titles headed to PlayStation platforms.

    The first game is called Cosmic Star Heroine, and is the latest game from retro RPG developer Zeboyd Games. The developer may be most famous for Cthulhu Saves The World, but they also made the final two Penny Arcade Adventures games as well.

    Here’s the official synopsis:

    Save the entire galaxy (all of it) with Agent Alyssa L’Salle, along with her bizarre band of adventurers. Cosmic Star Heroine is inspired by the great ’90s RPGs we all know and love, including Chrono Trigger, Phantasy Star, and Suikoden. Prepare for ample amounts of pixel art, retro music, and a fair share of space adventures.

    Cosmic Star Heroine will be available on both the PS4 and PS Vita.

    The second indie title coming to the PS4 and PS Vita is called Road Not Taken. it’s being developed by Spry Fox, the guys behind games like Triple Town and Realm of a Mad God.

    Here’s the official synopsis:

    Explore a mysterious woods in an effort to better understand life’s surprises. Road Not Taken is a new, puzzle roguelike with dozens of hours of play. No two adventures will be alike, and death is waiting around every corner.

    [Image: PlayStation/YouTube]

  • Xbox One To Lack Support For External Storage At Launch

    The Xbox 360 launched with memory cards, but soon ditched those in favor of standardized external memory. Unfortunately, the Xbox One won’t have support for the latter at launch.

    During a PAX podcast, Major Nelson revealed that the Xbox One won’t support external storage at launch. In other words, you’ll only be able to use the included 500GB internal hard drive at launch. Once the feature is added in, however, Xbox One owners will be able to install games and other content to external memory.

    So, when can Xbox One owners expect to see external memory support? Nelson didn’t have a concrete answer. He only said that support won’t be there at launch due to the Xbox One team working on other things at the moment. The best we have is that external memory support “is on the list” of things the team is working on.

    The included 500GB internal hard drive will last most gamers for quite some time, but the digital future outlined by both Microsoft and Sony will require more than just a paltry 500GB of memory. The internal hard drive included with the Xbox One can’t be replaced so some gamers will need that external memory support. That’s why we’re likely to see it added in by the end of the year.

    As an aside, Sony is continuing the policy it started with the PS3 by allowing users to replace the PS4’s internal hard drive. In fact, it’s the only next-gen console to have such a policy. Both the Xbox One and Wii U require users to utilize more external hard drives. Both internal and external hard drives are priced similarly so neither console has an advantage in price when it comes to memory expansion.

    [Image: Xbox Wire]
    [h/t: Eurogamer]