Tommy Rydling, Jr. Product Manager at DICE, posted on the PlayStation Blog today, thanking PS3 players for their participation in the open Battlefield 3 beta. DICE used the beta to test its network load and work on matchmaking. Large open betas can provide invaluable information to developers and DICE was not short on beta participation. The numbers are in and the run-down is pretty impressive!
An interesting video has been posted on the PlayStation blogabout the creation of the PlayStation Vita.
John Koller, Director of Hardware and Marketing, seems quite pleased with the company’s accomplishments in regards to Vita, though of course one would expect any head of a company to be excited about their next product
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White King has all the trappings of being a great game. Developed by Level-5 (makers of the Professor Layton series) and published by Namco Bandai, the hands that are crafting this game are no strangers to making great and quirky RPGs that not only intrigue, but also enamor with that Level-5 charm. In addition to Level-5, Ni No Kuni is being co-developed with anime masters Studio Ghibli, who may not have a large video game record to boast, but have many films under their belts that will lend very kindly to the development of this game.
Nope, the title of this news isn’t meant to confuse you. Catwoman does indeed require an online pass to be unlocked in Batman: Arkham City.
While online passes are hardly a new thing; EA has been doing them for years now, and every other publisher under the sun seems to be following in their footsteps, includes Warner Bros. For those of you who have pre-purchased or are planning to buy Batman: Arkham City new, this news is of little concern to you, but anyone who wishes to wait for a used copy of the game should understand that the feline felon’s segments will be inaccessible to anyone without an online pass.
Today, Naughtydog posted on the PlayStation Blog explaining a cool aspect of Uncharted 3‘s multiplayer.
The Buddy System as they call it is an interesting new part of Uncharted 3’s multiplayer that rewards people for playing in pairs in the various competitive team modes of Uncharted 3. To request someone be your buddy in any online match, you simply need to stand aside them and press the d-pad down. If they agree to be buddies from that point onwards, any kills or tasks you both are working on will reward extra experience and treasures if you work well together. Occasionally, enemy players will drop a treasure unique to you and your buddy. It may be for them or you, but regardless who claims it, extra points and medals will be rewarded. Likewise for performing something like a high-five (a taunt unique to being paired with a buddy) you are also rewarded more experience and more medals.
After a brief delay PAYDAY: The Heist is finally ready for its big day. Announced on the PlayStation Blog, October 18th is the day PAYDAY: The Heist
hits the PlayStation Network. Developer OVERKILL and Sony Online
Entertainment originally delayed the game to further polish the title
and insure you, the gamer, has the best experience while playing their
game.
In early 2012, sometime before March, Sony will be launching the PlayStation Vita in America following the Japanese launch this year on December 17th.
Sony has now detailed how customers will be able to acquire games for the system, stating it will come with several means of purchase on day one. In an interview with GDC Online, Chris Norden, senior staff developer support engineer at Sony, stated that all games will have both retail and digital copies available at the same time, similarly to how PC games are now released at stores and through services like Steam. Price differences, if any, have not yet been discussed. 3G will be available for use when downloading on the PSN Vita service, as is typical with modern phones, though the 20 megabyte cap will prevent many games from being acquired this way. The second option is standard Wi-Fi which no doubt most games will use if bought digitally due to their size.
High Moon Studios announced they will be making a follow up to Transformers: War for Cybertron. The sequel, titled Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, continues the story of the Autobots and Decepticons and looks to darken the tone significantly. When High Moon set about going to work on Fall of Cybertron they really took the fan feedback to heart. High Moon says they have made significant and fundamental changes to the game in developing Fall of Cybertron and feel it is “a natural successor more than a true sequel.”
Those looking to save the world in Mass Effect 3, but wishing to do so with their friends, have reason to rejoice. A recent cover of PC PowerPlay all but announced that there will be a multiplayer component in the third iteration of Bioware’s hit franchise. Mass Effect 3 is the first game in the series to feature multiplayer of any kind, something that could very easily add a whole new layer to an already extremely enriching experience.
Since this announcement is being made without much detail, it leads gamers to wonder what type of multiplayer this could entail. Will it be a single player experience that can be played along with a buddy at the same time, or will it be a much more competitive affair? If I were a betting man, I would guess that it is the latter, but without much information until the magazine releases in November, it is hard to tell. No matter the decision that the Bioware gents decided to make, as either one will probably end up working well, Mass Effect 3 will most likely make quite a few game of the year 2012 lists. You can check out more in the magazine, which will be released in November, as well as Mass Effect 3 which will be coming out on March 6th 2012.
After almost a year of radio silence, Gran Turismo fans finally have some exciting news in the form of upcoming DLC. Kazunori Yamauchi announced via his official Twitter account that Gran Turismo 5 would be receiving its Spec 2.0 upgrade followed up by multiple DLC packs. The update will add simple interior views for all standard cars, improved UI, user control of the weather change feature, improved physics and much more. Spec 2.0 will also add 11 NASCAR models and the Nissan GT-R N24 Schulze Motorsport that Yamauchi drove in the Nurburgring 24 hours.
