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You bet. en-us Tue, 22 Jul 2014 00:40:59 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-hearthstone-naxxramas-cards-revealed/1100-6421236/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2604229-curseof+naxxramas.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604229" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2604229-curseof+naxxramas.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604229"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2604229-curseof+naxxramas.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Blizzard has revealed cards that will be introduced as part of the upcoming new Adventure Mode update for <a href="/hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft/" data-ref-id="false">Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft</a>.</p><p style="">The cards will be part of the Curse of Naxxramas patch, a single-player expansion that will be <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hearthstone-single-player-naxxramas-update-goes-li/1100-6421178/" data-ref-id="1100-6421178">introduced to the game on July 22</a>. The new additions were revealed on the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.701675023208602.1073741841.498467596862680&amp;type=3" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Hearthstone facebook page</a>, and will include the cards shown in<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/images/1300-2604356/" data-ref-id="1300-2604356"> this gallery</a>.</p><p style="">Naxxramas itself will be released over five individual updates that will unlock one after another each week after the first update. Each will cover a specific area in Naxxramas; The Arachnid Quarter, Plague Quarter, Military Quarter, Construct Quarter, and Frostwyrm Lair. Players who participate in the expansion within the first month of it's launch will be able to access the first wing for free, but <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hearthstone-naxxramas-expansions-cost-7-or-700-gol/1100-6420985/" data-ref-id="1100-6420985">must buy the rest</a> with in-game gold or real world currency.</p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="false"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 23:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-hearthstone-naxxramas-cards-revealed/1100-6421236/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/heroes-of-the-storm-dev-discusses-new-warcraft-her/1100-6421231/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604006-9515845516-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604006" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604006-9515845516-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604006"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1539/15391776/2604006-9515845516-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><a href="/heroes-of-the-storm/" data-ref-id="false">Heroes of the Storm</a>, the MOBA-like hero brawler from <a href="/world-of-warcraft/" data-ref-id="false">World of Warcraft</a> developer Blizzard, has been in a closed alpha test since March. Every few weeks, the developer launches a new update, adding new content, changing balance, and reworking character progression. With an upcoming patch, the team intends to make Heroes of the Storm stand out even further.</p><p style="">We were able to talk to game director Dustin Browder and learn more about the map, hero, and design changes coming to the game in the next patch. We also took the opportunity to ask about the game's future, its esports potential, and its competition.</p><h2>Who's the new hero coming in the update?</h2><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604001-7507817296-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604001" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604001-7507817296-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604001"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2604001-7507817296-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">First and foremost, players will get to battle as a new hero named Rehgar. He's an agile character who is inspired by the shamans of Warcraft. "He's a pretty cool and aggressive support character," Browder explains. "He can change into his mount form whenever he wants very quickly. He turns into a ghost wolf and runs around. He's a very special kind of support character, and a lot of fun to play. Basically, Rehgar is a shaman with a bunch of elemental abilities. He's a classic <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/warcraft-iii-reign-of-chaos/" data-ref-id="false">Warcraft III</a> Shaman build."</p><h2>And how about that new map?</h2><p style="">It's called Garden of Terror, and it's a dynamic map similar to others in the game. "You're trying to collect seeds to be able to create this big plant monster that you can become," Browder says. "[It's] kind of like [how] you can become the dragon knight in one of our other maps. It gives you the chance to be this giant monster that runs around, gums up the map and slimes enemy towers with this evil plant stuff. [It can also] choke off enemy towns, preventing them from fighting and making your pushes [into enemy territory] very effective."</p><h2>Are there any other changes going into the game?</h2><p style="">In addition to the map and character, Blizzard is also implementing a sweeping array of UI, performance, and progression changes. Most significantly, the developer is overhauling how you advance your heroes in and out of battle.</p><p style="">Firstly, the team has reworked cooperative gameplay so that you can now earn experience without entering into competitive arenas. Browder explains, "We want to give players the opportunity to earn experience and complete quests in cooperative play, but at the same time we didn't want to feel like it was wrong to play Player vs. Player modes. So we've changed the whole system, [and now] you do get a win bonus when you play cooperatively."</p><p style="">There will also be more items for you to work toward, including new cosmetic items called Master Skins. To make this work, the developer has made leveling up individual heroes much more important: "We've got this idea for a master hero skin that you'll earn if you play a hero for a really long time, so we've redone the entire leveling system. A lot of it is [now] about leveling up individual heroes. We had six hero levels before; now we're up to 10 different hero levels. So it feels like a much more meaty experience."</p><p style="">Finally, the team has redone the way you earn the gold used for microtransactions, to make it both more rewarding and more useful. This includes the addition of artifacts, which actually allow for an entirely different way of hero customization. Browder says, "We've gone to a gold-per-game model, or a gold-per-win model. It was just too long between rewards, so we've rebalanced the whole economy around [this new] model."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604005-0310037774-4KIA8.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604005" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604005-0310037774-4KIA8.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604005"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2604005-0310037774-4KIA8.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">He continues, "We've added a whole new system to the game, an artifact system, and this allows players to customize a lot of the core stats on their heroes. This is one of the things we had a lot of requests for from the players. At the same time, they didn't really want it to be a part of the talent system--they wanted the talent system to be more focused on skill, heroic abilities, all that stuff--so we thought it might be kind of cool to give the players the ability to customize the stats on their characters before the game launches. So now you can go in and you can get these artifacts and you can slot them into your hero.</p><p style="">"This also ties into a request from a lot of our players for something more to do with gold. a lot of players will purchase a couple heroes and be totally content with that, but say 'I'm earning all this gold, what else can I do with it?' We thought this could be a cool thing you can do with your gold--buy better and better artifacts and customize your hero."</p><h2>Is Garden of Terror designed around a core type of competitive play?</h2><p style="">"No, Garden of Terror will go into our regular map pool," Browder states. "We haven't decided yet if we're going to do special maps for special types of play, it's possible when we get to ranked play, we might say, 'Okay, these are the ranked play maps, they're a little different from unranked maps.'"</p><h2>Is the map modeled after another Blizzard area?</h2><p style="">"No, we're still doing the realms of the Nexus [right now]," he explains. "We're still exploring new worlds that allow us to be crazy and creative with the space. You'll see us explore more of Blizzard's environments in the future, and we will also have some of our other more classic worlds going forward."</p><h2>What are you doing going forward to make Heroes of the Storm stand out in a genre that's becoming increasingly crowded?</h2><p style="">Browder argues that Heroes of the Storm is fundamentally shaking up the MOBA formula by encouraging teamwork and a focus on individual hero customization. "We're doing things with team leveling where people are really asked to do things together as a team, and it's not about getting ahead on your own and being the carry," he says. "We really feel like it's making a difference and it's really showing a lot of what the genre can be. There're a lot of different things you can do in the genre.</p><blockquote data-size="small" data-align="left"><p style="">"We really feel like it's making a difference and it's really showing a lot of what the genre can be. There're a lot of different things you can do in the genre."</p></blockquote><p style="">"We've got lots of different maps with lots of different map mechanics. We're trying to make each map as unique as possible. We're doing things with our talent system. We're moving away from the traditional shop system and really giving players a custom set of options per hero. We can have items that are range bonuses on heroes. We can give a hero who specializes in melee attack and give him a +3 range bonus, and now he's a short-range hero. If we put that in a shop that's generic for all, that would break the game.</p><p style="">"That's been a huge win for us that's distinguished us from other games in the genre. We've got something legitimate to offer. It's not for everybody, but we feel that we're gathering an audience of players that's very excited that we're taking these types of risks."</p><h2>Looking at your competitors and their expansions into esports, does that influence how you're approaching development on Heroes of the Storm?</h2><p style="">The game is certainly inspired by <a href="/league-of-legends/" data-ref-id="false">League of Legends</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/blizzard-dota/" data-ref-id="false">Dota</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/dota-2/" data-ref-id="false">Dota 2</a>, but it is becoming increasingly driven by the community, Browder states. In the future, it'll be the players who determine if Heroes becomes an established esport.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603996-3680132919-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603996" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603996-3680132919-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603996"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2603996-3680132919-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">"We owe an enormous debt to the modders in Warcraft III who helped develop the genre, and all the other developers who iterated on that even further," he says. "Early on, we were looking at those games a lot and learning from them, but at this point in our alpha, we're learning more about our game from our game. Our game and our players, that has become the focus and that teaches us what to do.</p><p style="">"It's not up to us if this game is an esport, it's up to the players. Do players start forming leagues, do shoutcasters show up? If they do, we'll be there for them. It'll be interesting to see where these people take the game."</p><h2>Can you say when Heroes of the Storm will move out of alpha and into a beta test?</h2><p style="">"Nope. We're still making sure the technology is good and safe," he explains. "You have to understand, when we go into a beta, we'll end up connecting up to Blizzard's other games. So you'll be able to chat with people in WoW, you'll be able to chat with people in <a href="/diablo/" data-ref-id="false">Diablo</a>, you'll be able to chat with people in <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft/" data-ref-id="false">Hearthstone</a> and <a href="/http://www.gamespot.com/starcraft-ii-heart-of-the-swarm/" data-ref-id="false">StarCraft</a>. When we go to that point, if we make a mistake in Heroes of the Storm, it's not impossible that we could crash WoW. That's bad.</p><p style="">"So we're adding a few people every week to the alpha, and we're still testing the infrastructure. Once we're in a position where we feel like we're good to go, we'll roll over into the production hardware and into the beta."</p><h2>Will there be any other announcements for Heroes of the Storm before November's BlizzCon conference?</h2><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603999-7920150857-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603999" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603999-7920150857-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603999"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2603999-7920150857-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">"You can always look for more heroes, changes to the HUD, and changes to the progression system," Browder promises. "We're also updating talents as often as possible. But we've also got another milestone before then."</p><p style="">The patch looks to change things up pretty dramatically, and it'll be interesting to see how the new progression systems work out. You can check out <a href="http://www.twitch.tv/BlizzHeroes" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Blizzard's Twitch stream</a> tomorrow at 11 A.M. PDT for more information and a first look at the update. Keep an eye on GameSpot for more news about Heroes of the Storm as it becomes available.</p><p style="">What do you think about Heroes of the Storm and how Blizzard is trying to make it unique? Let us know in the comments!</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alexbnewhouse" rel="nofollow">Twitter @alexbnewhouse</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 17:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/heroes-of-the-storm-dev-discusses-new-warcraft-her/1100-6421231/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/watch-20-players-take-on-a-giant-end-game-boss-in-/2300-6420349/ Here's your first look the gigantic lava worm Kanaloa in this video of upcoming shooter Firefall's Titan Battles. Titan Battles are 20-player instances intended for max-level characters, and players can set forth on the road to tackling them when the game launches on July 29, 2014. Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:48:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/watch-20-players-take-on-a-giant-end-game-boss-in-/2300-6420349/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pro-gaming-team-wins-5-million-in-dota-2-internati/1100-6421234/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6420340" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6420340/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">The fourth-ever <a href="/dota-2/" data-ref-id="false">Dota 2</a> International--the MOBA game's worldwide championship tournament--was won today by the team known as Newbee--which is now more than $5 million richer.</p><p style="">In a best-of-five competition that took place in Seattle today, Newbee defeated Vici Gaming in four games. Vici won the first game before Newbee reeled off three wins in a row, earning the team a little over $5 million. A <a href="http://www.ongamers.com/articles/the-international-grand-finals-recap/1100-1966/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="1100-1966">full recap of the games can be seen at onGamers</a>, and you can watch a replay of the fourth and final game below.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Newbee, which was only formed earlier this year, is comprised entirely of Chinese gamers: Chen "Hao" Zhihao, Zhang "Mu" Pan, Zhang "xiao8" Ning, Jiao "Banana" Wang, and Zhaohui "SanSheng" Wang. Vici also consists solely of Chinese players.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The members of Vici, as runners up, take home just under $1.5 million total, while the third-place team, North America's Evil Geniuses, gets $1 million total.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This year marked a significant moment for The International and esports as a whole. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/espn-partnering-with-valve-to-stream-dota-2-esport/1100-6421184/" data-ref-id="1100-6421184">ESPN broadcasted the event</a> through ESPN 3, and a finals preview aired on ESPN 2 on Sunday. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/10-million-dota-2-international-exceeds-super-bowl-masters-and-tour-de-france-prizes/1100-6420785/" data-ref-id="1100-6420785">More than $10 million in prize money</a>--the most-ever for an esports tournament--was up for grabs in the International as a direct result of fans purchasing the Compendium (which earns buyers in-game items and contributed money to the prize pool).</p><p style="">Did you watch any of this year's International? Let us know how you followed the tournament in the comments below.</p><div data-embed-type="html"><object id="clip_embed_player_flash" data="http://www.twitch.tv/widgets/archive_embed_player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="454" width="745"><param name="movie" value="http://www.twitch.tv/widgets/archive_embed_player.swf" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowNetworking" value="all" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="title=%2BThe%2BInternational%2B2014%2B-%2BGrand%2BFinals%2B-%2BNewbee%2Bvs%2BVG%2B-%2BGame%2B4%2B-%2BCasters%253A%2BTobiwan%2B%2526%2BLuminous&amp;channel=dota2ti&amp;auto_play=false&amp;start_volume=25&amp;chapter_id=4714287" /></object><br /><a class="trk" style="padding: 2px 0px 4px; display: block; width: 320px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline; text-align: center;" href="http://www.twitch.tv/dota2ti" rel="nofollow">Watch live video from dota2ti on Twitch</a></div><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pro-gaming-team-wins-5-million-in-dota-2-internati/1100-6421234/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/wayward-manor-review/1900-6415821/ <p style="">Many of us desire peace in our twilight years. In Wayward Manor, the sentiment is equally true for an old, sentient house, which yearns for a tranquil retirement. This means that the boisterous family that lives there has to go, and it's your job as the manor's loyal poltergeist to move them out. Wayward Manor is a modest puzzle game, featuring plenty of good-natured charm and slapstick humor. But you're not the only one haunting the manor's creaking halls; an array of game-ending glitches provide more worriment than the game's dancing shadows, while the lack of challenge turn the second half into a snooze.</p><p style="">As the manor's sole guardian, you must move from room to room, scaring away the unwanted guests. You approach this goal by manipulating certain objects in a room marked with an eerie spectral glow. Using your paranormal abilities, you prey upon the family's deep-seated fears and anxieties, or frighten them with tactful snares, including mousetraps and a pirate ghost that slashes at them from a painting. You can rattle a stone bust, which grabs a victim's attention long enough for you to send a bottle flying toward her head, shaking her constitution. The sight of a rat sends the family maid into a panic, so why not have one scurry across her path, causing her to jump with fright? A successful scare rewards you with a green skull. The more skulls you earn, the stronger your presence in a room, allowing you to manipulate even more objects as you frighten the pants off various intruders. Once you collect six skulls, you activate a ghastly whirlwind that whips up loose objects, sending your hapless victim screaming out the door for good.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6420230" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6420230/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">At first, there is a sense of discovery in solving Wayward Manor's puzzles, but the excitement dissipates more quickly than a specter in the sunlight. By the time you hit the third chapter, a cursory glance is all that is required to figure out each level's mystery. Gameplay stagnates, and there are only so many times you can whack one of the dopey characters on the head with a bottle before boredom seeps in. As you enter the game's third chapter, the lack of variety turns puzzle solving into more of a mechanical motion, over one that promotes the enjoyable analysis of the working parts. If you do find yourself at a loss, creatures such as cats, birds, and gargoyles located in the rooms offer advice on how to approach the puzzle.</p><p style="">The story is penned by <em>Coraline</em> author Neil Gaiman, and the game draws influences from the surreal book-turned-film. Narration is spoken in a storybook style, and Gaiman himself lends his smoky voice to the living manor during brief moments of exposition between chapters. Though the dated visuals of Wayward Manor won't win any awards, the game fully embraces its peculiar art style, which I found alluring. The multistoried manor is warped and cartoonish, yet still macabre, its dusty rooms lit by flickering candles or by azure moonlight creeping in through windows. The family inhabiting the manor is made up of diminutive caricatures exhibiting charming mannerisms, their voices replaced by the sounds of various musical instruments.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603495" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603495"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Glitches range from objects clipping into walls to levels freezing.</figcaption></figure><figure data-embed-type="gallery" data-img-src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603522-0002.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603526-0004.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603530-0006.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603524-0003.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603528-0005.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597321-ci-120408988830384252.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597329-ci211678740830384252.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597319-ci-94169988830384252.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597322-ci140274740830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603522,1300-2603526,1300-2603530,1300-2603524,1300-2603528,1300-2603495,1300-2597321,1300-2597329,1300-2597319,1300-2597322" data-resize-urls="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603522-0002.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603526-0004.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603530-0006.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603524-0003.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603528-0005.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597321-ci-120408988830384252.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597329-ci211678740830384252.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597319-ci-94169988830384252.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597322-ci140274740830384252.jpg" data-resized="" data-resize-url=""><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603522-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603522" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603522-0002.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603526-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603526" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603526-0004.jpg"></a><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603530-0006.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603530" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603530-0006.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603524-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603524" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603524-0003.jpg"></a><a href="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603528-0005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603528" ><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603528-0005.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603495" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597321-ci-120408988830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597321" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597321-ci-120408988830384252.jpg"></a><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597329-ci211678740830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597329" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597329-ci211678740830384252.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597319-ci-94169988830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597319" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597319-ci-94169988830384252.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597322-ci140274740830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597322" ><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597322-ci140274740830384252.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Unfortunately, I won't remember Wayward Manor for its interesting characters or art style, but for the menagerie of bugs and game-ending glitches that invoke far more tension than what my spectral hijinks could match. The most innocent of the issues include the whirlwind, which forces objects to clip through walls and people, and some occasional animation foibles, such as characters sprinting backward. Among the worst, however, is the surprisingly frequent gameplay bug that causes the puzzle and characters to freeze, unperturbed by my dismayed flurry of mouse clicks--there is nothing more to do than restart the level. In my playthrough of the game, I encountered the bug more than a dozen times. The final level was especially irritating, because a necessary puzzle piece refused to move into position, requiring me to restart about five times before the object finally clicked into place.</p><p style="">Wayward Manor, with its brevity and elementary one-button approach to gameplay, is not a complicated game. It's unfortunate, however, that the number of bugs infesting it make things so problematic and frustrating. The game's spooky ambiance and appealing nature are enjoyable, but not enough to overshadow the humdrum puzzle solving, nor to distract you from glitches. Wayward Manor puts a lot of trust in your abilities to remove unwanted guests, but it would have found equal success in calling pest control.</p> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/wayward-manor-review/1900-6415821/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-ruby-sapphire-screenshot-comparison-shows-/1100-6421233/ <div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6419405" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419405/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">Considering 12 years have passed since <a href="/pokemon-ruby-version/" data-ref-id="false">Pokemon Ruby</a> and <a href="/pokemon-sapphire-version/" data-ref-id="false">Sapphire</a> were released on Game Boy Advance, graphical improvements are to be expected from their upcoming <a href="/3ds/" data-ref-id="false">3DS</a> remakes, <a href="/pokemon-alpha-sapphire/" data-ref-id="false">Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire</a>. But if, like me, you haven't seen Ruby or Sapphire recently, you might not realize just how much of a change the games' visuals have undergone by simply looking at screenshots of the 3DS versions.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Luckily, <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/pokemon/comments/2b1l1u/this_makes_me_a_bit_tingly_in_my_pants/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Reddit user YouDontKnowThisUser</a> has compiled a comparison of three dozen screenshots that pit the 3DS remakes against very similar (if not identical) scenes from the original games, which you can see below. The most significant change, of course, is the shift from the sprite-based 2D graphics of the older Pokemon games to the 3D-graphic style introduced in <a href="/pokemon-x/" data-ref-id="false">Pokemon X</a> and <a href="/pokemon-y/" data-ref-id="false">Y</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The gameplay is similarly not being left untouched: a new type of evolution is being introduced <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-evolution-type-revealed-for-pokemon-omega-ruby-and-alpha-sapphire/1100-6420638/" data-ref-id="1100-6420638">called Primal Reversion</a>, new <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-omega-ruby-alpha-sapphire-remakes-add-new-mega-evolutions/1100-6420187/" data-ref-id="1100-6420187">mega evolutions have been added</a>, and players will now be able to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/build-your-own-custom-secret-base-in-pokemon-omega/1100-6420988/" data-ref-id="1100-6420988">design their own secret bases</a> that can be shared through StreetPass.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Alpha Ruby and Omega Sapphire are scheduled for release on November 21. If you plan on picking up the game, which version will you choose? Let us know in the comments.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603980" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603980-pokemon-1.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603980-pokemon-1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603980"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603980-pokemon-1.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603983" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603983-pokemon-2.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603983-pokemon-2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603983"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603983-pokemon-2.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603984" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603984-pokemon-3.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603984-pokemon-3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603984"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603984-pokemon-3.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603985" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603985-pokemon-4.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603985-pokemon-4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603985"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603985-pokemon-4.jpg"></a></figure><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 15:49:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-ruby-sapphire-screenshot-comparison-shows-/1100-6421233/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/modern-combat-5-pirated-ahead-of-launch-after-dev-/1100-6421232/ <figure data-ref-id="1300-2603863" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603863-modern+combat+5.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603863-modern+combat+5.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603863"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603863-modern+combat+5.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">To promote the release of <a href="/modern-combat-5-blackout/" data-ref-id="false">Modern Combat 5: Blackout</a> later this week, developer Gameloft recently held a contest that provided winners with early access to this latest game in its mobile first-person shooter series. Things quickly went awry as the game was cracked and distributed online as early as Friday, leading to thousands of pirated copies of Blackout being downloaded in the week prior to its launch.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Gameloft issued a statement to GameSpot today, confirming it's dealt with those playing pirated copies. "Following the release of several pirated versions of Modern Combat 5 prior the release of the game, we have turned on our anti-piracy systems and now all illegitimate users on a non-official version have been incapacitated," the company said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In a post on a Modern Combat <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/370941913017140/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Facebook group</a> (via <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/7/21/5923033/modern-combat-5-contest-unreleased-game-cracked" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Polygon</a>), Gameloft community manager Florian Weber wrote, "As you can imagine I am really pissed off. To anybody who got MC5 already, shame on you! We are making games for you and all you can do is pirate them?" He also threatened bans for anyone who had proven they were already playing Blackout.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Numerous Twitter users posted openly on the site over the weekend about playing the game, which was reportedly hacked to allow the use of infinite ammo when playing online. A listing on an unofficial iOS app store hosting the cracked game showed it had been downloaded more than 3,000 times as of yesterday--this despite the app store in question not being the original source of the pirated game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A number of videos posted to YouTube showing gameplay from pirated copies of MC5 have been removed due to Terms of Service violations. However, videos with hundreds of views detailing the process of obtaining the game--which involves having a jailbroken phone--remain online. That may no longer be an issue with Gameloft having taken action, but the leaked version also included the game's single-player, resulting in videos being shared online that show the game's ending. At least one such video remains online as of this writing.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Blackout, which was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-modern-combat-5-blackout-is-a-premium-mobile-shooter-not-free-to-play/1100-6420375/" data-ref-id="1100-6420375">on display at E3 last month</a>, is scheduled for release this Thursday, July 24, on iOS and Android for $6.99. According to Gameloft, "Those who used this pirated version of the game just need to wait for the official game release." In other words, any bans imposed on pirates are not permanent.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong> Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 14:37:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/modern-combat-5-pirated-ahead-of-launch-after-dev-/1100-6421232/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/eas-sims-studio-hiring-for-first-new-franchise-sin/1100-6421230/ <figure data-ref-id="1300-2603297" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603297-sims4.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603297-sims4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603297"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603297-sims4.jpg"></a><figcaption>Maxis' latest game, The Sims 4</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">A newly discovered <a href="http://careersearch.ea.com/california/game-design/jobid5689540-senior-designer-jobs" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">job posting</a> for a senior designer position at Maxis has revealed the nature of a "new, unannounced" project in the works at the Electronic Arts-owned studio. From the sound of it, this "unique, emerging IP" will have a major multiplayer component and may draw on games with sandbox elements like <a href="/minecraft/" data-ref-id="false">Minecraft</a>, <a href="/littlebigplanet/" data-ref-id="false">LittleBigPlanet</a>, and <a href="/project-spark/" data-ref-id="false">Project Spark</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Among the aspects of the game that the new senior designer will work on are "creativity editors … extensive multiplayer gameplay mechanics, in-game economies, technology trees, HD, PC, and mobile and tablet companion application integration." The posting later refers to "content creation tools and editors" intended for use by both the game's developers and players.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Prospective candidates need experience working with "deeply social multiplayer games such as MMOs," as well as an understanding of "crafting trees" and "character RPG-style leveling design and mathematical loot progression modeling."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The most direct hint about the nature of this new game comes from the requirement for an "understanding [of] other games in the creativity space, including LittleBigPlanet, Minecraft and its popular mods, Roblox, <a href="/disney-infinity/" data-ref-id="false">Disney Infinity</a>, Project Spark, and other upcoming efforts."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Whatever the game is, it's likely to be free-to-play in some capacity. The new hire needs to be able to "design monetization that players respect and feel adds a great deal of value for their money." EA has had some issues with this in the past, in particular <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/another-ea-exec-explains-why-new-dungeon-keeper-su/1100-6420996/" data-ref-id="1100-6420996">with this year's mobile Dungeon Keeper game</a>.</p><p style="">Maxis has a long history of creating games that, in many ways, amount to sandboxes; when legendary designer and co-founder Will Wright was with the company, it created both <a href="/the-sims/" data-ref-id="false">The Sims</a> and <a href="/sim-city/" data-ref-id="false">SimCity</a> series, as well as <a href="/spore/" data-ref-id="false">Spore</a>. Since <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/will-wright-leaves-ea-founds-stupid-fun-club/1100-6207584/" data-ref-id="1100-6207584">Wright's departure in 2009</a>, it's released new content for <a href="/the-sims-3/" data-ref-id="false">The Sims 3</a>, launched 2013's <a href="/simcity/" data-ref-id="false">SimCity</a>, and developed <a href="/the-sims-4/" data-ref-id="false">The Sims 4</a>, which <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-sims-4-premium-service-spotted-in-lengthy-new-/1100-6421226/" data-ref-id="1100-6421226">releases in September</a>.</p><p style="">GameSpot has contacted EA for more details regarding this new project and will report back with anything we learn.</p><p style="">Based on what details are offered in the job posting, what are you hoping this new game turns out to be? Let us know in the comments.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:43:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/eas-sims-studio-hiring-for-first-new-franchise-sin/1100-6421230/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassins-creed-unity-preorder-bonuses/1100-6420631/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599325-6469591421-25939.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599325" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599325-6469591421-25939.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599325"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1539/15391776/2599325-6469591421-25939.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">The wealth of preorder bonuses and special editions for big games can get pretty convoluted, and <a href="/assassins-creed-unity/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed Unity</a> is no exception. Often, games will have different offers for each different retailer, and three or four different editions. If you're like me, you can end up feeling left out if you didn't know about a certain bonus. This year, developer Ubisoft has created four different retailer-exclusive versions of Assassin's Creed Unity, and each contains a unique weapon that cannot be acquired elsewhere (at least at launch). There will also be a Collector's Edition that contains a number of real-world and in-game items.</p><p style="">All preordered copies, regardless of retailer, also come with a code for a real-world spin-to-win sweepstakes game. Every day, Ubisoft is giving away prizes as big as games, clothes, and even trips to Paris and Ubisoft Montreal.</p><p style="">Each preorder also comes with an in-game mission called "The Chemical Revolution." Not much is known about the mission except that it includes "a genius chemist, a secret formula, and a plot for revenge."</p><p style="">We've outlined all four preorder items and the retailers' descriptions of them below.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Retailer</th><th scope="col"><strong>Guaranteed Release Date Delivery? </strong></th><th scope="col">Preorder Bonus</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Creed-Unity-PlayStation-4/dp/B00J48MUS4/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1401726519&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=assassin%27s+creed+unity&amp;tag=gamespot-vg-20" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><strong>Amazon:</strong></a></p></td><td><p style="">Yes</p></td><td><p style="">"Carve through the thickest armor with ease, thanks to the armor splitter axe's relentless cleaving power."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599329-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.23+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599329" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599329-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.23+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599329"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599329-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.23+pm.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><b><a href="http://www.gamestop.com/ps4/games/assassins-creed-unity/114241" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">GameStop:</a> </b></p></td><td><p style="">No</p></td><td><p style="">"Bring your enemies to their knees with the razor head spear, a lethal polearm designed to penetrate the toughest armor around."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599330-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.40+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599330" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599330-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.40+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599330"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599330-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.40+pm.png"></a></figure></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Assassin-s-Creed-Unity-PS4/35853378" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><strong>Walmart:</strong></a></p></td><td><p style="">No</p></td><td><p style="">"With its pinpoint accuracy and incredible range, the maple hunting rifle is the weapon of choice for stealthy assassins who prefer to lurk in the shadows and devastate their enemies at long range."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599331-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.58+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599331" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599331-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.58+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599331"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599331-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.58+pm.png"></a></figure></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/site/assassins-creed-unity-playstation-4/5606027.p?id=1219143553013&amp;skuId=5606027&amp;st=assassin%27s%20creed%20unity&amp;lp=1&amp;cp=1" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><strong>Best Buy:</strong></a></p></td><td><p style="">No</p></td><td><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599332-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.33.07+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599332" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599332-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.33.07+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599332"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599332-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.33.07+pm.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="">You can also purchase the Collector's Edition for $130. It includes a 16-inch figure of protagonist Arno, a music box that plays Unity's theme, a copy of the official soundtrack, an art book, a collector's edition box, and the Killed by Science and The Chemical Revolution missions. You can read more about <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassin-s-creed-unity-collector-s-edition-preorder-bonuses-announced/1100-6420270/" data-ref-id="1100-6420270">all that it includes here</a>.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599348-4990410759-25564.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599348" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599348-4990410759-25564.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599348"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1539/15391776/2599348-4990410759-25564.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Of course, these bonuses can change before the game's release. Assassin's Creed Unity launches on October 28 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.</p><p style="">Do you like preorder bonuses and special editions? Do you think that preorder bonuses should be <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-preorder-bonuses/1100-6417493/" data-ref-id="1100-6417493">as complex as those for Watch Dogs</a>, or eliminated altogether? Let us know in the comments below.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alexbnewhouse" rel="nofollow">Twitter @alexbnewhouse</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:18:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassins-creed-unity-preorder-bonuses/1100-6420631/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-hidden-in-plain-sight/2300-6420330/ Watch extended gameplay footage from Hidden in Plain Sight featuring the Giant Bomb crew. Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-hidden-in-plain-sight/2300-6420330/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/analog-3-beautiful-worlds-to-delve-into-after-chil/2300-6420293/ If loved the hand-painted aesthetic of Child of Light, Lisa Foiles has three more beautiful games for you to pore over. Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/analog-3-beautiful-worlds-to-delve-into-after-chil/2300-6420293/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-being-performed-as-a-one-time-only-/1100-6421229/ <div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo4fItgzUHQ" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Fjo4fItgzUHQ%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Djo4fItgzUHQ&amp;image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fjo4fItgzUHQ%2Fhqdefault.jpg&amp;key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/the-last-of-us/" data-ref-id="false">The Last of Us</a> has received a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-test-of-time-looking-back-at-the-last-of-us/1100-6421041/" data-ref-id="1100-6421041">great deal of acclaim</a> since its release last year, in particular thanks to its standout story. Just ahead of the game's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/a-huge-proportion-of-ps4-owners-never-played-the-l/1100-6420923/" data-ref-id="1100-6420923">re-release on PlayStation 4</a> as The Last of Us Remastered, a special, one-time-only stage performance of scenes from the game will take place next week featuring the voice cast from the game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Known as <em>The Last of Us: One Night Live</em>, the performance will feature "select scenes" performed by five of the principal actors: Troy Baker (Joel), Ashley Johnson (Ellie), Merle Dandridge (Marlene), Hana Hayes (Sarah), and Annie Wersching (Tess). The Last of Us co-director Neil Druckmann will serve as director for the show, and composer Gustavo Santaolalla will perform live music from his score. A Q&amp;A with the creative team will also take place.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The show is being held at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA next Monday, July 28, at 7PM Pacific. Free tickets are being distributed <a href="http://www.playstation.com/en-us/inside-playstation/events/2014/onenightlive" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">through the PlayStation website</a>; you can <a href="https://eventgrid.com/Event/8433/InstanceView/The-Last-Of-Us-One-Night-Live" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">join the wait list</a> right now to have the chance to be seated on a first-come, first-served basis.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As the venue can't possibly seat everyone interested in attending--not to mention those who simply can't make it to Los Angeles--Sony will stream the event online through Twitch, YouTube, and the Live Event Viewer on the PlayStation Network.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Last of Us Remastered arrives on <a href="/ps4/" data-ref-id="false">PS4</a> on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-ps3-owners-wont-get-a-discount-on-r/1100-6421160/" data-ref-id="1100-6421160">July 29 for $50</a>. It sports visual improvements, all of the DLC released for the game, and some small additions that make use of the DualShock 4, but is otherwise the same game released on <a href="/ps3/" data-ref-id="false">PlayStation 3</a> last year. For more on Remastered, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-remastered-devs-discuss-making-60fp/1100-6421147/" data-ref-id="1100-6421147">check out our recent interview with Naughty Dog</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Will you be tuning in for this special performance, or do you plan on trying to make it to the event in-person? Let us know in the comments.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 11:32:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-being-performed-as-a-one-time-only-/1100-6421229/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/lethal-league-multiple-players/2300-6420332/ Chris Watters and friends join a whole new league. A 4 player league of pain and reward with Lethal League! Join the chat and the chaos! Mon, 21 Jul 2014 11:06:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/lethal-league-multiple-players/2300-6420332/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-preorder-bonuses/1100-6421228/ <div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6420328" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6420328/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">If the buzz around the beta hasn't convinced you to preorder <a href="/destiny/" data-ref-id="false">Destiny</a>, publisher Activision has released a new video highlighting the contents of the Vanguard Armory pack it's offering up as a bonus for preorderers.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As announced earlier this month, the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-info-blowout-150-ghost-edition-revealed-tw/1100-6420946/" data-ref-id="1100-6420946">Vanguard Armory pack includes early access to in-game weapons and items</a>, as well as a preorder-only player emblem. The video notes the Vanguard Armory will allow you "exclusive access" to the weapons and gear in gear; this timed exclusive lasts "until at least fall 2015."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Today's video shows specifics on just what you'll get on September 9 with the Vanguard Armory pack, including nine weapons (one of each type) and three helmets. We're offered a looks at the stats for these items, which you'll be purchasing with in-game currency from the Vanguard Quartermaster located in the Tower, Destiny's social hub.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The list of Vanguard Armory items seen in the trailer follows:</p><ul><li dir="ltr">Singularity S.3 -- Scout Rifle</li><li dir="ltr">13098V Incognito -- Sniper Rifle</li><li dir="ltr">Harbinger -- Rocket Launcher</li><li dir="ltr">Carte Blanche S.1 -- Auto Rifle</li><li dir="ltr">SG-Scattercast -- Shotgun</li><li dir="ltr">SK5 Type-Null -- Fusion Rifle</li><li dir="ltr">Peccadillo's Grace -- Hand Cannon</li><li dir="ltr">BTRD-345 -- Machine Gun</li><li dir="ltr">Trifecta S.2 -- Pulse Rifle</li><li dir="ltr">Stratus White helmet</li><li dir="ltr">Chroma White helmet</li><li dir="ltr">Agema White helmet</li></ul><p style="">This is all in addition to the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-s-newest-trailer-features-seven-plus-minutes-of-gameplay/1100-6419267/" data-ref-id="1100-6419267">Upgraded Sparrow available to those who preorder at GameStop</a>. UK gamers will receive the same bonus by preordering through Game.</p><p style="">We'll be updating this story should any additional preorder bonuses be announced between now and Destiny's launch on September 9.</p><p style="">The <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-beta-gets-two-new-maps-this-weekend-but-on/1100-6421211/" data-ref-id="1100-6421211">ongoing Destiny beta</a> on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 will be offline today and tomorrow (July 21-22) as Bungie prepares to bring Xbox 360 and Xbox One players into the mix on Wednesday, July 23. Over the weekend, Bungie <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-beta-gets-two-new-maps-this-weekend-but-on/1100-6421211/" data-ref-id="1100-6421211">added two new multiplayer maps</a> (one of which was seen in the Destiny alpha last month) to the game's competitive multiplayer mode as part of a limited-time event.</p><p style="">If you've been playing the Destiny beta, has it had any impact on your decision of whether or not to preorder? Let us know in the comments.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 10:53:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-preorder-bonuses/1100-6421228/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/doom-reboot-unlikely-to-be-seen-again-this-year/1100-6421227/ <div data-height="480" data-width="854" data-ref-id="2300-6419386" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419386/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">At QuakeCon last week, the new game in the Doom series--simply entitled <a href="/doom-4/" data-ref-id="false">Doom</a>, rather than Doom 4--was revealed, including the very first look at gameplay. Video from the show has not yet been shared with the public, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-doom-announced-and-detailed-by-id-software-and/1100-6421188/" data-ref-id="1100-6421188">though we have a complete rundown of everything that shown here</a>. What was on display was only seen by QuakeCon attendees, and that's not likely to change anytime soon.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Pete Hines, PR and marketing boss for Doom publisher Bethesda, told <a href="http://www.pcgamer.com/2014/07/18/doom-was-revealed-to-counter-fears-of-trouble-at-id-software-public-reveal-unlikely-this-year/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">PC Gamer</a> that Doom is not yet ready for a proper reveal. "Next year is normally when I think we would've started," Hines said, but amidst <a href="http://kotaku.com/five-years-and-nothing-to-show-how-doom-4-got-off-trac-468097062" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">reports</a> of problems at id Software and troubled development of the game, it was decided that something should be shown. Bethesda and id didn't want to expose the still-in-progress game to an extreme amount of scrutiny at this stage, though, hence the reason for the QuakeCon-only reveal.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We're working with them to say, 'How does this work? What do we want to show?'" Hines explained. "And they're like, 'Look, we don't want a stream to go up for a game that isn't at the point where we would formally show it to the world, and now that thing is getting picked apart, and digested, and gone through frame-by-frame and getting nitpicked to death, when normally we wouldn't be showing this to anybody at all.'"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">We learned last year that what was at the time called Doom 4 <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/doom-4-rebooted-but-still-in-development/1100-6406340/" data-ref-id="1100-6406340">had been rebooted</a> because an early version "did not exhibit the quality and excitement that id and Bethesda intend to deliver and that Doom fans worldwide expect."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the wake of the QuakeCon reveal, Hines explained the rationale for showing video when the game is too early to be formally revealed: "I really wanted to put something out there that, in a strong way, said, 'id is working on something that we think is really cool.' And we wanted ... to show something to [id Software fans] that gives them the confidence that it is still a viable studio that's doing really cool stuff, that is making a game you want to play, and is treating Doom with the care and respect that you want.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"And now we're going to go away and go back to making the game, but to be able to counter other people talking about us and we're sort of just sitting here staying silent, or operating from this negative space of like, 'Oh, it got rebooted, oh it's in trouble.' All of that stuff just bothered the hell out of me."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Doom is, as you might expect, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-doom-announced-and-detailed-by-id-software-and/1100-6421188/" data-ref-id="1100-6421188">exceptionally violent</a>, but also features an emphasis on melee combat and includes jetpacks and double jumping. This is all according to those at QuakeCon who saw the video of Doom; a QuakeCon stream Bethesda offered online cut out just prior to the Doom footage being shown, much to the chagrin of fans who were watching and expecting to see Doom for themselves.</p><p style="">What this all means is that, short of video recorded at QuakeCon being published online, the video above--a CG Doom teaser trailer released in June--is all we'll be seeing from the game for some time.</p><p style="">Are you happy we got to learn some details about Doom, or would you have preferred that Bethesda and id waited to talk about it until it's ready to be seen by everyone? Let us know in the comments.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 10:03:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/doom-reboot-unlikely-to-be-seen-again-this-year/1100-6421227/

http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Tue, 22 Jul 2014 00:40:59 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-hearthstone-naxxramas-cards-revealed/1100-6421236/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2604229-curseof+naxxramas.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604229" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2604229-curseof+naxxramas.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604229"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2604229-curseof+naxxramas.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Blizzard has revealed cards that will be introduced as part of the upcoming new Adventure Mode update for <a href="/hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft/" data-ref-id="false">Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft</a>.</p><p style="">The cards will be part of the Curse of Naxxramas patch, a single-player expansion that will be <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hearthstone-single-player-naxxramas-update-goes-li/1100-6421178/" data-ref-id="1100-6421178">introduced to the game on July 22</a>. The new additions were revealed on the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.701675023208602.1073741841.498467596862680&amp;type=3" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Hearthstone facebook page</a>, and will include the cards shown in<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/images/1300-2604356/" data-ref-id="1300-2604356"> this gallery</a>.</p><p style="">Naxxramas itself will be released over five individual updates that will unlock one after another each week after the first update. Each will cover a specific area in Naxxramas; The Arachnid Quarter, Plague Quarter, Military Quarter, Construct Quarter, and Frostwyrm Lair. Players who participate in the expansion within the first month of it's launch will be able to access the first wing for free, but <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hearthstone-naxxramas-expansions-cost-7-or-700-gol/1100-6420985/" data-ref-id="1100-6420985">must buy the rest</a> with in-game gold or real world currency.</p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="false"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 23:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-hearthstone-naxxramas-cards-revealed/1100-6421236/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/heroes-of-the-storm-dev-discusses-new-warcraft-her/1100-6421231/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604006-9515845516-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604006" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604006-9515845516-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604006"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1539/15391776/2604006-9515845516-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><a href="/heroes-of-the-storm/" data-ref-id="false">Heroes of the Storm</a>, the MOBA-like hero brawler from <a href="/world-of-warcraft/" data-ref-id="false">World of Warcraft</a> developer Blizzard, has been in a closed alpha test since March. Every few weeks, the developer launches a new update, adding new content, changing balance, and reworking character progression. With an upcoming patch, the team intends to make Heroes of the Storm stand out even further.</p><p style="">We were able to talk to game director Dustin Browder and learn more about the map, hero, and design changes coming to the game in the next patch. We also took the opportunity to ask about the game's future, its esports potential, and its competition.</p><h2>Who's the new hero coming in the update?</h2><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604001-7507817296-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604001" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604001-7507817296-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604001"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2604001-7507817296-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">First and foremost, players will get to battle as a new hero named Rehgar. He's an agile character who is inspired by the shamans of Warcraft. "He's a pretty cool and aggressive support character," Browder explains. "He can change into his mount form whenever he wants very quickly. He turns into a ghost wolf and runs around. He's a very special kind of support character, and a lot of fun to play. Basically, Rehgar is a shaman with a bunch of elemental abilities. He's a classic <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/warcraft-iii-reign-of-chaos/" data-ref-id="false">Warcraft III</a> Shaman build."</p><h2>And how about that new map?</h2><p style="">It's called Garden of Terror, and it's a dynamic map similar to others in the game. "You're trying to collect seeds to be able to create this big plant monster that you can become," Browder says. "[It's] kind of like [how] you can become the dragon knight in one of our other maps. It gives you the chance to be this giant monster that runs around, gums up the map and slimes enemy towers with this evil plant stuff. [It can also] choke off enemy towns, preventing them from fighting and making your pushes [into enemy territory] very effective."</p><h2>Are there any other changes going into the game?</h2><p style="">In addition to the map and character, Blizzard is also implementing a sweeping array of UI, performance, and progression changes. Most significantly, the developer is overhauling how you advance your heroes in and out of battle.</p><p style="">Firstly, the team has reworked cooperative gameplay so that you can now earn experience without entering into competitive arenas. Browder explains, "We want to give players the opportunity to earn experience and complete quests in cooperative play, but at the same time we didn't want to feel like it was wrong to play Player vs. Player modes. So we've changed the whole system, [and now] you do get a win bonus when you play cooperatively."</p><p style="">There will also be more items for you to work toward, including new cosmetic items called Master Skins. To make this work, the developer has made leveling up individual heroes much more important: "We've got this idea for a master hero skin that you'll earn if you play a hero for a really long time, so we've redone the entire leveling system. A lot of it is [now] about leveling up individual heroes. We had six hero levels before; now we're up to 10 different hero levels. So it feels like a much more meaty experience."</p><p style="">Finally, the team has redone the way you earn the gold used for microtransactions, to make it both more rewarding and more useful. This includes the addition of artifacts, which actually allow for an entirely different way of hero customization. Browder says, "We've gone to a gold-per-game model, or a gold-per-win model. It was just too long between rewards, so we've rebalanced the whole economy around [this new] model."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604005-0310037774-4KIA8.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604005" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604005-0310037774-4KIA8.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604005"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2604005-0310037774-4KIA8.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">He continues, "We've added a whole new system to the game, an artifact system, and this allows players to customize a lot of the core stats on their heroes. This is one of the things we had a lot of requests for from the players. At the same time, they didn't really want it to be a part of the talent system--they wanted the talent system to be more focused on skill, heroic abilities, all that stuff--so we thought it might be kind of cool to give the players the ability to customize the stats on their characters before the game launches. So now you can go in and you can get these artifacts and you can slot them into your hero.</p><p style="">"This also ties into a request from a lot of our players for something more to do with gold. a lot of players will purchase a couple heroes and be totally content with that, but say 'I'm earning all this gold, what else can I do with it?' We thought this could be a cool thing you can do with your gold--buy better and better artifacts and customize your hero."</p><h2>Is Garden of Terror designed around a core type of competitive play?</h2><p style="">"No, Garden of Terror will go into our regular map pool," Browder states. "We haven't decided yet if we're going to do special maps for special types of play, it's possible when we get to ranked play, we might say, 'Okay, these are the ranked play maps, they're a little different from unranked maps.'"</p><h2>Is the map modeled after another Blizzard area?</h2><p style="">"No, we're still doing the realms of the Nexus [right now]," he explains. "We're still exploring new worlds that allow us to be crazy and creative with the space. You'll see us explore more of Blizzard's environments in the future, and we will also have some of our other more classic worlds going forward."</p><h2>What are you doing going forward to make Heroes of the Storm stand out in a genre that's becoming increasingly crowded?</h2><p style="">Browder argues that Heroes of the Storm is fundamentally shaking up the MOBA formula by encouraging teamwork and a focus on individual hero customization. "We're doing things with team leveling where people are really asked to do things together as a team, and it's not about getting ahead on your own and being the carry," he says. "We really feel like it's making a difference and it's really showing a lot of what the genre can be. There're a lot of different things you can do in the genre.</p><blockquote data-size="small" data-align="left"><p style="">"We really feel like it's making a difference and it's really showing a lot of what the genre can be. There're a lot of different things you can do in the genre."</p></blockquote><p style="">"We've got lots of different maps with lots of different map mechanics. We're trying to make each map as unique as possible. We're doing things with our talent system. We're moving away from the traditional shop system and really giving players a custom set of options per hero. We can have items that are range bonuses on heroes. We can give a hero who specializes in melee attack and give him a +3 range bonus, and now he's a short-range hero. If we put that in a shop that's generic for all, that would break the game.</p><p style="">"That's been a huge win for us that's distinguished us from other games in the genre. We've got something legitimate to offer. It's not for everybody, but we feel that we're gathering an audience of players that's very excited that we're taking these types of risks."</p><h2>Looking at your competitors and their expansions into esports, does that influence how you're approaching development on Heroes of the Storm?</h2><p style="">The game is certainly inspired by <a href="/league-of-legends/" data-ref-id="false">League of Legends</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/blizzard-dota/" data-ref-id="false">Dota</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/dota-2/" data-ref-id="false">Dota 2</a>, but it is becoming increasingly driven by the community, Browder states. In the future, it'll be the players who determine if Heroes becomes an established esport.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603996-3680132919-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603996" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603996-3680132919-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603996"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2603996-3680132919-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">"We owe an enormous debt to the modders in Warcraft III who helped develop the genre, and all the other developers who iterated on that even further," he says. "Early on, we were looking at those games a lot and learning from them, but at this point in our alpha, we're learning more about our game from our game. Our game and our players, that has become the focus and that teaches us what to do.</p><p style="">"It's not up to us if this game is an esport, it's up to the players. Do players start forming leagues, do shoutcasters show up? If they do, we'll be there for them. It'll be interesting to see where these people take the game."</p><h2>Can you say when Heroes of the Storm will move out of alpha and into a beta test?</h2><p style="">"Nope. We're still making sure the technology is good and safe," he explains. "You have to understand, when we go into a beta, we'll end up connecting up to Blizzard's other games. So you'll be able to chat with people in WoW, you'll be able to chat with people in <a href="/diablo/" data-ref-id="false">Diablo</a>, you'll be able to chat with people in <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft/" data-ref-id="false">Hearthstone</a> and <a href="/http://www.gamespot.com/starcraft-ii-heart-of-the-swarm/" data-ref-id="false">StarCraft</a>. When we go to that point, if we make a mistake in Heroes of the Storm, it's not impossible that we could crash WoW. That's bad.</p><p style="">"So we're adding a few people every week to the alpha, and we're still testing the infrastructure. Once we're in a position where we feel like we're good to go, we'll roll over into the production hardware and into the beta."</p><h2>Will there be any other announcements for Heroes of the Storm before November's BlizzCon conference?</h2><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603999-7920150857-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603999" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603999-7920150857-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603999"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2603999-7920150857-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">"You can always look for more heroes, changes to the HUD, and changes to the progression system," Browder promises. "We're also updating talents as often as possible. But we've also got another milestone before then."</p><p style="">The patch looks to change things up pretty dramatically, and it'll be interesting to see how the new progression systems work out. You can check out <a href="http://www.twitch.tv/BlizzHeroes" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Blizzard's Twitch stream</a> tomorrow at 11 A.M. PDT for more information and a first look at the update. Keep an eye on GameSpot for more news about Heroes of the Storm as it becomes available.</p><p style="">What do you think about Heroes of the Storm and how Blizzard is trying to make it unique? Let us know in the comments!</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alexbnewhouse" rel="nofollow">Twitter @alexbnewhouse</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 17:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/heroes-of-the-storm-dev-discusses-new-warcraft-her/1100-6421231/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/watch-20-players-take-on-a-giant-end-game-boss-in-/2300-6420349/ Here's your first look the gigantic lava worm Kanaloa in this video of upcoming shooter Firefall's Titan Battles. Titan Battles are 20-player instances intended for max-level characters, and players can set forth on the road to tackling them when the game launches on July 29, 2014. Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:48:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/watch-20-players-take-on-a-giant-end-game-boss-in-/2300-6420349/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pro-gaming-team-wins-5-million-in-dota-2-internati/1100-6421234/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6420340" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6420340/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">The fourth-ever <a href="/dota-2/" data-ref-id="false">Dota 2</a> International--the MOBA game's worldwide championship tournament--was won today by the team known as Newbee--which is now more than $5 million richer.</p><p style="">In a best-of-five competition that took place in Seattle today, Newbee defeated Vici Gaming in four games. Vici won the first game before Newbee reeled off three wins in a row, earning the team a little over $5 million. A <a href="http://www.ongamers.com/articles/the-international-grand-finals-recap/1100-1966/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="1100-1966">full recap of the games can be seen at onGamers</a>, and you can watch a replay of the fourth and final game below.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Newbee, which was only formed earlier this year, is comprised entirely of Chinese gamers: Chen "Hao" Zhihao, Zhang "Mu" Pan, Zhang "xiao8" Ning, Jiao "Banana" Wang, and Zhaohui "SanSheng" Wang. Vici also consists solely of Chinese players.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The members of Vici, as runners up, take home just under $1.5 million total, while the third-place team, North America's Evil Geniuses, gets $1 million total.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This year marked a significant moment for The International and esports as a whole. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/espn-partnering-with-valve-to-stream-dota-2-esport/1100-6421184/" data-ref-id="1100-6421184">ESPN broadcasted the event</a> through ESPN 3, and a finals preview aired on ESPN 2 on Sunday. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/10-million-dota-2-international-exceeds-super-bowl-masters-and-tour-de-france-prizes/1100-6420785/" data-ref-id="1100-6420785">More than $10 million in prize money</a>--the most-ever for an esports tournament--was up for grabs in the International as a direct result of fans purchasing the Compendium (which earns buyers in-game items and contributed money to the prize pool).</p><p style="">Did you watch any of this year's International? Let us know how you followed the tournament in the comments below.</p><div data-embed-type="html"><object id="clip_embed_player_flash" data="http://www.twitch.tv/widgets/archive_embed_player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="454" width="745"><param name="movie" value="http://www.twitch.tv/widgets/archive_embed_player.swf" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowNetworking" value="all" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="title=%2BThe%2BInternational%2B2014%2B-%2BGrand%2BFinals%2B-%2BNewbee%2Bvs%2BVG%2B-%2BGame%2B4%2B-%2BCasters%253A%2BTobiwan%2B%2526%2BLuminous&amp;channel=dota2ti&amp;auto_play=false&amp;start_volume=25&amp;chapter_id=4714287" /></object><br /><a class="trk" style="padding: 2px 0px 4px; display: block; width: 320px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline; text-align: center;" href="http://www.twitch.tv/dota2ti" rel="nofollow">Watch live video from dota2ti on Twitch</a></div><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pro-gaming-team-wins-5-million-in-dota-2-internati/1100-6421234/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/wayward-manor-review/1900-6415821/ <p style="">Many of us desire peace in our twilight years. In Wayward Manor, the sentiment is equally true for an old, sentient house, which yearns for a tranquil retirement. This means that the boisterous family that lives there has to go, and it's your job as the manor's loyal poltergeist to move them out. Wayward Manor is a modest puzzle game, featuring plenty of good-natured charm and slapstick humor. But you're not the only one haunting the manor's creaking halls; an array of game-ending glitches provide more worriment than the game's dancing shadows, while the lack of challenge turn the second half into a snooze.</p><p style="">As the manor's sole guardian, you must move from room to room, scaring away the unwanted guests. You approach this goal by manipulating certain objects in a room marked with an eerie spectral glow. Using your paranormal abilities, you prey upon the family's deep-seated fears and anxieties, or frighten them with tactful snares, including mousetraps and a pirate ghost that slashes at them from a painting. You can rattle a stone bust, which grabs a victim's attention long enough for you to send a bottle flying toward her head, shaking her constitution. The sight of a rat sends the family maid into a panic, so why not have one scurry across her path, causing her to jump with fright? A successful scare rewards you with a green skull. The more skulls you earn, the stronger your presence in a room, allowing you to manipulate even more objects as you frighten the pants off various intruders. Once you collect six skulls, you activate a ghastly whirlwind that whips up loose objects, sending your hapless victim screaming out the door for good.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6420230" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6420230/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">At first, there is a sense of discovery in solving Wayward Manor's puzzles, but the excitement dissipates more quickly than a specter in the sunlight. By the time you hit the third chapter, a cursory glance is all that is required to figure out each level's mystery. Gameplay stagnates, and there are only so many times you can whack one of the dopey characters on the head with a bottle before boredom seeps in. As you enter the game's third chapter, the lack of variety turns puzzle solving into more of a mechanical motion, over one that promotes the enjoyable analysis of the working parts. If you do find yourself at a loss, creatures such as cats, birds, and gargoyles located in the rooms offer advice on how to approach the puzzle.</p><p style="">The story is penned by <em>Coraline</em> author Neil Gaiman, and the game draws influences from the surreal book-turned-film. Narration is spoken in a storybook style, and Gaiman himself lends his smoky voice to the living manor during brief moments of exposition between chapters. Though the dated visuals of Wayward Manor won't win any awards, the game fully embraces its peculiar art style, which I found alluring. The multistoried manor is warped and cartoonish, yet still macabre, its dusty rooms lit by flickering candles or by azure moonlight creeping in through windows. The family inhabiting the manor is made up of diminutive caricatures exhibiting charming mannerisms, their voices replaced by the sounds of various musical instruments.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603495" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603495"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Glitches range from objects clipping into walls to levels freezing.</figcaption></figure><figure data-embed-type="gallery" 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data-resize-urls="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603522-0002.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603526-0004.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603530-0006.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603524-0003.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603528-0005.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597321-ci-120408988830384252.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597329-ci211678740830384252.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597319-ci-94169988830384252.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597322-ci140274740830384252.jpg" data-resized="" data-resize-url=""><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603522-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603522" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603522-0002.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603526-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603526" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603526-0004.jpg"></a><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603530-0006.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603530" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603530-0006.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603524-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603524" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603524-0003.jpg"></a><a href="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603528-0005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603528" ><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603528-0005.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603495" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597321-ci-120408988830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597321" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597321-ci-120408988830384252.jpg"></a><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597329-ci211678740830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597329" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597329-ci211678740830384252.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597319-ci-94169988830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597319" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597319-ci-94169988830384252.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597322-ci140274740830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597322" ><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597322-ci140274740830384252.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Unfortunately, I won't remember Wayward Manor for its interesting characters or art style, but for the menagerie of bugs and game-ending glitches that invoke far more tension than what my spectral hijinks could match. The most innocent of the issues include the whirlwind, which forces objects to clip through walls and people, and some occasional animation foibles, such as characters sprinting backward. Among the worst, however, is the surprisingly frequent gameplay bug that causes the puzzle and characters to freeze, unperturbed by my dismayed flurry of mouse clicks--there is nothing more to do than restart the level. In my playthrough of the game, I encountered the bug more than a dozen times. The final level was especially irritating, because a necessary puzzle piece refused to move into position, requiring me to restart about five times before the object finally clicked into place.</p><p style="">Wayward Manor, with its brevity and elementary one-button approach to gameplay, is not a complicated game. It's unfortunate, however, that the number of bugs infesting it make things so problematic and frustrating. The game's spooky ambiance and appealing nature are enjoyable, but not enough to overshadow the humdrum puzzle solving, nor to distract you from glitches. Wayward Manor puts a lot of trust in your abilities to remove unwanted guests, but it would have found equal success in calling pest control.</p> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/wayward-manor-review/1900-6415821/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-ruby-sapphire-screenshot-comparison-shows-/1100-6421233/ <div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6419405" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419405/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">Considering 12 years have passed since <a href="/pokemon-ruby-version/" data-ref-id="false">Pokemon Ruby</a> and <a href="/pokemon-sapphire-version/" data-ref-id="false">Sapphire</a> were released on Game Boy Advance, graphical improvements are to be expected from their upcoming <a href="/3ds/" data-ref-id="false">3DS</a> remakes, <a href="/pokemon-alpha-sapphire/" data-ref-id="false">Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire</a>. But if, like me, you haven't seen Ruby or Sapphire recently, you might not realize just how much of a change the games' visuals have undergone by simply looking at screenshots of the 3DS versions.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Luckily, <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/pokemon/comments/2b1l1u/this_makes_me_a_bit_tingly_in_my_pants/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Reddit user YouDontKnowThisUser</a> has compiled a comparison of three dozen screenshots that pit the 3DS remakes against very similar (if not identical) scenes from the original games, which you can see below. The most significant change, of course, is the shift from the sprite-based 2D graphics of the older Pokemon games to the 3D-graphic style introduced in <a href="/pokemon-x/" data-ref-id="false">Pokemon X</a> and <a href="/pokemon-y/" data-ref-id="false">Y</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The gameplay is similarly not being left untouched: a new type of evolution is being introduced <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-evolution-type-revealed-for-pokemon-omega-ruby-and-alpha-sapphire/1100-6420638/" data-ref-id="1100-6420638">called Primal Reversion</a>, new <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-omega-ruby-alpha-sapphire-remakes-add-new-mega-evolutions/1100-6420187/" data-ref-id="1100-6420187">mega evolutions have been added</a>, and players will now be able to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/build-your-own-custom-secret-base-in-pokemon-omega/1100-6420988/" data-ref-id="1100-6420988">design their own secret bases</a> that can be shared through StreetPass.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Alpha Ruby and Omega Sapphire are scheduled for release on November 21. If you plan on picking up the game, which version will you choose? Let us know in the comments.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603980" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603980-pokemon-1.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603980-pokemon-1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603980"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603980-pokemon-1.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603983" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603983-pokemon-2.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603983-pokemon-2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603983"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603983-pokemon-2.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603984" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603984-pokemon-3.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603984-pokemon-3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603984"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603984-pokemon-3.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603985" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603985-pokemon-4.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603985-pokemon-4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603985"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603985-pokemon-4.jpg"></a></figure><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 15:49:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-ruby-sapphire-screenshot-comparison-shows-/1100-6421233/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/modern-combat-5-pirated-ahead-of-launch-after-dev-/1100-6421232/ <figure data-ref-id="1300-2603863" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603863-modern+combat+5.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603863-modern+combat+5.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603863"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603863-modern+combat+5.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">To promote the release of <a href="/modern-combat-5-blackout/" data-ref-id="false">Modern Combat 5: Blackout</a> later this week, developer Gameloft recently held a contest that provided winners with early access to this latest game in its mobile first-person shooter series. Things quickly went awry as the game was cracked and distributed online as early as Friday, leading to thousands of pirated copies of Blackout being downloaded in the week prior to its launch.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Gameloft issued a statement to GameSpot today, confirming it's dealt with those playing pirated copies. "Following the release of several pirated versions of Modern Combat 5 prior the release of the game, we have turned on our anti-piracy systems and now all illegitimate users on a non-official version have been incapacitated," the company said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In a post on a Modern Combat <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/370941913017140/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Facebook group</a> (via <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/7/21/5923033/modern-combat-5-contest-unreleased-game-cracked" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Polygon</a>), Gameloft community manager Florian Weber wrote, "As you can imagine I am really pissed off. To anybody who got MC5 already, shame on you! We are making games for you and all you can do is pirate them?" He also threatened bans for anyone who had proven they were already playing Blackout.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Numerous Twitter users posted openly on the site over the weekend about playing the game, which was reportedly hacked to allow the use of infinite ammo when playing online. A listing on an unofficial iOS app store hosting the cracked game showed it had been downloaded more than 3,000 times as of yesterday--this despite the app store in question not being the original source of the pirated game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A number of videos posted to YouTube showing gameplay from pirated copies of MC5 have been removed due to Terms of Service violations. However, videos with hundreds of views detailing the process of obtaining the game--which involves having a jailbroken phone--remain online. That may no longer be an issue with Gameloft having taken action, but the leaked version also included the game's single-player, resulting in videos being shared online that show the game's ending. At least one such video remains online as of this writing.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Blackout, which was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-modern-combat-5-blackout-is-a-premium-mobile-shooter-not-free-to-play/1100-6420375/" data-ref-id="1100-6420375">on display at E3 last month</a>, is scheduled for release this Thursday, July 24, on iOS and Android for $6.99. According to Gameloft, "Those who used this pirated version of the game just need to wait for the official game release." In other words, any bans imposed on pirates are not permanent.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong> Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 14:37:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/modern-combat-5-pirated-ahead-of-launch-after-dev-/1100-6421232/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/eas-sims-studio-hiring-for-first-new-franchise-sin/1100-6421230/ <figure data-ref-id="1300-2603297" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603297-sims4.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603297-sims4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603297"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603297-sims4.jpg"></a><figcaption>Maxis' latest game, The Sims 4</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">A newly discovered <a href="http://careersearch.ea.com/california/game-design/jobid5689540-senior-designer-jobs" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">job posting</a> for a senior designer position at Maxis has revealed the nature of a "new, unannounced" project in the works at the Electronic Arts-owned studio. From the sound of it, this "unique, emerging IP" will have a major multiplayer component and may draw on games with sandbox elements like <a href="/minecraft/" data-ref-id="false">Minecraft</a>, <a href="/littlebigplanet/" data-ref-id="false">LittleBigPlanet</a>, and <a href="/project-spark/" data-ref-id="false">Project Spark</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Among the aspects of the game that the new senior designer will work on are "creativity editors … extensive multiplayer gameplay mechanics, in-game economies, technology trees, HD, PC, and mobile and tablet companion application integration." The posting later refers to "content creation tools and editors" intended for use by both the game's developers and players.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Prospective candidates need experience working with "deeply social multiplayer games such as MMOs," as well as an understanding of "crafting trees" and "character RPG-style leveling design and mathematical loot progression modeling."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The most direct hint about the nature of this new game comes from the requirement for an "understanding [of] other games in the creativity space, including LittleBigPlanet, Minecraft and its popular mods, Roblox, <a href="/disney-infinity/" data-ref-id="false">Disney Infinity</a>, Project Spark, and other upcoming efforts."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Whatever the game is, it's likely to be free-to-play in some capacity. The new hire needs to be able to "design monetization that players respect and feel adds a great deal of value for their money." EA has had some issues with this in the past, in particular <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/another-ea-exec-explains-why-new-dungeon-keeper-su/1100-6420996/" data-ref-id="1100-6420996">with this year's mobile Dungeon Keeper game</a>.</p><p style="">Maxis has a long history of creating games that, in many ways, amount to sandboxes; when legendary designer and co-founder Will Wright was with the company, it created both <a href="/the-sims/" data-ref-id="false">The Sims</a> and <a href="/sim-city/" data-ref-id="false">SimCity</a> series, as well as <a href="/spore/" data-ref-id="false">Spore</a>. Since <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/will-wright-leaves-ea-founds-stupid-fun-club/1100-6207584/" data-ref-id="1100-6207584">Wright's departure in 2009</a>, it's released new content for <a href="/the-sims-3/" data-ref-id="false">The Sims 3</a>, launched 2013's <a href="/simcity/" data-ref-id="false">SimCity</a>, and developed <a href="/the-sims-4/" data-ref-id="false">The Sims 4</a>, which <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-sims-4-premium-service-spotted-in-lengthy-new-/1100-6421226/" data-ref-id="1100-6421226">releases in September</a>.</p><p style="">GameSpot has contacted EA for more details regarding this new project and will report back with anything we learn.</p><p style="">Based on what details are offered in the job posting, what are you hoping this new game turns out to be? Let us know in the comments.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:43:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/eas-sims-studio-hiring-for-first-new-franchise-sin/1100-6421230/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassins-creed-unity-preorder-bonuses/1100-6420631/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599325-6469591421-25939.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599325" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599325-6469591421-25939.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599325"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1539/15391776/2599325-6469591421-25939.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">The wealth of preorder bonuses and special editions for big games can get pretty convoluted, and <a href="/assassins-creed-unity/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed Unity</a> is no exception. Often, games will have different offers for each different retailer, and three or four different editions. If you're like me, you can end up feeling left out if you didn't know about a certain bonus. This year, developer Ubisoft has created four different retailer-exclusive versions of Assassin's Creed Unity, and each contains a unique weapon that cannot be acquired elsewhere (at least at launch). There will also be a Collector's Edition that contains a number of real-world and in-game items.</p><p style="">All preordered copies, regardless of retailer, also come with a code for a real-world spin-to-win sweepstakes game. Every day, Ubisoft is giving away prizes as big as games, clothes, and even trips to Paris and Ubisoft Montreal.</p><p style="">Each preorder also comes with an in-game mission called "The Chemical Revolution." Not much is known about the mission except that it includes "a genius chemist, a secret formula, and a plot for revenge."</p><p style="">We've outlined all four preorder items and the retailers' descriptions of them below.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Retailer</th><th scope="col"><strong>Guaranteed Release Date Delivery? </strong></th><th scope="col">Preorder Bonus</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Creed-Unity-PlayStation-4/dp/B00J48MUS4/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1401726519&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=assassin%27s+creed+unity&amp;tag=gamespot-vg-20" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><strong>Amazon:</strong></a></p></td><td><p style="">Yes</p></td><td><p style="">"Carve through the thickest armor with ease, thanks to the armor splitter axe's relentless cleaving power."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599329-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.23+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599329" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599329-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.23+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599329"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599329-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.23+pm.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><b><a href="http://www.gamestop.com/ps4/games/assassins-creed-unity/114241" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">GameStop:</a> </b></p></td><td><p style="">No</p></td><td><p style="">"Bring your enemies to their knees with the razor head spear, a lethal polearm designed to penetrate the toughest armor around."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599330-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.40+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599330" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599330-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.40+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599330"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599330-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.40+pm.png"></a></figure></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Assassin-s-Creed-Unity-PS4/35853378" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><strong>Walmart:</strong></a></p></td><td><p style="">No</p></td><td><p style="">"With its pinpoint accuracy and incredible range, the maple hunting rifle is the weapon of choice for stealthy assassins who prefer to lurk in the shadows and devastate their enemies at long range."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599331-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.58+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599331" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599331-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.58+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599331"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599331-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.58+pm.png"></a></figure></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/site/assassins-creed-unity-playstation-4/5606027.p?id=1219143553013&amp;skuId=5606027&amp;st=assassin%27s%20creed%20unity&amp;lp=1&amp;cp=1" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><strong>Best Buy:</strong></a></p></td><td><p style="">No</p></td><td><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599332-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.33.07+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599332" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599332-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.33.07+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599332"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599332-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.33.07+pm.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="">You can also purchase the Collector's Edition for $130. It includes a 16-inch figure of protagonist Arno, a music box that plays Unity's theme, a copy of the official soundtrack, an art book, a collector's edition box, and the Killed by Science and The Chemical Revolution missions. You can read more about <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassin-s-creed-unity-collector-s-edition-preorder-bonuses-announced/1100-6420270/" data-ref-id="1100-6420270">all that it includes here</a>.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599348-4990410759-25564.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599348" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599348-4990410759-25564.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599348"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1539/15391776/2599348-4990410759-25564.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Of course, these bonuses can change before the game's release. Assassin's Creed Unity launches on October 28 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.</p><p style="">Do you like preorder bonuses and special editions? Do you think that preorder bonuses should be <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-preorder-bonuses/1100-6417493/" data-ref-id="1100-6417493">as complex as those for Watch Dogs</a>, or eliminated altogether? Let us know in the comments below.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alexbnewhouse" rel="nofollow">Twitter @alexbnewhouse</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:18:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassins-creed-unity-preorder-bonuses/1100-6420631/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-hidden-in-plain-sight/2300-6420330/ Watch extended gameplay footage from Hidden in Plain Sight featuring the Giant Bomb crew. Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-hidden-in-plain-sight/2300-6420330/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/analog-3-beautiful-worlds-to-delve-into-after-chil/2300-6420293/ If loved the hand-painted aesthetic of Child of Light, Lisa Foiles has three more beautiful games for you to pore over. Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/analog-3-beautiful-worlds-to-delve-into-after-chil/2300-6420293/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-being-performed-as-a-one-time-only-/1100-6421229/ <div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo4fItgzUHQ" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Fjo4fItgzUHQ%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Djo4fItgzUHQ&amp;image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fjo4fItgzUHQ%2Fhqdefault.jpg&amp;key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/the-last-of-us/" data-ref-id="false">The Last of Us</a> has received a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-test-of-time-looking-back-at-the-last-of-us/1100-6421041/" data-ref-id="1100-6421041">great deal of acclaim</a> since its release last year, in particular thanks to its standout story. Just ahead of the game's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/a-huge-proportion-of-ps4-owners-never-played-the-l/1100-6420923/" data-ref-id="1100-6420923">re-release on PlayStation 4</a> as The Last of Us Remastered, a special, one-time-only stage performance of scenes from the game will take place next week featuring the voice cast from the game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Known as <em>The Last of Us: One Night Live</em>, the performance will feature "select scenes" performed by five of the principal actors: Troy Baker (Joel), Ashley Johnson (Ellie), Merle Dandridge (Marlene), Hana Hayes (Sarah), and Annie Wersching (Tess). The Last of Us co-director Neil Druckmann will serve as director for the show, and composer Gustavo Santaolalla will perform live music from his score. A Q&amp;A with the creative team will also take place.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The show is being held at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA next Monday, July 28, at 7PM Pacific. Free tickets are being distributed <a href="http://www.playstation.com/en-us/inside-playstation/events/2014/onenightlive" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">through the PlayStation website</a>; you can <a href="https://eventgrid.com/Event/8433/InstanceView/The-Last-Of-Us-One-Night-Live" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">join the wait list</a> right now to have the chance to be seated on a first-come, first-served basis.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As the venue can't possibly seat everyone interested in attending--not to mention those who simply can't make it to Los Angeles--Sony will stream the event online through Twitch, YouTube, and the Live Event Viewer on the PlayStation Network.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Last of Us Remastered arrives on <a href="/ps4/" data-ref-id="false">PS4</a> on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-ps3-owners-wont-get-a-discount-on-r/1100-6421160/" data-ref-id="1100-6421160">July 29 for $50</a>. It sports visual improvements, all of the DLC released for the game, and some small additions that make use of the DualShock 4, but is otherwise the same game released on <a href="/ps3/" data-ref-id="false">PlayStation 3</a> last year. For more on Remastered, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-remastered-devs-discuss-making-60fp/1100-6421147/" data-ref-id="1100-6421147">check out our recent interview with Naughty Dog</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Will you be tuning in for this special performance, or do you plan on trying to make it to the event in-person? Let us know in the comments.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 11:32:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-being-performed-as-a-one-time-only-/1100-6421229/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/lethal-league-multiple-players/2300-6420332/ Chris Watters and friends join a whole new league. A 4 player league of pain and reward with Lethal League! Join the chat and the chaos! Mon, 21 Jul 2014 11:06:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/lethal-league-multiple-players/2300-6420332/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-preorder-bonuses/1100-6421228/ <div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6420328" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6420328/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">If the buzz around the beta hasn't convinced you to preorder <a href="/destiny/" data-ref-id="false">Destiny</a>, publisher Activision has released a new video highlighting the contents of the Vanguard Armory pack it's offering up as a bonus for preorderers.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As announced earlier this month, the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-info-blowout-150-ghost-edition-revealed-tw/1100-6420946/" data-ref-id="1100-6420946">Vanguard Armory pack includes early access to in-game weapons and items</a>, as well as a preorder-only player emblem. The video notes the Vanguard Armory will allow you "exclusive access" to the weapons and gear in gear; this timed exclusive lasts "until at least fall 2015."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Today's video shows specifics on just what you'll get on September 9 with the Vanguard Armory pack, including nine weapons (one of each type) and three helmets. We're offered a looks at the stats for these items, which you'll be purchasing with in-game currency from the Vanguard Quartermaster located in the Tower, Destiny's social hub.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The list of Vanguard Armory items seen in the trailer follows:</p><ul><li dir="ltr">Singularity S.3 -- Scout Rifle</li><li dir="ltr">13098V Incognito -- Sniper Rifle</li><li dir="ltr">Harbinger -- Rocket Launcher</li><li dir="ltr">Carte Blanche S.1 -- Auto Rifle</li><li dir="ltr">SG-Scattercast -- Shotgun</li><li dir="ltr">SK5 Type-Null -- Fusion Rifle</li><li dir="ltr">Peccadillo's Grace -- Hand Cannon</li><li dir="ltr">BTRD-345 -- Machine Gun</li><li dir="ltr">Trifecta S.2 -- Pulse Rifle</li><li dir="ltr">Stratus White helmet</li><li dir="ltr">Chroma White helmet</li><li dir="ltr">Agema White helmet</li></ul><p style="">This is all in addition to the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-s-newest-trailer-features-seven-plus-minutes-of-gameplay/1100-6419267/" data-ref-id="1100-6419267">Upgraded Sparrow available to those who preorder at GameStop</a>. UK gamers will receive the same bonus by preordering through Game.</p><p style="">We'll be updating this story should any additional preorder bonuses be announced between now and Destiny's launch on September 9.</p><p style="">The <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-beta-gets-two-new-maps-this-weekend-but-on/1100-6421211/" data-ref-id="1100-6421211">ongoing Destiny beta</a> on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 will be offline today and tomorrow (July 21-22) as Bungie prepares to bring Xbox 360 and Xbox One players into the mix on Wednesday, July 23. Over the weekend, Bungie <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-beta-gets-two-new-maps-this-weekend-but-on/1100-6421211/" data-ref-id="1100-6421211">added two new multiplayer maps</a> (one of which was seen in the Destiny alpha last month) to the game's competitive multiplayer mode as part of a limited-time event.</p><p style="">If you've been playing the Destiny beta, has it had any impact on your decision of whether or not to preorder? Let us know in the comments.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 10:53:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-preorder-bonuses/1100-6421228/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/doom-reboot-unlikely-to-be-seen-again-this-year/1100-6421227/ <div data-height="480" data-width="854" data-ref-id="2300-6419386" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419386/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">At QuakeCon last week, the new game in the Doom series--simply entitled <a href="/doom-4/" data-ref-id="false">Doom</a>, rather than Doom 4--was revealed, including the very first look at gameplay. Video from the show has not yet been shared with the public, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-doom-announced-and-detailed-by-id-software-and/1100-6421188/" data-ref-id="1100-6421188">though we have a complete rundown of everything that shown here</a>. What was on display was only seen by QuakeCon attendees, and that's not likely to change anytime soon.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Pete Hines, PR and marketing boss for Doom publisher Bethesda, told <a href="http://www.pcgamer.com/2014/07/18/doom-was-revealed-to-counter-fears-of-trouble-at-id-software-public-reveal-unlikely-this-year/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">PC Gamer</a> that Doom is not yet ready for a proper reveal. "Next year is normally when I think we would've started," Hines said, but amidst <a href="http://kotaku.com/five-years-and-nothing-to-show-how-doom-4-got-off-trac-468097062" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">reports</a> of problems at id Software and troubled development of the game, it was decided that something should be shown. Bethesda and id didn't want to expose the still-in-progress game to an extreme amount of scrutiny at this stage, though, hence the reason for the QuakeCon-only reveal.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We're working with them to say, 'How does this work? What do we want to show?'" Hines explained. "And they're like, 'Look, we don't want a stream to go up for a game that isn't at the point where we would formally show it to the world, and now that thing is getting picked apart, and digested, and gone through frame-by-frame and getting nitpicked to death, when normally we wouldn't be showing this to anybody at all.'"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">We learned last year that what was at the time called Doom 4 <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/doom-4-rebooted-but-still-in-development/1100-6406340/" data-ref-id="1100-6406340">had been rebooted</a> because an early version "did not exhibit the quality and excitement that id and Bethesda intend to deliver and that Doom fans worldwide expect."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the wake of the QuakeCon reveal, Hines explained the rationale for showing video when the game is too early to be formally revealed: "I really wanted to put something out there that, in a strong way, said, 'id is working on something that we think is really cool.' And we wanted ... to show something to [id Software fans] that gives them the confidence that it is still a viable studio that's doing really cool stuff, that is making a game you want to play, and is treating Doom with the care and respect that you want.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"And now we're going to go away and go back to making the game, but to be able to counter other people talking about us and we're sort of just sitting here staying silent, or operating from this negative space of like, 'Oh, it got rebooted, oh it's in trouble.' All of that stuff just bothered the hell out of me."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Doom is, as you might expect, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-doom-announced-and-detailed-by-id-software-and/1100-6421188/" data-ref-id="1100-6421188">exceptionally violent</a>, but also features an emphasis on melee combat and includes jetpacks and double jumping. This is all according to those at QuakeCon who saw the video of Doom; a QuakeCon stream Bethesda offered online cut out just prior to the Doom footage being shown, much to the chagrin of fans who were watching and expecting to see Doom for themselves.</p><p style="">What this all means is that, short of video recorded at QuakeCon being published online, the video above--a CG Doom teaser trailer released in June--is all we'll be seeing from the game for some time.</p><p style="">Are you happy we got to learn some details about Doom, or would you have preferred that Bethesda and id waited to talk about it until it's ready to be seen by everyone? Let us know in the comments.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 10:03:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/doom-reboot-unlikely-to-be-seen-again-this-year/1100-6421227/

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