The Square-Enix Humble Bundle looks very very good

Today's News:
1) Sony announced Uncharted 4 has been delayed again with the new release date currently set for April 26, 2016.
http://www.destructoid.com/uncharted...l-328947.phtml

2) During a recent interview with DualShockers, Ubisoft revealed they had plans to include local multiplayer for the first Assassin's Creed game but dropped it since they had problems making it fit within the game's story and gameplay.
http://www.destructoid.com/the-first...r-328860.phtml

3) According to recent NDA (non-disclosure agreement) leaks, Fable Legends contains a microtransaction system along with the current prices planned for in-game gold.
http://www.destructoid.com/fable-leg...k-328907.phtml

EXTRA) TPWW's Game of the Year thread is still accepting nominations while the 2015 Gammy Awards is ends tomorrow.

• Game of the Year thread: http://www.tpwwforums.com/showthread.php?t=130679
• 2015 Gammy Awards thread: http://www.tpwwforums.com/showthread.php?t=130767

Ooof.

Uncharted getting pushed back. Must be some serious hiccups in the alpha. Or beta. Or whatever the hell they just ran.

I hope Microsoft & Sony got their staff ready to go in case it hits the fan today.

Late Night News Edition:
 

For those that had problems logging on to Steam earlier today, it wasn't due to a hacking attack or anything related to recent threats by a hacker group.

Valve had a nasty glitch occur that lead to people being able to randomly access accounts of others with some reports saying account info was locked out and others saying the opposite.

Valve claims the issues have been fixed but probably the best to change passwords and/or account details to be safe.

http://www.destructoid.com/-updates-...n-329492.phtml

Still can't fully login to purchase stuff.

Freedom Planet getting a sequel according to the developers recently. Won't be as Sonic inspired like the first game.

Plans for a beta to arrive by mid-2017 while the game itself is planned for PC, Mac, Linux, and a Nintendo platform(s) with more platforms likely later.

http://www.destructoid.com/sonic-ins...l-329686.phtml

Today's News:
1) CyberConnect2 studio recently teased they have a big surprise planned for 2016 with speculation of a sequel to Asura's Wrath as a possible choice.
http://www.destructoid.com/cyberconn...2-330237.phtml

2) Level 5 teased they are making a sequel to a "very popular series" with the debut to happen next year.
http://www.destructoid.com/level-5-w...6-330242.phtml

3) Update to Steam's Holiday accounts fiasco news as the growing backlash against Valve has gotten really bad lately and Valve still refuses to provide details and clarity on the situation. Supposedly a cache issue with the service's database ended up allowing people to access others accounts and sensitive info details. Conflicting reports on how much info was leaked and what was possible to do with those accounts that Valve refused to clarify.
http://www.destructoid.com/so-how-ab...--330258.phtml

Today's News:
1) Sony revealed the list of free games for January's Playstation Plus which includes Grim Fandango Remastered (PS4) among the six games available.
http://www.destructoid.com/an-oldie-...s-330494.phtml

2) Update to Steam's Holiday accounts fiasco news as Valve officially confirmed around 34,000 accounts were affected by a cache problem due to a recent DDoS attack on Steam Store. According to Valve, them switching Steam's caching rules to protect after a second wave of attacks ended up causing a glitch in the system making accounts and sensitive info become public.
http://www.destructoid.com/valve-fin...--330529.phtml

3) Supposed artwork images for Platinum Games' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game was rumored to have been leaked recently.
http://www.destructoid.com/rumor-art...s-330464.phtml

4) Next Assassin's Creed game rumored to be going back to having a present day protagonist storyline based on the recent DLC pack for Syndicate.
http://www.destructoid.com/all-signs...t-330526.phtml

Xavier Woods' Top 10 Games of 2015

http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/xa...015/1100-5341/

Microsoft rumored to be releasing a new model of the Xbox One next year. The new model is rumored to be more similar to Apple Tv in terms of functionality than just as a Slim version of the console.

Also rumored to be arriving mid to late 2016 and would be cheaper than the current standard Xbox One model.

http://www.destructoid.com/the-xbox-...l-330657.phtml

An Xbone without a disc drive. I'd get it if I didn't already have one.

With reduced functionality as well? It sounds like they want to port marketplace games to it, if this thing actually exists. Maybe they're trying to make cheap Minecraft machines or something.

That is if they aren't just going ahead with folding the One into Windows 10, and just have this as the home console.

You realize the marketplace sells exactly the same catalog? I don't have a single disc for my console. It never spun one. The functionality would be the same for me.

No, it says it'll just play whatever the XBLA equivalent is now. To rival Apple TV, reduced power.

The Windows Store is a weird place, because surely no-one is making controller based games for that exclusively, except their weaker version of Minecraft.

Wait, you mean it won't run AAA games? Fuck that.

According to reports, Activision recently purchased eSports organization MLG (Major League Gaming) for around $46 million. MLG's investors are pissed though because they weren't told of a sale being made and the amount being lower than they'd expect because of debt issues.

http://www.destructoid.com/mlg-just-...n-330979.phtml

I guess this cements Halo's disassociation with MLG.

Was MLG in good shape at all? I hadn't heard about any tournaments/stuff in years, where I heard stuff about EVO/The International/Other random stuff all the time? I only knew it as something that teenagers pretended to be in.

The rumours about the Xbox TV thing are funny. There are so many stories going round that MS want to get rid of the One, possibly folding it into Windows 10 machines. I can't see it happening, they're not going to run out of money, but then it seems like MS wanted the One to be all about TV more than anything, and if they can make a Minecraft machine then why not? They killed the OG Xbox but that was to get the 360 out, I don't see what tanking the One would get them.

I do remember reading that for all its success MS' Xbox division is seen as some kind of black sheep for some reason. Really bizarre.

And yeah MLG is pretty much irrelevant especially with more publishers running their own leagues.

Yeah. These days the developers and maybe 1-2 e-sports outfits are holding their own tournaments. Although it's teams that are being bought.

Was watching Closing Bell yesterday and they did mention that ActivisionBlizzard's stock doubled in 2015. Seems like they had some extra cash to spend.

Yeah they just bought whats-its-nuts too.. the Candy Crush guys

Activision just eating everything

Least it's not EA.

Xbox loses them money, but that never stopped Microsoft before. Although the Xbox One slipped up and has lost ground, it's nothing like the failure of the Surface, Windows Phone, Bing, Windows 8 and possibly 10, Minecraft that will never, ever recoup what they spent on it just so they could dodge tax, whatever else you care to mention. It's the strongest brand that MS still has.

I think the direction with the One was that they wanted a Trojan horse in every living room so that people would be using it as a DVR with their Kinect and to have control of the household and go from there. Now that they've had to scale it back to be just another game console, the higher ups feel like they accomplished nothing. They put a lot into stuff like the NFL deals, the DVR stuff, and so they could try to make a small Xbox to go up against Apple TV - but it's too late, there's already a hundred other boxes out there, and no-one will want a gimped Xbox 0.5

In a word, Microsoft.

My fave gaming success story is the failure of the Kinect. Idiots thinking that was going anywhere. Couldn't believe I had to explain to some why it was a dead fish.

Would be nice if they could integrate the Kinect speaking commands into the controller itself, as those are very useful.

Or actually use the mic to do just that. I'm sure they could.

Kinect was dead out of the box for me as voice commands weren't available in my region when it launched. I think they got them activated about 6 months ago but mine just sits behind the TV unused.

Today's News:
1) Ubisoft is currently rumored to be taking a year off for the Assassin's Creed franchise with a new game planned for 2017, act as a prequel to the entire series, and be set in Egypt. Also rumored the series itself will be moving to a two year schedule per main game due to franchise fatigue.
http://www.destructoid.com/assassin-...7-331666.phtml
http://kotaku.com/sources-next-big-a...pin-1750937895

2) Sega currently rumored to be developing a new Sonic game for the series 25th Anniversary based on musical band Crush 40 who teased they are preparing to work on a few songs for the game.
http://www.destructoid.com/crush-40-...s-331389.phtml

3) Platinum Games announced Xbox One exclusive Scalebound has been delayed till 2017 with the official reason related to them needing a lot more time than originally planned.
http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/xb...017/1100-5367/

4) According to SNK, the official reason they are currently working on a new King of Fighters game is due to recent Japanese laws regarding pachinko gambling which has caused them to leave that market in favor of returning back to the video games market.
http://www.destructoid.com/new-pachi...s-331241.phtml

Oooooh. I really can't wait to be jumping off the Pyramids of Giza, driving chariots, and ultimately trying to kill Cleopatra.

I'll pass. But good on Ubisoft to start holding off on Creed and put it out every couple of years or so.

Too little too late. Completely uninterested at this point.

Not at all bothered by Assassin's Creed now, completely ruined it with the yearly updates.

I really hope the next Xbox goes the 'PC console' route. It's a much more feasible idea these days. Have all the games work on your PC and Xbox and obviously fully cross-platform functional as a result. Since they would essentially be the same platform.

Yeah I just want a PC with a pretty form factor that controls like a console out of the box. And MS is far better positioned to provide that to me than anyone else.

Also I know it will be Dark Cloud 3 but damnit Level 5 you need to make a sequel to Rogue Galaxy. You assholes did everyone a huge disservice by not making a part 2 of that when PS3/X360 were still new.

I "often" think how much I would be dis-interested in smash bros if they made a new one every year.

I loved Call of Duty until they keep going at a yearly pace.

Today's News:
1) Some Microsoft related news:

• Major Nelson revealed the list of games on sale for this week's Deals With Gold and regular sale for the Xbox marketplace.
  http://majornelson.com/2016/01/05/th...light-sale-34/
• Microsoft announced two new Xbox One bundles for $350 with one bundle allowing the ability to pick which game to include for free and the other being a Rainbow Six series based bundle.
  http://www.destructoid.com/you-call-...s-331884.phtml

2) Some Sony related news:

• Sony stated they sold around 5.7 million PS4s during the holiday with overall console sales near 36 million since the PS4's launch.
  http://www.destructoid.com/sony-boas...n-331869.phtml
• Sony teasing the possibility of a new Ape Escape game being in development based on a recent tweet.
  http://www.destructoid.com/sony-don-...t-331865.phtml
• Sony recently apologized for issues regarding PSN recently with them planning on extending those with PS+ subscriptions an unspecified amount of time to make up for the loss.
  http://www.destructoid.com/sony-is-w...e-331719.phtml
  http://www.destructoid.com/sony-exte...e-331850.phtml

3) For those that backed the Oculus Rift Kickstarter program, Oclulus VR announced they have started to ship the final version of the headset to backers with a couple of free games included in the package. Only requirement is to fill out a small survey prior to the end of this month in order for the free headset to be sent.
http://www.destructoid.com/oculus-ri...t-331907.phtml

4) During a recent interview with Sankei West, Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima revealed current plans for the company includes making Splatoon into a series in the future, My Nintendo to expand into more areas than Club Nintendo did, and NX to be a complete departure from the Wii and Wii U in terms of gameplay experiences.
http://gonintendo.com/stories/249629...-nx-goals-mobi

5) Square Enix announced the PC port of Rise of the Tomb Raider will be arriving on January 28th.
http://www.egmnow.com/articles/news/...-release-date/

Today's News:
1) Oculus VR revealed their Oculus Rift will cost $599 and arrives this March for those who preorder the device. The package includes an Xbox One controller but not Oculus' own controller since it won't be finished in time for the Rift's release.
http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/oc...-pr/1100-5369/

2) Square Enix has recently shut down their Shinra Technologies studio with the official reason due to heavy financial losses and lack of interest from investors.
http://www.destructoid.com/cloud-non...s-331994.phtml

3) Sony is currently rumored to be working on a new game called Days Gone based on recent trademark filings.
http://www.destructoid.com/sony-trad...--332070.phtml

4) Adult Swim announced they are currently developing a new game called Pocket Mortys based on the Rick & Morty cartoon show. The game will be released later this month for mobile devices and was teased to be a parody of Pokemon games.
http://www.destructoid.com/an-offici...h-331978.phtml

Well that sets a new price mark for VR rigs. Samsung's costs roughly $100-$200.

Ok Sony. The ball's in your court.

599 is cheaper than I thought it'd be. Pretty reasonable tbh.

Right, but the Galaxy S6 launched at $599 and that has all the display hardware and motion sensors in it so if you wanted a fair comparison, you'd really have to say GearVR costs $699.

PSVR will be directly comparable. Hoping they can get it out at $399.

I should have Kickstarted it when I had the chance. Was thinking about it, but decided to wait until there was games out for it. now everyone that backed it is getting the final version as well as already having the original development headset.