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Tag: PS4

  • These Studios Are Making Exclusive Content For The PS4

    Exclusives are going to become rarer in the next generation. Most third party studios just can’t afford to keep their games on only one platform. Instead, you’ll see developers move to exclusive DLC, and now we know which studios are making exclusive content for Sony’s platform.

    Game Chup reports that Sony held a small presser at the annual GameStop Expo that’s normally reserved only for store managers, but has recently been opened to the general public as well. At the event, Sony revealed all the studios that are making exclusive content for the PS4. This exclusive content may come in the form of games or DLC content, but you can bet that most of it is the latter.

    In all, Sony has signed up 21 developers to provide exclusive content for its next generation machine. These developers range from the very large Western and Japanese studios like Ubisoft and Capcom to the small European publishers like Nordic Games.

    So, without further ado, here are all the studios/publishers creating exclusive content for the PS4:

  • Rockstar Games
  • Activision Blizzard
  • Sega
  • Level 5
  • Sumo Digital
  • Bluepoint Games
  • Square Enix
  • Disney
  • EA
  • Konami
  • Ubisoft
  • Warner Bros. Interactive
  • Atlus
  • Take-Two Interactive
  • Capcom
  • Insomniac Games
  • Bungie
  • Nordic Games
  • Zindage Games
  • Sanzaru Games
  • Bethesda Softworks

    • We already know what some of these studios are making for Sony. For starters, Bungie has already stated that it will release some Destiny content exclusive on the PS3 and PS4. Activision Blizzard, the publisher of Destiny, probably fits into that as Call of Duty: Ghosts DLC is still going to show up first on the Xbox One.

    Some interesting standouts on this list include Atlus and Sumo Digital. Atlus is publishing a PS4 launch window title on the PSN, but it could also indicate that the company’s Japanese branch is prepping some games for Sony’s next generation console. Just don’t expect any of its big name JRPGs to appear on next gen consoles just yet.

    As for Sumo Digital, the studio is mostly known for creating the excellent Sonic kart racers of this past generation. They could be working on another Sonic kart racer for next gen platforms with Sony characters appearing on the PS3/PS4 versions, but it could also be working on an exclusive game with Sony. After PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, a PlayStation-centric kart racer doesn’t seem too far fetched.

    For the Japanese developers and publishers on this list, we’re likely to hear more about what they’re working on next month at Tokyo Game Show. As for everybody else, we’ll just have to wait.

    [Image: PlayStation Blog]

  • ‘Bound by Flame’ Announced For PlayStation 4

    Earlier this year Spiders studios released Mars: War Logs to mediocre reviews. The downloadable RPG contained an ambitious mix of cyberpunk and western RPG elements, but was limited by its low budget. Spiders tried to fix the game for consoles with some better voice acting, but the game ultimately did not catch on.

    Now, Spiders is trying once again with an RPG titled Bound by Flame. The studio announced the game earlier this month at the Gamescom conference for current-generation consoles, and today announced the game will also be coming to PlayStation 4. Though the game is coming to the Xbox 360, Spiders has not announced the game for Microsoft’s Xbox One.

    Bound by Flame puts players in the shoes of “a mercenary possessed by a flame demon.” Gamers will decide to receive power from the demon or resist it, gaining a different type of “heroic” power. Like in Fable and other “moral choice” games, character models will be transformed as players grow more demonic.

    In contrast to Mars: War Logs, the Bound by Flame appears to have a more traditional fantasy setting. Spiders is promising “impressive” enemy creatures such as “shadow dragons,” “liches,” and “ice creatures.” The game will be similar to Mars: War Logs in that it will have three skill trees for players to talent into.

    Spiders stated that Bound by Flame will be out on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and PC some time in “early 2014.”

  • The Xbox One Will Launch On November 8 [Rumor]

    At Gamescom, Sony announced that the PS4 would be launching on November 15 in North America. At the same show, Microsoft refused to commit to an actual date for the launch despite delaying the console’s launch in a number of European territories. One might take Microsoft’s reluctance to name a launch date as a bad sign, but a recent leak shows that the Xbox One might be out of the gate first.

    Kotaku reports that one of its sources has shared a launch schedule of all the big game related items hitting Walmart over the next few months. All the usuals are here, including Madden NFL 25 and Call of Duty: Ghosts. Even the PS4 is listed as having a confirmed midnight launch on November 15.

    Interestingly enough, the schedule also lists the Xbox One with a launch date of November 8. If true, this would put the Xbox One’s launch one week ahead of the PS4’s. One week isn’t a long time, but it could be the deciding factor for consumers who are on the fence regarding the PS4 or Xbox One. There are gamers who would gladly spend an extra $100 just to get their next-gen gaming on a week early.

    Of course, all of this is a rumor for now, and even the leaked schedule makes note of that by not confirming the November 8 launch for the Xbox One. Every other launch, including the PS4, has been confirmed and set in stone. This means that Microsoft has handed retailers a tentative launch date of November 8, but hasn’t confirmed it just yet.

    Microsoft’s reluctance to confirm the launch date with retailers combined with its continued silence towards consumers is a little worrisome. We’re a little under three months away from the launch of both consoles and Microsoft still hasn’t announced a launch date beyond sometime in November. That’s a problem as it conveys a company not confident in its ability to deliver at launch. It doesn’t help when other rumors about Microsoft hitting manufacturing delays start popping up.

    Xbox fans need not worry though. Microsoft will launch the Xbox One in November – it has to. In fact, it has to launch before the Thanksgiving so it can take advantage of Black Friday. The Xbox may not hit on November 8, but it will be out before November 28.

    [Image: Xbox Wire]

  • Here’s 10 Minutes Of DriveClub Gameplay

    On November 15, Sony will unleash the PlayStation 4 onto the world. With it, the company has a launch lineup of pretty much every genre imaginable, including racing games. Sony’s racing game is called DriveClub, and it comes from Motorstorm developer Evolution Studios.

    We’ve already seen quite a bit of DriveClub in carefully crafted game trailers, but we’ve yet to see pure gameplay footage. That all changes today with the release of a 10 minute direct feed gameplay video that shows one event with four different cars.

    A major part of the DriveClub experience is the feeling of actually being in the car. That’s why the developers paid a lot of attention to how the inside of each car looks and feels. Fortunately, you won’t have to race in first person as the game allows for a third-person arcade experience alongside the first-person simulation racing gameplay.

    DriveClub will launch on November 15 alongside the PlayStation 4. A portion of the game will also be available for free at launch to PlayStation Plus members.

    [Image: GamesHQMedia/YouTube]

  • New ‘The Order: 1886’ Details Revealed

    The Order: 1886 was one of the few new PlayStation 4 exclusives that Sony announced during its big E3 conference. The game features monster hunters fighting un-revealed supernatural creatures in a Victorian London. With futuristic weapons. The anachronism made for a very interesting teaser trailer, but many details about the game are still missing.

    Though The Order was missing from Sony’s Gamescom presentation this week, the game hasn’t been fully neglected. Sony has released new details about the setting of the game, including the alternate-history London.

    In a post to the PlayStation blog, developer Ready At Dawn Studios stated that the advanced technology seen in the teaser will “take center stage.” Electric lights will line the city, and electric signs will provide a contrast to the dank architecture. The London underground will be present, but changed for dramatic effect. Airships, called “Sentinels,” patrol the skies over the city, which will feature most of the landmarks London is known for (the Tower Bridge, Big Ben, etc.)

    As for advanced weapons, the characters in the game will carry a variety of devastating firearms. The electricity rifle seen in the teaser, obviously, but also a gun that shoots a combustible cloud of thermite. Period-accurate firearms will also be used, but communication will be sped up through the use of “communicators.”

  • Need For Speed: Rivals Brings Playable Cops To The Party

    When Need For Speed: Rivals launches, it will be another step with EA commitment to crossing over the single and multiplayer experiences with their AllDrive feature that promises “seamless” integration between the two styles of gameplay. Whatever your opinion on a game that essentially forces you to play multiplayer, there is reason for excitement concerning the next Need For Speed release: the opportunity to play an undercover cop who can pursue racing punks to your heart’s content. To help celebrate their appearance at Gamescom 2013, a trailer was released focusing on the law enforcement side of the street racing life.

    It should be noted that there’s not much gameplay to see. Instead, a cinematic trailer that supposed to tweak your imagination was the offering:


    According to reports, players will be able to choose from three different kinds of playing styles if they choose the law enforcement side, including patrol officers, enforcers, and undercover cops. The trailer focuses on the undercover aspect, and it looks like players will be able to drive exotic cars allowing them to perhaps enter, and then disrupt races as they try to catch drivers who have no respect for traffic laws. The game is schedule to launch on November 19, and it will be available for all both console generations (PS3 and 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One) as well as the PC environment. There is, of course, a pre-order bonus if you are so inclined.

    This includes the following:

  • Exclusive access to the Nissan GT-R Black Edition
  • Early access to advanced pursuit technology
  • A custom livery

    • Is the Nissan a good enough reason to get in early?

  • Here’s The Hour Long Q&A Panel That Followed Sony’s Gamescom Presser

    Sony covered a lot of ground its Gamescom press conference. We got a launch date for the PS4, a look at a bunch of new games coming to the PS4, and even a price drop for the PS Vita. Even with all that, you probably still had some questions for the folks at Sony. That’s where the Q&A session comes in.

    After its Gamescom presser, Sony hosted an hour long Q&A session with some of the heavyweights of game development in the PlayStation scene, including David Cage of Quantic Dream, Shuhei Yoshida, head of Sony’s worldwide studios, and some of the indie developers bringing games to the PS4.

    Two things of note: The panel begins at the 27 minute mark so you might want to skip to that point if you don’t want to watch a bunch of ads. There’s also a spoiler for The Last of Us at the beginning of the panel so those who haven’t played Naughty Dog’s title will want to skip past it.

    Sony assembled a crack team of creators to really sell the PlayStation 4 in this panel. If you aren’t sold on the PS4 just yet, you’ll want to check it out. If you already have one pre-ordered, you’ll still want to check it out.

  • Sony To Try Its Luck With Two Racing Games On Two Different Consoles This Year

    It’s pretty common to see a new generation of consoles launch with a racing game. The Xbox One has Forza Motorsport 5 and both next-gen consoles will be getting Need for Speed Rivals and The Crew. Sony is going to try a little something new this year, however, by launching the PS4 with a racing game while launching an entirely separate racing game on the aging PS3.

    At its Gamescom conference, Sony dedicated a little time to both Gran Turismo 6 and DriveClub for the PS3 and PS4 respectively. Both titles will launch within a month of each other, and presumably feature similar gameplay.

    Of course, Sony is going to be putting a lot more marketing muscle behind Gran Turismo 6. It’s only one of the best selling racing game franchises of all time after all. It’s also on an already established console with millions of fans just waiting to pick it up come December 6.

    Sony may be throwing lots of love at Gran Turismo 6, but it doesn’t mean that it has completely neglected DriveClub. In fact, Sony has made it one of the big launch titles for the PS4 by offering a free edition of the game to all PlayStation Plus subscribers. Polygon reports that DriveClub PS Plus Edition will offer a few of the game’s tracks and cars for free to subscribers, and then charge players to either unlock the full game or buy content piece by piece.

    Racing games are a great way to kick off any next generation system because they can be used to really sell the power of a system. It’s a little strange, however, to see Sony essentially competing with itself by offering two racing games, albeit on two different consoles, at the end of the year. How many racing fans that buy a PS4 will skip on DriveClub and just pick up Gran Turismo 6 on their PS3 in December? Sony may soon wish the infamous delays that usually strike Polyphony Digital would have materialized during the development of Gran Turismo 6.

  • Watch Shuhei Yoshida Show Off The PS4’s User Interface

    The PlayStation 4 will be getting a radically new user interface that does away with the cross media bar on the PS3 in favor of something a little more blocky. We got to see a bit of it thanks to a leaked video, but Sony showed it off in an official capacity at Gamescom.

    To start off its Gamescom press conference, Sony had its head of worldwide studios, Shuhei Yoshida, sit in a big comfy chair for three minutes as he played around with the PS4’s user interface. In the demo, we get to see how one will access games, and how simple it is to switch between games on the fly with the new save state features.

    The below demo also shows off Sony’s partnership with Twitch that will allow gamers to stream their content directly to the service. Interestingly enough, it looks like players can go from watching a match being streamed on Twitch to joining that very game.

    Oh, and fans of the XMB need not worry as it’s still there. The demo briefly shows that players can still access something similar by going above the regular UI. Unlike the PS3 and PSP XMB, however, this media bar only provides access to chat parties, friend lists, trophies, settings and notifications.

    We’ll probably see more of the PS4’s UI and its intricacies as we head closer to its November 15 launch. Until then, just bask in the glory of Yoshida sitting in a really big chair.

  • Learn More About Ubisoft’s The Crew

    It seems that every new generation of consoles brings a few new racing IPs with it. Ubisoft was one of the first out of the gate with The Crew. It’s being billed as an open world racing game that focuses on social interaction and unmatched customization.

    In a new trailer from Gamescom, Ubisoft showed off some of the gameplay features from The Crew. The developers show off the deep customization that they say is “nearly unlimited.” After they choose their car, players will then be able to travel to any area in the U.S. to join other players in a myriad of events.

    The developers also detail how progression works in the game. Unlike other racing games that just give you points or money for winning races, The Crew gives players money, experience points and a random car part for winning events. Team events will net every participating player experience and cash, but the winner will obviously receive the most.

    it’s hard to get excited about new racing IP when we already have excellent franchises like Need for Speed and Gran Turismo. Ubisof will have to prove that The Crew is well worth our time and money, and what we’ve seen thus far is very promising. Here’s hoping we actually get to have some time with it before it hits next generation consoles and PC in 2014.

  • Here’s How You’ll Use The DualShock 4 In inFamous: Second Son

    Since February, Sony has been touting the advantages of its new DualShock 4 controller for the PlayStation 4. it was designed with gamers in mind, and game developers seem to really like it. The built-in touch pad and speaker present some interesting design ideas for games, but how exactly will core games use all the new features?

    In a new video from Gamescom, Sony’s Sucker Punch studio talks about their experience in helping to build the DualShock 4 controller. They were actually one of the first studios to be flown out to Japan to help Sony finalize the design of the controller.

    As for inFamous: Second Son itself, Sucker Punch says that they have experimented with all facets of the new controller. They’re using the built-in speaker for more immersion, and it looks like the touch pad may also get some use. The big thing for them, however, are the tighter dead zones on the analog sticks which allows them to provide better movement and aiming.

    inFamous: Second Son is still slated for an early 2014 launch.

  • PlayStation 4 Will Have Twitch Streaming Too

    Back at this year’s E3, Microsoft announced that the Xbox One will come with Twitch streaming built into the console, while Sony announced Ustream streaming for its PlayStation 4. Though it was assumed that these were exclusive streaming deals, Sony today during its Gamescom presentation announced that Twitch streaming will also be coming to the PlayStation 4.

    Twitch followed up the presentation with its own announcement, stating that all PlayStation 4’s will be able to stream to the Twitch.tv website using the “Share” button on the console’s DualShock 4 controller. Gamers will also be able to watch Twitch streaming channels on the PlayStation 4.

    “PlayStation has a long history of delivering some of the best gaming experiences in the industry and we’re excited to have Twitch available on a console as heavily anticipated as PS4,” said Emmett Shear, CEO of Twitch. “Through this partnership we are paving the way for every PS4 gamer to become both a broadcaster and an avid spectator of amazing content.”

    Twitch is currently the most popular website for streaming video game gameplay. The inclusion of easy Twitch streaming in both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 guarantees that the website is about to get a massive boost to its stream numbers. This type of streaming and the sharing of content was emphasized by both Microsoft and Sony as a major factor in the design of their next-gen console interfaces, and Sony went a step further by putting a button on its controller.

    “Social capabilities are an integral part of PS4, so Twitch will play an important role in delivering a compelling connected experience to PlayStation fans,” said Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony Worldwide Studios. “Twitch’s gamer-focused community combined with our strong portfolio of innovative PS4 titles, will help define next generation gameplay and community engagement.”

  • Gamescom 2013: Here Are All The PS4 Games Sony Showed Off

    Did you hear? The PlayStation 4 is launching in North America on November 15. The PS Vita got a price drop as well. That’s the big news out of Gamescom, but the games are obviously pretty important too. So without further adieu, here are all the big games Sony showed off at Gamescom.

    Killzone: Shadow Fall

    Knack

    N++

    Helldivers

    Watch Dogs

    inFamous: Second Son

    Resogun

    Sony ended its press conference with a look at all the big games coming to the PS4 this year. In fact, Sony says that the PS4 will be home to 33 games by the end of December. In comparison, the Xbox One will have 23 games at launch.

  • PlayStation 4 Launches November 15, Additional Details Unveiled At Gamescom

    Sony has traditionally had a strong showing at Gamescom, and that didn’t change in 2013. The company showed off a number of new games (AAA and indie) that will be hitting the PS4 this year. It also showed off a number of new services that will make the PS4 even more attractive in Europe.

    To show its commitment to indie development, Sony started off the show with a look at all the indie titles coming to the PS4 and PS Vita either late this year or in 2014. Those games include Rogue Legacy, Binding of Isaac Rebirth, N++, Volume, Guns of Icarus Online, Wasteland Kings and Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number.

    As for other indie titles, the company announced that Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, Rime, Helldivers, Resogun and Shadow of the Beast will all make their console exclusive debut on the PlayStation 4 in 2013 or 2014.

    Sony then shifted gears to games developed in-house at its own studios. The delightful Playroom, which features AR gaming courtesy of the PlayStation camera, will be pre-installed on every PS4. The company also showed off new trailers for inFamous: Second Son and Killzone: Shadow Fall.

    The PS4 will support a variety of video services, including Twitch and over 20 European streaming services. Those who prefer music will find that Sony’s Music Unlimited has been completely overhauled on the PS4 and players will be able to listen to music via the service while playing games.

    Another big surprise is that Sony is partnering with the leading ISPs of Europe to offer a PlayStation branded Internet package that promises more bandwidth for multiplayer and 200 Mbps speeds. Current partners include Deutsche Telekom, Virgin Mobile and Ono.

    Moving onto third party titles, Ubisoft will provide exclusive content for both Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Watch Dogs on the PS3/PS4. Both games will also support remote play on the PS Vita, as will most PS4 titles.

    In a surprise announcement, Sony said that Minecraft and War Thunder will both be making their way to the PlayStation 4 this year.

    Next, Andrew House took the stage to announce that the 12GB PS3 will be available in North America for $199, but we already knew that. He also announced that PS3 gamers who buy titles like Call of Duty: Ghosts or Battlefield 4 will be able to upgrade to the digital PS4 versions at a heavily discounted price.

    Ah, but you’re here for the PS4 launch date, aren’t you? Well, we got that. House announced that the PS4 will launch in North America on November 15 and it will launch in Europe on November 29.

  • Play The Division With Your Friends On A Mobile Device

    The Division was one of the most ambitious titles shown at E3 this year. Much like Watch Dogs before it, it’s an open world title that slightly changes the rules to accommodate a new gimmick. In this case, it’s multiplayer where players don’t even have to use a controller to play.

    In the Gamescom trailer for The Division, Ubisoft has lifted the veil on its co-op mode that allows players on a mobile device to join a game with their friends. Ubisoft calls these mobile players “companions” and they are represented in the game as a UAV drone. From there, the player on the tablet can attack enemy fighters, heal allies, or even buff and debuff friendly and enemy combatants.

    The best part about the new companion system is that the player on a tablet can play from anywhere. They don’t have to be in the same room or even the same state to join in. It’s incredibly ambitious and gives core gamers an excuse to bust out a tablet for something beyond Hero Academy.

    As an aside, Ubisoft also used Gamescom as a venue to announce The Division for the PC. The team says that they’re committed to providing a first rate PC experience, and Ubisoft’s previous support of PC gaming (Uplay notwithstanding) leads one to believe that The Division will shine on the PC.

  • BioWare Talks Combat In Dragon Age: Inquisition

    Dragon Age: Origins is fondly remembered as a throwback to the RPG glory days of yore where combat was action-based, but tactical. Dragon Age II is not so fondly remembered as a game that did away with any form of tactical planning, and instead charged the player with hitting the attack button over and over again until everything was dead. With Dragon Age: Inquisition, BioWare has a chance to make things right, but will they?

    In the below dev video from GameInformer, the team at BioWare talks about how they’re approaching combat in Dragon Age: Inquisition. The team says that they focused on what players did and didn’t like about the combat in the previous two games, and are now wanting to focus on what they liked in the latest title. What this means is that Dragon Age: Inquisition’s combat will have the more action-focused combat of Dragon Age II while retaining the tactical elements of Dragon Age: Origins.

    It sounds great on paper, but it doesn’t look quite like that in the off-screen gameplay show in the dev video. It looks like an action RPG where players can take direct control of their entire party. It’s a welcome addition, but it doesn’t look like the pseudo-turn-based combat of the first game. Those looking for more Dragon Age: Origins may have to look elsewhere.

    That being said, all of the gameplay shown above is incredibly early. BioWare may have more tricks up its sleeve and we may see a combat system that’s even better than what was seen in Dragon Age: Origins. Until we find out more, fans are better off remaining cautiously optimistic.

    Dragon Age: Inquisition will launch in 2014 for the Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3 and PC.

  • Sony Quietly Releases The 12GB PS3 In The U.S.

    Do you want a cheap PS3? Is the current $270 asking price just too much for you? Well, Sony has a deal for you.

    The Sony store was quietly updated over the weekend with the PS3 12GB slim system. If you recall, this is the same flash memory-based console that Sony released last year in Europe and Hong Kong. It’s meant as a cheaper alternative for those who would use a PS3 mostly for physical media or streaming content via media apps. Those who want to download and play digital games can still install their own hard drives.

    It could be nothing, but the timing of the 12GB PS3’s U.S. debut is suspect. Gamescom kicks off this week in Germany and Sony is said to have plenty of announcements, including the launch date for the PS4. The company could also be using the conference as a venue to announce PS3 and Vita price cuts so that all of its platforms receive plenty of love this holiday season.

    A rush to win the holiday sales race has to begin with the PS3, and the 12GB SKU could do very well in that regard. There are plenty of people who buy PS3 consoles for their parents as a blu-ray player that just happens to play games, but the $260 price tag, which includes some bundled games, may have turned some consumers away. Sony offering a plain 12GB PS3 could rope in these consumers just looking for a blu-ray player that just happens to play games as well.

    The 12GB PS3 is listed on the Sony Store for $199, but it’s currently sold out. If you really need it, you can grab it from Best Buy. They also have a 12GB PS3 bundle that includes The Last Of Us and Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception for $260. It might just be the perfect opportunity to finally get your dad into gaming.

    [h/t: Engadget]

  • Big Surprise: PlayStation 4 Games Will Be Really Pretty

    I will never understand critics (and gamers) who say a PS3 game looks like a PS2 game. Sure, it’s possible, but it just doesn’t happen. Even the worst looking PS3 titles look leagues ahead of what was possible on the PS2.

    If you need more proof of this simple concept, check out this new video from PlayStationAccess. In it, they take a look at the evolution of in-game visuals from the original PlayStation all the way up to the PlayStation 4. Some examples include titles like Crash Bandicoot begetting Knack or Disruptor begetting Killzone: Shadow Fall.

    In short, PlayStation 4 games are going to look good. They may not live up to some gamers’ impossibly high standards, but they will look better than PS3 games.

    Aside from the obvious graphical leap, the PlayStation 4 will offer many unique features that were impossible on its predecessor. The big one is a built-in DVR that records your gameplay for later sharing via social media. It also features an improved online experience and more sophisticated AR gameplay through the new PlayStation Eye camera.

  • Console Launch Rumors: 10M PS4s, 7-9M Xbones

    It’s now less than three months until November, the month Microsoft has tied to the launch of its next-generation console, the Xbox One. Rumors have even begun to surface this week that Sony may launch its PlayStation 4 even earlier. The excitement surrounding the new consoles is extreme, and it appears this fall will see two of the biggest console releases in history.

    Taiwanese publication DigiTimes today reported that demand for both the PS4 and the Xbox One are holding steady, despite launch-day console pre-orders being sold out. The reports unnamed sources from component manufacturers are cited as stating both Microsoft and Sony have ordered more components for manufacture in September and October. More orders for November and December are expected, based on significant pre-order numbers. Orders for next year are expected to stay high next year as well, as the console makers expand their launches to more countries.

    The sources went on to provide estimates for launch console numbers that seem almost unbelievable. The estimates place PlayStation 4 launch console units at 10 million, and Xbox One launch console units at 7 to 9 million. If accurate, these numbers would mean both Sony and Microsoft will sell more consoles in one day this fall than Nintendo has sold of its slow-selling Wii U console in an entire year.

    A survey last month put the demand for the PlayStation 4 ahead of the Xbox One. The survey was of gamers in both the U.S. and Europe, with the demand in the U.S. shown to be slightly closer between the consoles.

    (via DigiTimes)

  • The Xbox One Is A Little More Powerful Today Than It Was Two Months Ago

    Nobody can say that the Xbox One is an underpowered machine. People will, however, argue whether or not it’s as powerful as the PS4. It will probably remain a point of contention among fans throughout each console’s lifecycle, but at least the Xbox One is doing what it can to pick up any perceived slack in the graphics department.

    Microsoft’s March Whitten was on Major Nelson’s podcast today talking about everything Xbox One, and he said that the Xbox One has gotten a little more powerful since E3. The extra power comes from optimizing its graphics drivers to a little extra clock speed.

    First up is optimization. It’s been known since before the Xbox One was unveiled that Microsoft would be using Direct X 11 in its newest console. What we didn’t know is that Microsoft has created its own graphics driver called the “mono driver” that strips Direct X of everything that doesn’t fit into the Xbox One experience. From there, they added some more optimizations to make sure software can get everything it can out of the hardware.

    Whitten goes on to claim that Microsoft’s development partners are by and large now using the “mono driver.” What this means is that games coming out for the Xbox One at or near launch should be better optimized than those games that came out near the Xbox 360 launch.

    As for the hardware itself, Whitten says that they have been able to boost the GPU’s clock speed from 800MHz to 853MHz. A 6.6 percent increase doesn’t sound all that impressive, but every little bit helps. With the increase, developers will be able to push the hardware just a little harder.

    So, what will all of this translate to when it comes to the actual games? We can’t say for sure yet until actual multi-platform games start to hit store shelves, but Digital Foundry put together a comparison of two PCs running on Xbox One/PS4 target specs:

    [h/t: Kotaku]

  • Capcom’s Deep Down Gets A New Trailer

    Capcom’s Deep Down Gets A New Trailer

    Deep Down was one of the more ambitious titles that we saw at Sony’s PS4 reveal in February. It was a brand new IP from Capcom, and it looked absolutely stunning. The game skipped E3, but it looks like Capcom is ready to start talking about it again.

    At Capcom’s Network Game Conference, the company announced that Deep Down is an online game with a focus on dungeon crawling. There’s not much new information beyond that, but its presence at the Network Game Conference makes it seem like Capcom is positioning the title as a new online RPG to complement its already popular Monster Hunter Frontier MMO franchise.

    Unfortunately, the above trailer doesn’t actually let us see a lot of gameplay. We do get to see some new monsters, and another brief glimpse at the amazing visuals that Capcom’s new Panta Rhei engine is capable of. It definitely leaves one wanting more.

    So, when we will see more of Deep Down? Capcom says that they’ll have a playable demo available at Tokyo Game Show in September. The game is still only announced for the PS4, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see an Xbox One and PC version announced at the show as well. Deep Down is looking to be incredibly ambitious (and expensive). Keeping it one platform just doesn’t make sense.

    [h/t: Kotaku]