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After much pressure, Microsoft appears to be revising its previously-announced DRM, preowned game usage and online check-in policies for Xbox One. ...



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While we were given a quick description of the cloud computing at work in the Xbox One version of Titanfall, we weren't able to get an in-depth answer. So we took to a back room at E3 and asked Respawn Entertainment's Fairfax "Mackey" McCandlish, lead designer on Titanfall, to elaborate.

Essentially, cloud computing helps matchmaking, allowing dedicated servers to be spun up on a moment's notice to handle multiplayer matches and find you the most local option when searching for a game. McCandlish also answers other burning questions - like what exactly powers these titan mechs.Titanfall's structure and 'cloud computing' on Xbox One explained originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.




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This week's Steam deals are headlined by ex-Valver Kim Swift's first-person puzzle game, Quantum Conundrum, available for $4.50 until June 24 at 10AM PT. Anodyne, a 16-bit adventure game from Sean Hogan and Jonathan Kittika, is also on offer, discounted to $5 for the week.

Worms developer Team17's arcade shooter Alien Breed Impact, an expanded version of Alien Breed Evolution, is also $5 for this promotion; physics-based puzzler Obulis is down to $1.25 and manic side-scrolling shooter Ares: Extinction Agenda is $2.50.Steam weekly deals: Quantum Conundrum, Anodyne and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.




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Microsoft has announced a change to its Xbox One policies "as a result of feedback from the Xbox community," but the announcement itself has crashed Xbox.com. We're waiting to obtain an official copy before posting details.

...developing...Xbox One-80: Microsoft reverses Xbox One DRM features originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.




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Ars Technica reports that Microsoft has decided to change some of its restrictive Xbox One policies. Click the headline to read Microsoft's statement on the matter.

That didn't take long. I guess all it takes is pissing off everyone who might be interested in buying your product over a technically superior and less invasive alternative that is less expensive, as well.

Click here to take a look at nine new screenshots of The Farm 51's adventure/FPS game Deadfall Adventures.

PC Gamer is reporting a rumor that Half Life 3 and Left 4 Dead 3 may be in production at Valve. The information comes from a leak in Valve's project tracking software.

Quote: Are we finally going to be able to play Half-Life 3? While Valve isn’t exactly holding press conferences or sending marching bands through the streets yet, a recent slip in its system supposedly exposed the details of every project it’s ever worked on—including the long-fabled conclusion to one of gaming’s best series, as well as Left 4 Dead 3 and Source Engine 2.

The tip-off comes to PC Gamer via ValveTime, who recently received alleged screenshots of Valve’s internal project-tracking software (Jira) during a momentary lapse in which is the system was made public (it has, of course, since been locked up tight again). The images show a 42-employee mailing group for a project entitled “Half-Life 3,” as well as a mailing group for “Left 4 Dead 3″ with 68 recipients. Read more

IGN reports that The War Z has changed its name due to trademark problems with another game. It's now known as Infestation: Survivor Stories.

Quote: PC survival MMO The War Z has been renamed to Infestation: Survivor Stories. "This change has come about primarily as a result of some confusion and trademark issues with a similarly titled property," Hammerpoint Interactive's community manager wrote on the game's forum page. War Z's official Facebook and Twitter pages have been deleted.

Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider takes a look at how romantic characters evolved from Baulder's Gate II to the Dragon Age series ...



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The Federal Circuit of the US Court of Appeals has upheld a 2012 decision ruling that Nintendo's Wii balance board does not infringe on a patent held by IA Labs. ...



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Android micro-console GameStick will now ship to its Kickstarter backers at some point in August, the start-up hardware manufacturer announced yesterday in an update. Originally slated to release back in April, GameStick was then delayed until June after changes in the manufacturing process were required.

This latest delay stems from the fundraiser's $300 "DESIGNED BY ME!" donation level, which promises 50 backers exclusive early access to development kits for the purpose of beta testing and refining the system's user interface. Getting these devices to the backers took longer than expected, and so has implementing their feedback into the GameStick's UI.

"We have therefore taken the decision to push back the whole project by one month to ensure we can fit this process in," the update reads. "We appreciate that this will frustrate backers keen to get their hands on their device but we did not feel it was fair to bypass this step as it was a key pledge and the feedback will be really welcome."GameStick hit with DelayStick, now expected in August originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.




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Publisher Bethesda is "unhappy" with Prey 2's current state, company vice president of PR and marketing Pete Hines said during an interview with IGN during E3.

"We appreciate that folks are displeased that we haven't had any update or any info on Prey 2, but whatever your displeasure is, you can't even be remotely as unhappy about it as us," Hines said. "We spent years and millions of dollars and a ton of effort trying to help [developer] Human Head make a great Prey 2 game. What we said the last time we said anything was that it's not up to our quality standards."

Human Head is rumored to have encountered numerous setbacks during Prey 2's development. Anonymous sources claimed that development stalled in late 2011, and rumors from last month indicated that Dishonored developer Arkane Austin might be taking over the troubled project.

Hines' frank comments during IGN's interview suggest that Prey 2 is either on the verge of cancellation or a major shift in development. "You don't just keep throwing money at something or going down a path that you're not happy about," Hines explained. "You have to make tough choices. Again, when we have more info on it, we'll be happy to talk about it. That's what I can say for now."Prey 2 is 'just not good enough,' Bethesda says originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.




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Vlambeer is going to live-stream development of its next game. This wouldn't be notable for many other indie developers, but Vlambeer's history makes this strategy appear, for lack of a stronger term, absolutely illogical.

"At this point, all of our big games have been cloned," Vlambeer co-founder Rami Ismail tells me at E3.

He goes down the list: Super Crate Box, Ridiculous Fishing, Luftrausers and Infinite SWAT all have clones. The only acceptable one is the Infinite SWAT "homage," Broforce,from South African team Free Lives, Rami said - it's an example of developers taking inspiration from a game and creating their own world with it. The other ones, though. Those are straight-up clones.

These clones caused major problems for Ismail and Vlambeer's other half, Jan Willem Nijman. The Ridiculous Fishing clone affected the team so strongly that they almost stopped developing their own game completely. Ridiculous Fishing almost didn't exist. Because of a clone.

Hence, Vlambeer live-streaming development of its next game sounds like a pretty terrible idea. Until Ismail explains his reasoning:

"If you look at Ridiculous Fishing, one of the reasons the clone was such a nightmare was because nobody knew that we were working on Ridiculous Fishing. We had to rapidly announce Ridiculous Fishing while the clone story was going down, so people knew that it was our idea first and they stole it from us. With Luftrausers, when SkyFar hit, it was much better, because everybody already knew that Luftrausers was a Vlambeer thing and that SkyFar was a clone."

That makes sense, actually.

"No, it doesn't," Rami says. But Vlambeer is doing it anyway.Continue reading How live-streaming development can solve Vlambeer's clone problem

How live-streaming development can solve Vlambeer's clone problem originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.




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"World of Warcraft and its four expansions are all on sale through the weekend, giving new players a chance to catch up to the latest expansion, Mists of Pandaria, for $30 in total."
http://www.polygon.com/2013/6/19/444...hem-all-for-30

GDC Next organizers have announced the first talks for its inaugural event this November - revealing future-leaning talks from Google, Disney, thatgamecompany, plus Adam Orth on 'mob rules'. ...



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Candy Crush Saga developer King recently announced it's ending in-app advertising. What's the real reason? Should you? Freemium designer Benjamin Sipe ponders the issue. ...



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Nintendo is currently battling the chicken and the egg of the video game business. The Wii U isn't selling at levels to make it a "rational" risk for third-party developers, but how does a console sell if it doesn't have games? We spoke with Charlie Scibetta, Nintendo of America's head of corporate communications, last week at E3 about the House of Mario's business and future.

Nintendo's current strategy is to get some high-profile first party games out the door and grow the Wii U's install base that way. Scibetta tells us in the interview, "We're confident that once some of these games come out that we have planned between now and the holiday and into 2014, that it will help drive the install base and when that happens the platforms will look more enticing to third parties."

We also discuss the recent Wii U recall, which Nintendo is calling a "rebalance," as well as the rising scene of independent games and the future of Nintendo Direct.Nintendo explains Wii U recall, third-party and Nintendo Direct feedback originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.




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The live shows we hosted from E3 last week are now available on YouTube – or you can watch them [...]

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Quote: See what Deadpool's saying about his very first video game in a new preview, and pick up "Deadpool" for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 June 25!

Pete Hines from Bethesda Softworks explained why there was a lack of news on Prey 2 in an interview with IGN.

Quote: “We appreciate that folks are displeased that we haven’t had any update or any info on Prey 2, but whatever your displeasure is, you can’t even be remotely as unhappy about it as us,” Hines told IGN. “We spent years and millions of dollars and a ton of effort trying to help Human Head make a great Prey 2 game. What we said the last time we said anything was that it’s not up to our quality standards."

Hines continued, "it’s simply not good enough. We’re not going to just proceed blindly with something that isn’t good enough. We’ve been very specific about why, and we’ve been very specific about the whats. When that gets addressed and changed or whatever, at that point we can give an update. But nobody’s disappointment is greater than ours. We spent a lot of time and money and effort trying to make this thing happen and support folks, but at the same time, you just can’t keep throwing money at it and saying, ‘sure, it’ll eventually work.’ You have to have the discipline to say, ‘it’s not good enough. It’s not hitting the quality bar. Why isn’t it? We’ve been at this for a while, and what we have is not what we talked about.’ So that’s where we are.”