Xbox One Console Reviews
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Exclusive: See How Cuphead‘s Incredible Cartoon Graphics Are Made
Cuphead, due later this year for Xbox One and PC, looks like Betty Boop meets a shoot ’em up meets a miracle. Studio MDHR’s game a 2D side-scroller where you do battle with giant paranormal carrots, boxing frogs, angry birds, queen bees, gambling contraptions and not-so-little mermaids. And all of that’s hand-sketched, inked and painted to resemble a 1930s Max Fleischer cartoon—an interactive mashup no one’s ever attempted before.
Cuphead lead artist Chad Moldenhauer gave TIME an exclusive look behind the scenes of how the studio animates the game.
TIME: I think it’s accurate to say that Cuphead looks like nothing we’ve seen in video games before. Right?
Moldenhauer: We were worried when we first set out with this style that there wouldn’t be a huge fan base, just that this had never been tried in games in the past. And there was no real love for cartoons, at least that you could see around people’s blogs, or around the Internet, or just talking to our friends. I mean, yeah, old cartoons are cool, but look at what Pixar is making.
Why do you think that is? Why do you think someone in gaming hasn’t drawn more on the language of cartoons?
I think it has to be partly that they have the same initial feeling as us, that there wouldn’t be a fan base for it. And the other side is that it’s a ton of work. We’re just dumb enough that we wanted to do something that we loved. When fans follow us, that’s awesome, but at the same time if we’re going to pour our hearts into the project, every day we look at it, it has to surprise us.
So this is a two-sibling project, right? You and your brother Jared are working on this?
Yes, he’s the big bearded feller.
I read somewhere that growing up, your parents bought you bargain-bin VHS tapes of public domain animation, is that right?
It’s just perfect coincidence that our parents probably both believed that the cartoons they grew up with were the best. So when we wanted cartoons, it was always perfectly acceptable to go rent or buy a bunch of Silly Symphonies cartoons, or any of the early Betty Boop, as opposed to the typical He-Man or any of the popular cartoons at the time. We just had always gravitated towards it, and I think it’s because the 1930s cartoons are very unique. And since a lot of stuff is, I don’t want to say outside of the box, but very crazy, we found that more interesting than a perfectly set plot of “bad guy has captured this crystal, and now you must watch the good guy get the crystal.” All the old ‘30s cartoons had really cracked out ideas that were fun to watch.
Even in our friends group growing up, they always said “Hey, these ‘30s cartoons are kind of funny, but we like this and this.” We always stood out as the weirdos who liked watching the ‘30s cartoons. So that had been in the back of our minds, and even as we saw the technology change in gaming, we thought hey, eventually people are going to be doing cartoon games. It’s going to be amazing when someone tries to do a cartoon game like the ’30s style. And it seemed to never happen. Mickey Mania’s probably the only true attempt, but the technology wasn’t there, so as cool as it was, it wasn’t an exact replica of what the ‘30s had.
Sleeping Beauty and all the Disney stuff scared me as a kid, but in a way that was comprehensible. There’s something creepier and more subversive about the surrealism of the sort of 1930s animation you’re channeling in Cuphead. Why do you think that is?
We’ve pondered that for a while, like why are so many ‘30s cartoons so creepy? And it probably has to do with the fact that the animators were free to do whatever they wanted. So if they felt like this character should do something funny with his face and that was 100% out of character, they did it. But then when you watch it, it doesn’t make sense, it actually reads wrong.
Why would a character go from super happy to just insane and showing his gums like a wild dog because he wants a piece of candy? It’s only for two or three seconds, and then it cuts back to “Oh, the guy’s 100% normal.” It almost has a David Lynch vibe to the whole idea and flow of the animation of the time, and you can’t quite put your finger on why it’s disturbing, but it’s all the small pieces coming together to give it that feel. Having eyes and mouths on almost every object doesn’t help.
Like in Bimbo’s Initiation, where there’s a knife coming out of the wall and suddenly it has a mouth and teeth…
Yes, and it’s biting at him.
There’s a lot of sequence looping in these older animated shorts. Was it a budgetary thing? I notice you’re doing it in Cuphead, where it’s synchronized with the music and the gameplay.
We didn’t 100% think of looping when we began preproduction on visuals, but as we studied the cartoons, we saw it kind of synced up with how video games work. Almost every game has looping animation, and modern games try to hide it by having multiple paths to choose different loops and animations, so it seems much more natural. But it just happens to coincide that the style of retro game that we want and 1930s cartoons, the looping lends itself beautifully and fits the era perfectly. The reason they had a ton of loops was just as you said, budget and time. It was only in later Disney years that they didn’t reuse as many things.
I always find it funny when I think that the art director on The Little Mermaid demanded that all of the bubbles had to be hand-drawn, and they didn’t use digital techniques to replicate them. That’s the heyday of having way too much money for hand-drawn projects.
It’s a little like the historical cinematic 24 frames per second ceiling, where that’s how slow you could go before the audio started to stutter, all to save money on the cost of film.
We’re also of the belief that 24 frames per second adds to the surrealism and the fantasy of movies. It feels more cinematic to watch 24 frames per second, like the picture’s removed from the world. As you approach the higher frame rates and it looks closer to real life, in our minds it takes away that magic. It starts to look like you and your friends got together and made a movie in your backyard with your home video camera.
I’m completely with you. I guess I prefer the distance?
That totally makes sense, and that’s why we purposely run all of the animation at 24 frames per second. But our gameplay is at 60 frames per second. So it’s technically the most responsive gameplay, except you don’t have to look at visuals that are too smooth.
That sounds really trippy. So the gameplay is continuous and the animation skips frames?
Yes, it holds frames. When you hold right and watch your character run, that group of animation is actually moving across the screen at 60 frames per second, which is technically slightly different from cartoons of the era, because they’d be moving at 24. But the animation on top of that runs at 24 frames per second. If you’re a really hardcore purist and you watch Cuphead, you’ll say “Oh, I can see the very minute differences, because the characters are running around smooth.” But with the amount of action that’s going on in the game it’s almost impossible to feel unless as I said you’re just hardcore about only making sure everything’s at 24.
Any games in particular that influenced Cuphead from a gameplay standpoint?
From a strictly gameplay perspective, we grew up playing the classic run-and-gun game like the Contra series, especially Contra III: The Alien Wars on Super Nintendo or Gunstar Heroes on Sega Genesis or spaceship shooters like the Thunder Force series. We’ve had this style of game in mind since we were teenagers.
Walk us through what led you and your brother from playing to wanting to design a game.
The major influence comes from devoting most of our youth to playing way too many games, just collecting and overanalyzing them. The groups of friends we had loved analyzing film and games, so we grew up with this designer’s mentality.
Jared and I have no experience programming and I don’t think we ever will. We brought people into the company that could program, so there was no ramp-up time. We knew that if we actually wanted to code and stuff it would be years before we could ever bring a game that we loved out. But the main drive that got us going was that the indie game scene exploded after the Super Meat Boy, Braid, Limbo, Castle Crashers era hit. We realized that two- and three-man teams could make games, and even earn a small living. Now that our team’s up to 18, it’s a little different than a three-man team, but this is what happens when you reach for the stars.
When we were in our early 20s, we dabbled with game design and making some demos that didn’t go anywhere. But there was an indie scene in the early 2000s that was starting, and we assumed we could jump in with these hardcore gameplay games. But that early 2000 indie bubble was mainly puzzle games, BookWorm Deluxe and Super Collapse!, and there was never really a place like Steam to sell indie games. It was mainly people selling their puzzle games to these portals that were known for mainly these simple puzzles . . . almost what mobile games are now.
Why go PC and Xbox One exclusive with Cuphead?
Cuphead is lifetime exclusive on Xbox for the console space, but in the PC space it’s going to be on every platform we can. So we’ll launch on PC and look into Mac and Linux thereafter.
But without Microsoft’s help and support, it would be hard to get to where we’re at today. For my brother and I to dump so much into this game and remortgage our houses and just put everything possible in to make this, it would’ve probably never happened, because it would have never reached the audience without the tons of marketing push that Microsoft’s been doing.
Our original idea was much smaller scope, eight to 10 bosses, nothing really crazy, and it would have just been a small indie game. But the current scope, thanks to Microsoft, is exactly what we dreamed of. So it’s a double-edge sword. Sure, Sony fans aren’t going to be able to buy Cuphead on their system. But at the same time, the people who do get to play Cuphead will get the full experience and not the smaller portion a three-man team was trying to pull off.
What changed?
The focus of the game is still the boss fights. But let’s go back. The original scope was eight to 10 boss fights, and almost set up like Mega Man, where you just select the boss you want to play and when you beat him you move on to the next one. But we had a wish list of things we wanted to do. So as the game caught on, we expanded the scope to include a bunch of different world maps, and there are now side scrolling platforms levels separate from boss levels.
So you can think something like Super Mario Bros. 3, but instead of a bunch of levels, you have bosses, and in-between those bosses there are these small platforming levels. And we’ve added many more weapons and secrets and more story. It’s just fleshed out to be much more of a final polished product than our original scope which was like a small demo of what our dream would be.
Epic Mickey game designer Warren Spector asked you why you didn’t make Cuphead a 3D game, and you pushed back on his assumption that 3D’s a progressive development.
In the grand scheme, I hope people eventually realize that either 3D or 2D isn’t the reason why things are better or worse. You know, it’s the underlying story, the gameplay. That being said, real 2D animation on paper isn’t as easy. And it isn’t being taught in a ton of schools like it was 20 or 30 years ago. So it’s a dying art, and there needs to be a resurgence before you’re going to see a lot more of it.
It has analogues to what’s happened to certain idioms in music, like jazz.
What’s beautiful about music is that real instruments still prevail. There’s groups for almost every facet of the music industry that all believe in real instruments, and people are still trained with real instruments. Whereas on the animation side of things, I’ve talked to students and their professors tell them “Do not get into 2D animation, aside from doing it as a hobby. You will never find a real job. You’ll be working at a grocery store instead of in the animation field.” It’s not dying, but it’s definitely being pushed away as a real medium.
It breaks my heart.
It breaks ours too, for sure. The old Disney was art for art’s sake, you know, and let’s push art. And then the corporate mentality comes along and establishes that this is the only way to keep growing and earning more money. But you do that while stepping on everything else.
So the only hope is that there’s a bunch of people who are crazy or stupid enough, that get into projects hoping to earn enough just to live. Nothing crazy, just like anyone working a job earning enough to pay the rent and buy food, but no focus on starting a project hoping and wondering how much money can be made and focus testing the s*** out of something so a million people can like it instead of the hundred-thousand that might have loved it.
These videos you’ve shared drive home the amount of work and craftsmanship that still goes into hand-drawn animation.
Even though we know how much work goes in, it’s interesting to watch that video and see that if you don’t speed it up, over 25 minutes of work goes into one frame. Things can be sped up here or there, but when you think about doing complicated stuff, it’s pretty wild.
Assuming there’s life after Cuphead, what kinds of things about gameplay do you find most interesting going forward?
My brother and I grew up playing games from the NES era, like playing a stupid amount all the way up to the 32-bit, the Sega Saturn, the PlayStation One era. And of course, always spending time at the arcade. That whole, let’s call it 1986 to 1997 or 1998, covers all of the genres we love, and that would probably be our focus in terms of where we go next, whether with our own flavor or a mix of genres that hasn’t been done before.
Definitely for gameplay, you won’t see us doing any modern, experimental stuff. It will be gameplay driven, arcade styles of games. And it’s safe to say that as long as Cuphead is profitable enough to keep us afloat, to create more games, we will always focus on hand-drawn 2D animation. Not necessarily from the 1930s, but every era has really cool stuff that can be borrowed from or reworked into games.
Our next game, we probably have six or seven gameplay ideas that we’re just tossing around, once or twice a month. And for the visual style, we have four or five different styles that have been done through the eras that have never been done in a game. So our goal is definitely to make games that we love until we can’t make games.
http://time.com/4123150/cuphead-preview/
Sun
Sunset? You should finish it. One of the better games I've played on Xbox One.
Got my code today. Just haven't played yet. Was sent to XB1 inbox
Well it had a good run..
Xbox 360 Production Has Ended
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Xbox 360's circle of life comes to an end.
By Matt Porter Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has announced Microsoft will no longer be making Xbox 360 consoles.
"Xbox 360 means a lot to everyone in Microsoft," wrote Spencer. "And while we’ve had an amazing run, the realities of manufacturing a product over a decade old are starting to creep up on us. Which is why we have made the decision to stop manufacturing new Xbox 360 consoles. We will continue to sell existing inventory of Xbox 360 consoles, with availability varying by country."
Unlocked 222: Remembering 10 Years of Xbox 360
Spencer went on to mention existing Xbox 360 hardware will still be supported, you'll still be able to buy 360 games through the online store, and Xbox Live services will remain active. Xbox One owners will still be able to play Xbox 360 games through backwards compatibility.
Spencer also gave us a handful of fun stats to celebrate the end of an era. 78 billion hours were spent gaming on the Xbox 360, with players gaining 486 billion Gamerscore from 27 billion achievements.
Xbox 360 turned 10 years old in November last year, and we here at IGN took some time to remember what has happened in the past decade.
Xbox 360 Production Has Ended
Share.
Xbox 360's circle of life comes to an end.
By Matt Porter Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has announced Microsoft will no longer be making Xbox 360 consoles.
"Xbox 360 means a lot to everyone in Microsoft," wrote Spencer. "And while we’ve had an amazing run, the realities of manufacturing a product over a decade old are starting to creep up on us. Which is why we have made the decision to stop manufacturing new Xbox 360 consoles. We will continue to sell existing inventory of Xbox 360 consoles, with availability varying by country."
Unlocked 222: Remembering 10 Years of Xbox 360
Spencer went on to mention existing Xbox 360 hardware will still be supported, you'll still be able to buy 360 games through the online store, and Xbox Live services will remain active. Xbox One owners will still be able to play Xbox 360 games through backwards compatibility.
Spencer also gave us a handful of fun stats to celebrate the end of an era. 78 billion hours were spent gaming on the Xbox 360, with players gaining 486 billion Gamerscore from 27 billion achievements.
Xbox 360 turned 10 years old in November last year, and we here at IGN took some time to remember what has happened in the past decade.
(PS4) Horizon: Zero Dawn might get delayed.
Rumor: Horizon: Zero Dawn maybe delayed.
http://rectifygaming.com/rumor-horizon-zero-dawn-maybe-delayed/
I knew that game and last guardian wasn't coming out this year. I'll get a Ps4 in 2017
Media told me Sony won E3 2015
Rumor: Horizon: Zero Dawn maybe delayed.
http://rectifygaming.com/rumor-horizon-zero-dawn-maybe-delayed/
I knew that game and last guardian wasn't coming out this year. I'll get a Ps4 in 2017
Media told me Sony won E3 2015
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It is about fucking time...
HBO NOW COMES TO XBOX AHEAD OF GAME OF THRONES SEASON PREMIERE
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Watch the season premiere free from April 25-28.
BY JORDAN SIRANI HBO’s standalone streaming service, HBO Now, is now available on Xbox One and Xbox 360. The company also announced Game of Thrones’ season premiere will be free for all Xbox users the day after it premieres, from April 25-28.
For $15 USD per month, the service provides access to HBO’s entire library of television series and movies. This includes classics such as The Sopranos and The Wire, as well as current series like Game of Thrones, Silicon Valley, and Veep -- all of which were renewed earlier today.
If you're currently subscribed to HBO Now, simply download the app on your Xbox One or Xbox 360 and authenticate your account. New users can sign up for a one-month free trial at HBO’s website.
For more on Game of Thrones, check out these newly released photos from this week’s upcoming Season 6 premiere, “The Red Woman.”
http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/04...ason-premiere?abthid=5719611de93a9bd504000007
No word on PS4 yet.
HBO NOW COMES TO XBOX AHEAD OF GAME OF THRONES SEASON PREMIERE
Share.
Watch the season premiere free from April 25-28.
BY JORDAN SIRANI HBO’s standalone streaming service, HBO Now, is now available on Xbox One and Xbox 360. The company also announced Game of Thrones’ season premiere will be free for all Xbox users the day after it premieres, from April 25-28.
For $15 USD per month, the service provides access to HBO’s entire library of television series and movies. This includes classics such as The Sopranos and The Wire, as well as current series like Game of Thrones, Silicon Valley, and Veep -- all of which were renewed earlier today.
If you're currently subscribed to HBO Now, simply download the app on your Xbox One or Xbox 360 and authenticate your account. New users can sign up for a one-month free trial at HBO’s website.
For more on Game of Thrones, check out these newly released photos from this week’s upcoming Season 6 premiere, “The Red Woman.”
http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/04...ason-premiere?abthid=5719611de93a9bd504000007
No word on PS4 yet.
You don't need a cable subscription for HBO Now. You can just pay monthly.
Last year I just paid for 3 months of HBO Now just for Game of Thrones and Silicon Valley and then I canceled it. I did it again for this year.
Good shit. I was thinking of getting Amazon Prime just to binge watch Curb Your Enthusiasm. I'm set for the weekend.
UPDATE ON THE MIRROR’S EDGE™ CATALYST LAUNCH
Hello everyone,
As you know, we’re about to open the gates to the city of Glass for participants of the Closed Beta. One of the key features of the Beta and the full game is Social Play, detailed in our latest developer diary.
Taking on Dashes designed by DICE, creating your own Time Trials, climbing the Leaderboards, and connecting with your Runner friends are some of the Social Play features we’re really excited about – and something we want to play flawlessly.
To support the Social Play features, we are using a brand new online technology. We also want to make sure we have the opportunity and time to address player feedback from the Closed Beta. That is why we will give ourselves a bit more time to perfect the game, with a new release date for Mirror’s Edge Catalyst of June 7th (NA) and June 9th (EU). We’re confident that these extra two weeks will make sure the game is as amazing as possible for you the players.
Thank you all for your continued support and excitement for Mirror’s Edge Catalyst. The return of Faith is imminent.
http://www.mirrorsedge.com/news/mec...social&cid=4423&ts=1461254582605&sf45807251=1
Attended PAX East today. Overwatch and Battleborn are going to hit in a major way next month. Battleborn seems a bit noob friendly and it has nice story and art direction. Overwatch is going to be the better game though. Blizzard backs it and I can see that IP staying around for a while.
Gears of War 4 played just like 3, which isnt a bad thing...its just what it is. I am gonna cop that Day One.
Lines were HEAVY for anything VR, so I didnt get to try anything. I did watch people play for a while and I was kinda turned off by it. Im sure the shit is fun and immersive...but people look really stupid with all that VR shit on. Youll see people with their mouth agape, bumping into shit, and complaining of dizzyness afterwards. Im gonna pass on that shit for awhile.
Gears of War 4 played just like 3, which isnt a bad thing...its just what it is. I am gonna cop that Day One.
Lines were HEAVY for anything VR, so I didnt get to try anything. I did watch people play for a while and I was kinda turned off by it. Im sure the shit is fun and immersive...but people look really stupid with all that VR shit on. Youll see people with their mouth agape, bumping into shit, and complaining of dizzyness afterwards. Im gonna pass on that shit for awhile.
You lucky son of a bitch
Xbox One Slim production leak hints at E3 2016 launch
The Xbox One Slim and a new Xbox One may have leaked a few weeks ago, with many believing they’ll debut during E3 2016. Today, we’re learning something called the “Xbox One II” has entered mass production in February 2016, which would give some more credibility to these rumors as Microsoft could very well prepare to announce and launch its new products during E3.
We believe the Xbox One Two is a codename for Microsoft’s Xbox One Slim as it seems way more likely the company would launch a smaller version of its current-gen console than launching an outright new console in the middle of this generation.
One area that seems the most interesting is the weight of what we believe to be the Xbox One Slim, which according to the leaked document, claims it’s between 600 ~ 800g, which means it’ll weigh less than 2lbs. Considering the current Xbox One weighs a little over 7lbs, this would be a huge improvement, although we admit we could be completely wrong about this and this could either end up being the weight of one of its components or the weight difference between it and the old console.
We should also note the expected capacity of the production of the Xbox One Slim appears to be 400,000 units per week, which means 1.2 million units could be available in a month. If Microsoft does plan on announcing and releasing the Xbox One Slim during E3 2016, it could have nearly 5 million units ready to be sold considering the document says it started mass production in February.
We’ve reached out to Microsoft for comment and will update this story accordingly.
[Via NeoGAF]
http://www.shacknews.com/article/94356/xbox-one-slim-production-leak-hints-at-e3-2016-launch
Microsoft Will Announce New Hardware at E3
We are still several weeks away from Microsoft’s E3 press event but what the company will talk about is starting to come into focus. Based on sources inside the company, expect to see new hardware at the event and there will also be a new standard controller that ships with the Xbox One.
The new standard controller will look similar to the current design, which isn’t too surprising, but will likely come in a new color. Considering that Microsoft currently ships a black controller, a white default design seems like a decent mid-cycle refresh for the console to help spur sales.
In addition to an updated standard controller, the company is exploring new interactions between the PC and the Xbox One to further extend the capabilities already present between the two (game streaming). Seeing as Microsoft wants to make Windows 10 on the desktop and Xbox one a ‘killer combination’, they are looking to leverage the ecosystem to create unique experiences for games that are on other platforms too.
The idea is simple, even for games that are not device exclusive, make unique experiences between the console and the PC that PlayStation cannot emulate easily to help differentiate the console from its competitors.
But wait, there’s more. The company also has something else up its sleeve that I still don’t have all the details on but it’s a much bigger deal than an updated standard controller. While the rumors of a PS4K have been running rampant, and I don’t know yet if this new device is set to take on that console, they will have another, much larger hardware related announcement, at E3 this year. I had previously heard that they were working on a new Elite console, they recently announced an Elite bundle, but I am not sure if this is an update to that product or something brand new.
This will be a big year for Microsoft at E3 as the company tries once again to show that its console is the better choice when sized up against the PS4. As I learn more about the new hardware, I’ll make sure to pass it along.
https://www.thurrott.com/xbox/xbox-one/66802/microsoft-will-announce-new-hardware-e3
Tony Stark Was Able To Build This Xbox In A CAVE! With A Box Of SCRAPS!
Xbox France had three of these consoles made up as a promo for The Latest Comic Book Movie™. You can’t buy them, but you can look at them and wonder why we can’t at least get that controller.
The console itself is...a bit much, though the arc reactor effect in the middle is nice. I’m digging that controller though, not just because it’s white, but because it’s got a little arc reactor action going on of its own.
(via ALBOTAS)
http://kotaku.com/tony-stark-was-able-to-build-this-xbox-in-a-cave-with-1773720814
UPDATED: Upcoming Xbox And Windows 10 Beta Release Schedule
Beta tests can be an important step in the video game development process since it provides developers with bug detection as well as feedback on design and operational readiness in a real world environment. It also provides gamers an opportunity to test and experience these titles firsthand before their official release date. Due to the number of released and upcoming betas that have been announced, I wanted to share a consolidated list of titles with links where you can download/pre-download the beta or visit the official website for more information.
Xbox One And Windows 10 Beta Schedule
(Last Update: 28 April 2016)
Title Platform Start Date: Stop Date: Notes:
Forza Motorsport 6: Apex Open Beta* (NEW) Windows 10 5/05/2016 TBD Details at official website
Gears of War 4 MP Beta Xbox One 4/25/2016 5/01/16 Details at official website
Overwatch: Origins Edition Beta (Early Access)* Xbox One 5/03/2016 5/04/16 Details on Early Access
Overwatch: Origins Edition Beta* Xbox One 5/05/2016 5/09/16 Details at official website
*Download / Pre-Download not currently available in the Xbox store.
https://majornelson.com/2016/04/28/upcoming-xbox-open-beta-release-schedule/
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare hits Nov. 4 with space fighters, watch the video
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare launches worldwide Friday, Nov. 4, bringing with it high-speed space fighters and a war against the "settlement defense front."
The game, which is being developed by Infinity Ward, immerses players in a war that "for the first time in franchise history, extends beyond the reaches of Earth into the vast expanse of our solar system." The title is launching on PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One.
A remastered version of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is also being worked on for current generation consoles and will be included in Infinite Warfare's special editions.
"This year, we're both honoring the heritage of Call of Duty while taking players to incredible new heights," said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. "Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is a bold, new vision from the studio that created the original Call of Duty and Modern Warfare, and an adventure on an insanely epic scale that only Call of Duty could deliver. And Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is one of the most beloved games of all-time, reborn for a new generation. We have lovingly remastered it with a whole new level of graphical fidelity and realism that wasn't possible when the original was released. It's going to be a great year for Call of Duty players."
Not much is known about the game beyond today's launch trailer and word that it appears to be set in a distant future where Earth has established colonies on other planets. The game will feature plenty of new weapons, environments and player abilities, according to the press release.
"With Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, we are taking Call of Duty to places fans have never experienced in the series," said Dave Stohl, Studio Head of Infinity Ward. "On one hand, this game is the kind of gritty, boots on the ground, visceral war story that Call of Duty is known for. On the other, its future setting takes players on a journey of epic scale and proportions, providing incredible gameplay innovations and new experiences for our fans. This is a grand scale, old-school, all-out war in an epic new-school setting. And it's going to be a hell of a lot of fun."
The remastering of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, which will come with some editions of Infinite Warfare, will include fully improved texture resolution and detail, high-dynamic range lighting, lit and shadowing VFX particles, revamped animation and audio. The game's online multiplayer support will feature 10 maps from the original Modern Warfare including Crash, Backlot and Crossfire.
The following editions of the game include the remaster:
- Legacy Edition and Digital Legacy Edition — Includes both Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, suggested retail price $79.99.
- Digital Deluxe Edition — Includes Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered and Season Pass, SRP $99.99.
- Legacy Pro Edition — Includes Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, Season Pass, collectible Steelbook, official game soundtrack and additional digital items, SRP $119.99.
http://www.polygon.com/2016/5/2/11564558/call-of-duty-infinite-warfare-space-trailer
IGN : Why We're Scoring Reviews in Progress
Starting this week, we’re putting temporary scores on IGN’s reviews in progress. Here’s why we’ve decided to make this change.
Because we know and respect that many members of the IGN community take our scores very seriously, we insist on giving every game we review a thorough playthrough, including testing on live servers when applicable, before rendering a final verdict. The downside to this diligent approach is that in recent years more and more games have been dependent on multiplayer servers that aren’t available before launch, and some come in so hot off the presses that we don’t have time to play them to completion. More and more frequently we haven’t been able to have a score ready for you when you need it to help inform your day-one buying decision one way or the other, which has frustrated us and disappointed some of our community.
Based on the feedback you’ve given us since we’ve been doing reviews in progress, we believe placeholder scores can improve on that process by clarifying what score we’d give a game if we hypothetically had to do it right at that moment. These are not final judgments and will be clearly labeled as such (and will not be counted by Metacritic), but we’re confident that they’ll be meaningful in the same way the review-in-progress text they’ll summarize is. Usually, by the time we’re able to sit down and write a review in progress we’ve played enough of the game in question that we’re able to make a from-the-hip recommendation. For anybody looking for a review as soon as possible, that’s a lot better than nothing.
A sample of our new temporary score card.
This new policy will allow us to present you with at least temporarily scored reviews of games like Battleborn, which we’ve played in betas and on 2K’s internal servers but not yet in a live environment; Overwatch, which we’ve played extensively in the beta and anticipate no significant changes between the preorder access period and the formal launch; and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, which we’ll have played thoroughly in single-player and in multiplayer on Sony’s servers, but not in a live environment.
More often than not we expect these temporary scores to stick, or at least to be very close to the final verdict. But sometimes the final score will be different; circumstances where we’d see a significantly altered score would be a game that functioned well on pre-release servers but fails at launch, or a game of epic length that arrives too late for us to complete before the review embargo lifts and the ending ends up either thrilling or disappointing us. Conceivably it could even change more than once, such as with an MMORPG that requires weeks of play to review. But again, those cases should be the exception, not the rule.
And as always, we’ll make sure it’s easy to find our final score when we settle on it. We’ll announce those on the front page of IGN and all over social media as soon as they’re ready. You’ll also see the final score on our reviews index page.
We’ll keep working to tweak and improve our policies to deliver the best, most timely reviews on the internet. Thanks to all of you for your feedback, and for reading and watching everything we do.
http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/05/02/why-were-scoring-reviews-in-progress
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered FAQ
1. What is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered?
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is a full campaign and 10 multiplayer maps from the original Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare game remastered in stunning high-definition, featuring next generation textures, physically based rendering, high-dynamic range lighting and much more to bring a new generation experience to fans. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is included in the Legacy, Legacy Pro and Digital Deluxe editions of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.
2. What game modes come in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered?
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered will feature the original game’s full, iconic story campaign featuring levels such as “All Ghillied Up,” “Mile High Club,” and “Crew Expendable,” as well as classic multiplayer action with 10 fan-favorite multiplayer maps from the original game.
3. What multiplayer maps will be available for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered?
The game will feature 10 fan-favorite maps from the original multiplayer mode, including classics such as “Crash,” “Backlot” and “Crossfire.” We will announce the remaining maps soon.
4. Will Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered come as a separate disc?
No, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is a full game digital download that will be included in the Legacy, Legacy Pro, and Digital Deluxe editions of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. Internet connection required.
5. Will Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered have progression?
Yes, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered will have a full, standalone multiplayer progression system, with the ability to unlock weapons, perks, weapon attachments, and reach Master Prestige.
6. How can I get Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered?
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is only available through the Legacy, Legacy Pro, and Digital Deluxe editions of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.
7. Can I play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered without buying Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare?
No, you must own Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare in order to get Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered.
8. On what gaming systems is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered available?
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is only available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
9. Who is developing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered?
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is being developed by Raven and executive produced by Infinity Ward.
10. Will my stats from the original Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare carry over to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered?
No, your stats from the original Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare will not carry over to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered.
11. What type of movement system will Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered have?
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered’s movement system will stay true to the original game.
12. Will Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered have dedicated servers?
Yes, it will.
https://support.activision.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/Call-of-Duty-Modern-Warfare-Remastered-FAQ
Xbox at E3 2016
It’s that time of the year again: E3 is just a few weeks away! That means now is the perfect time to start sharing some of our plans for one of the gaming industry’s biggest annual events.
Today, we’re excited to announce that the Xbox E3 2016 Briefing will take place Monday, June 13, beginning at 9:30 a.m. PDT. During the briefing, you’ll have a chance to check out everything from in-depth looks at previously-announced games to trailers for our unannounced titles coming in 2016 and beyond. You can watch the Xbox E3 2016 Briefing live beginning at 9:30 a.m. PDT on June 13 on Xbox.com, the Xbox Twitch Channel, via the Xbox Live Events Player on Xbox One and Xbox 360 consoles, or on the big screen at your local Microsoft store. You can also watch the Xbox E3 2016 Briefing on Spike TV in the U.S. and Canada at 9:30 a.m. PDT / 12:30 p.m. EDT.
For more Xbox news at E3, we’re also happy to share that we’ll be bringing back Xbox Daily: LIVE @ E3, our live news show that covers all things Xbox at E3 – from breaking news and exclusive announcements to trailer reveals and interviews with game creators. The one-hour show will be hosted by Larry Hryb, Xbox Live’s Major Nelson, and Graeme Boyd, Xbox Live’s Acey Bongos, and will include a variety of guest stars and prominent industry figures. Xbox Daily: LIVE @ E3 will air on Tuesday, June 14 and Wednesday, June 15 from 4:00-5:00 p.m. PDT, and can be streamed live on Xbox One, on Xbox.com (both on your desktop and on mobile), on Xbox 360, and on the Xbox Twitch Channel. Each show will also have interactive experiences created just for fans watching live on Xbox One.
This year, Xbox is partnering with Twitch to bring gaming fans wall-to-wall coverage of the entire week of E3. Go behind the scenes, catch the latest announcements, and watch the best Xbox games in real-time. You’ll be able to watch everything on the Xbox Twitch channel from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, June 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, June 15, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. PDT on Thursday, June 16.
Finally, if you’re in LA during E3 week, we’ve got something even bigger for you. Once again, Xbox will be giving 500 lucky fans a ticket for exclusive access to Xbox FanFest: E3 2016. The Xbox FanFest: E3 2016 is from Monday, June 13, through Wednesday, June 15. Tickets will include:
- Entry into the Xbox E3 2016 Briefing on Monday, June 13th, 9:30 a.m. PDT at the Galen Center
- A custom-built backpack filled with gaming swag
- Play time with all-new exclusives and our biggest blockbuster games coming this holiday
- The chance to meet some of the industry’s top developers, leaders and influencers.
- Even more surprise events during the week.
These are just a few of the activities Xbox has planned for the week, so stay tuned to Xbox Wire for all the latest updates on E3 2016!
Read more at http://news.xbox.com/2016/05/03/xbox-at-e3-2016/#YkEbGXd83080h0T1.99
Rumor
An insider confirms the existence of Xbox Next
According to an anonymous source it will hit the market next spring.
If Sony decides to actually launch an improved version of its console, Microsoft will be watching or propose at the same time a more powerful platform even able to overcome the PS4 Neo performance?
According to a source of insider xrays , Xbox Next is reality and will be announced in a separate event during E3. Of course the source is anonymous and is not absolutely 100% reliable but what we present below could prove quite interesting (although some data, such as the power of the console, really seem very credible). Here is what the anonymous source would reveal insider:
"I've got to read some slides from Microsoft and AMD about the new Xbox, and it is in effect a new model, not a remake of One. They should announce this year at a separate event from E3 2016, but still a few days before the fair. the announcement will be made this year but the release of the Xbox next is not expected before next spring, to read the roadmap. it will be open to change hardware, I did not understand if via upgrade or if they spoke of changes that will operate on the fly, before the release. it will be extremely powerful from the start, i think 5-6 times PS4 Neo, then something in the order of over 10 TFLOPS or so. "
"I can guarantee that the new Xbox One is in pre-production, AMD has signed three new agreements for this year and one last year. What the past year concerned the tax for the Slim model of One SoC, what this year covers three big industry, Microsoft including for the new console. Four agreements, three only for this 2016 ".
"One was a definite step forward as chipset, still it has not been exploited even at 80% and there are still room for improvement to get the most from the current consoles, but talking with the Xbox team developers has noticed have focused too much on innovation and less on strength, then i can tell you even now that will be a cross between one and a stark PC, if we count the numbers. i mean that everything will be balanced, as the current One, but each element will be provided with great power starting from the system to the integrated HBM DDR4 memory in GPU. There will be the exhaust chip, but for the lazy dev you can also bet on the computational power without incurring large compromises, the the opposite situation to that of One. Panos Panay is overseeing the project and aesthetics of the console, I think it will be amazing. "
"The chip is based on Arctic Island family of AMD's 14-nanometer FinFET or Polaris-11 Vega, GCN 4.0 in production for this summer, will be custom-class, x86-x64 and always backward compatible with either 360 with One, in fact, the operating system will always be virtualized; Win10 Redstone 2 is the core of the operating system of choice. it will be sold at a loss, these two years are working, almost immediately after the arrival of One ".
"I've heard that Spencer and the entire team wants to leave as soon as possible for the one spot he had with the old leadership, as if to mean a" start from here like a zero year for us and for Xbox. "They were not kidding, from which even the decision to end the production of Xbox 360 to focus on the new model. "
It is certainly interesting information but as mentioned far from confirmed, and in some cases lack credibility. What do you think?
https://translate.google.com/transl...iochi-insider-conferma-esistenza-di-xbox-next
An insider confirms the existence of Xbox Next
According to an anonymous source it will hit the market next spring.
If Sony decides to actually launch an improved version of its console, Microsoft will be watching or propose at the same time a more powerful platform even able to overcome the PS4 Neo performance?
According to a source of insider xrays , Xbox Next is reality and will be announced in a separate event during E3. Of course the source is anonymous and is not absolutely 100% reliable but what we present below could prove quite interesting (although some data, such as the power of the console, really seem very credible). Here is what the anonymous source would reveal insider:
"I've got to read some slides from Microsoft and AMD about the new Xbox, and it is in effect a new model, not a remake of One. They should announce this year at a separate event from E3 2016, but still a few days before the fair. the announcement will be made this year but the release of the Xbox next is not expected before next spring, to read the roadmap. it will be open to change hardware, I did not understand if via upgrade or if they spoke of changes that will operate on the fly, before the release. it will be extremely powerful from the start, i think 5-6 times PS4 Neo, then something in the order of over 10 TFLOPS or so. "
"I can guarantee that the new Xbox One is in pre-production, AMD has signed three new agreements for this year and one last year. What the past year concerned the tax for the Slim model of One SoC, what this year covers three big industry, Microsoft including for the new console. Four agreements, three only for this 2016 ".
"One was a definite step forward as chipset, still it has not been exploited even at 80% and there are still room for improvement to get the most from the current consoles, but talking with the Xbox team developers has noticed have focused too much on innovation and less on strength, then i can tell you even now that will be a cross between one and a stark PC, if we count the numbers. i mean that everything will be balanced, as the current One, but each element will be provided with great power starting from the system to the integrated HBM DDR4 memory in GPU. There will be the exhaust chip, but for the lazy dev you can also bet on the computational power without incurring large compromises, the the opposite situation to that of One. Panos Panay is overseeing the project and aesthetics of the console, I think it will be amazing. "
"The chip is based on Arctic Island family of AMD's 14-nanometer FinFET or Polaris-11 Vega, GCN 4.0 in production for this summer, will be custom-class, x86-x64 and always backward compatible with either 360 with One, in fact, the operating system will always be virtualized; Win10 Redstone 2 is the core of the operating system of choice. it will be sold at a loss, these two years are working, almost immediately after the arrival of One ".
"I've heard that Spencer and the entire team wants to leave as soon as possible for the one spot he had with the old leadership, as if to mean a" start from here like a zero year for us and for Xbox. "They were not kidding, from which even the decision to end the production of Xbox 360 to focus on the new model. "
It is certainly interesting information but as mentioned far from confirmed, and in some cases lack credibility. What do you think?
https://translate.google.com/transl...iochi-insider-conferma-esistenza-di-xbox-next
who all thinks the new call of duty game will suck?i know im tired of the titanfall/halo shit.i mean back to back there dropping the same damn game just with a different title on it. advance warfare,black ops 3,now this shit looks like they're the same game just broken up into different games.then to top it all off,the remake everyone's waiting for only comes with the deluxe an the most expensive package.you would think it would come with you just buying the damn game but no these greedy asses dont want to do that.ill be passing on this game i know that.the new battlefield trailer will drop topday at 4 pm et.
A lot of gamer's are tired of futuristic FPS games. This is Battlefield's chance to take the number one spot. Game play has to be on point though.
Leaked Battlefield image implies a World War I setting
A new Battlefield image seems to have accidentally appeared on the Xbox Dashboard. The image clearly depicts a caped soldier wielding a Luger pistol and a Trench raiding club, both of which were commonly used in World War I. There also appears to be a gas mask on the soldier's belt and the edge of a Zeppelin airship looming behind him. All of this evidence points to a Battlefield game centered around World War I, a rumor which has been circling for several months now. The only reason to be dubious about this rumor would seem to be the soldier's cape, which is probably too long and flowing to be of a style seen in World War I. Some people suggest that the new Battlefield game could take place during a 20th century alternate timeline. Take a look at the image below. What do you think it suggests? Are you excited about the official Battlefield reveal that will be taking place later today?
http://www.icxm.net/x/leaked-battlefield-image-implies-WWI-setting-luger-trench-zeppelin.html
Leaked Battlefield image implies a World War I setting
A new Battlefield image seems to have accidentally appeared on the Xbox Dashboard. The image clearly depicts a caped soldier wielding a Luger pistol and a Trench raiding club, both of which were commonly used in World War I. There also appears to be a gas mask on the soldier's belt and the edge of a Zeppelin airship looming behind him. All of this evidence points to a Battlefield game centered around World War I, a rumor which has been circling for several months now. The only reason to be dubious about this rumor would seem to be the soldier's cape, which is probably too long and flowing to be of a style seen in World War I. Some people suggest that the new Battlefield game could take place during a 20th century alternate timeline. Take a look at the image below. What do you think it suggests? Are you excited about the official Battlefield reveal that will be taking place later today?
http://www.icxm.net/x/leaked-battlefield-image-implies-WWI-setting-luger-trench-zeppelin.html
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