Final Fantasy Explorers – Legacy Trailer January 20, 2016

We’re just a few days away from the release of Final Fantasy Explorers on the 3DS and to celebrate the launch of this unique Final Fantasy title, Square Enix released this new trailer for the game. Give it a look, because it shows some new gameplay footage and reveals some of the classic Final Fantasy characters you’ll be able to play as in this game.

Final Fantasy Explorers is coming Jan 26th, 2016 exclusively to Nintendo 3DS systems.

iOS 9.2.1 Released January 19, 2016

Apple released a minor software update to iOS devices earlier today. The new update, iOS 9.2.1, has been released for iOS 9 compatible iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch devices.  The update specifically addresses an issue the OS was having with specific networks, but it also includes minor security fixes.

Depending on your device and the version of iOS your device is running, this update should weigh in between 20-30MB, and can be downloaded either through your device’s internal software update feature, or through iTunes.

Keep in mind this is just a minor update intended for bug fixes and security holes. iOS 9.3, which is poised to be the next major update to the iOS family, is still being tested and currently has no expected release date.

EA Access Free to all Xbox Live Gold Members this Week January 19, 2016

EA Access is a paid monthly service which enables its users to play a smorgasbord of Electronic Arts games on the Xbox One as much as they’d like until their subscription runs out.

Starting today, EA is launching a special preview program and the EA Access service will be available free of charge to all Xbox Live Gold Members for this week only!

If you’re on the fence about signing up for this service or if you just want to preview some of EA’s recent titles, give it a look.  The EA Access preview requires Internet access and an Xbox One console.  If you want to get started, just download the EA Access app to your Xbox One from the Xbox Marketplace.

The free preview ends Jan 24th, 2016.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution Free on Xbox 360 Through Games With Gold January 18, 2016

Xbox Live Gold members need to listen up. One of the best games of recent time, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, can be downloaded from the Xbox Live Marketplace for free until the end of the month.

Like with all 360 games downloaded through Games With Gold, as long as it is downloaded during the time it is offered for free, the game will remain perminantly accessible on your Xbox 360 account, even if it is deleted or your Gold subscription expires.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution will remain free through Games With Gold until the end of the month.

Omikron: The Nomad Soul Free this Weekend on Square Enix Store January 15, 2016

Many people know David Cage from his unique adventure games Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls and Indigo Prophecy. I can tell you from personal experience these are incredible games that absolutely must be played at least once. However, he very first game David Cage ever directed was a cyberpunk PC/Dreamcast cult hit called Omikron: The Nomad Soul staring the legendary David Bowie.  Sadly, I’ve never been able to play this game, and with his passing I felt like I never would.  Today, that changes for everyone.

Since it was originally published, the rights to the game have passed to Square Enix, who also hold the rights to franchises like Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. In honor of David Bowie’s passing, Square Enix has decided to offer the PC version of Omikron: The Nomad Soul free of charge as a digital download through the Square Enix online store starting today!

To get the game, simply log into the Square Enix store from your region (If you’re in North America, you can access the store here, European Customers can visit this website) and add Omikron: The Nomad Soul to your cart. During the checkout process, use the promo code “omikron” (without quotes), and the game should ring up as free when you finalize your order.

If the order is properly processed, you will receive an email with the game’s CD-key. That key will unlock the game on Steam.

You will need both a Square Enix account, a Steam Account, and the Steam client to play this game, but all are available free of charge!

This deal will remain valid starting from today until Jan 22nd, 2016. The Square Enix store has been having intermittent issues processing orders all day due to the huge demand this offer is putting on their servers. If you’re having any issues processing your order, I recommend trying again at a later time.

Omikron: The Nomad Soul is out now on PC and Dreamcast.

Gears of War 4 Release Date May Have Been Pushed Up January 11, 2016

Several media outlets including GameSpot and MSN are reporting that one of this year’s highly anticipated Xbox One exclusive titles, Gears of War 4, may be coming out a little sooner than expected.

First announced at E3 2015, Gears of War 4 was revealed with a projected release date of Holiday 2016.  Recently, during an official Microsoft live stream, Microsoft announced that the game would be out a little sooner, and listed the game’s release date as Fall 2016, which could mean it might release a few months earlier than expected.

Of course these are just semantics, since the game has no specific release date.  Fall games can generally be expected between September and November of any given year.  A game specifically listed as a Holiday release could be expected to launch in either November or December.  Both of those projections could easily still mean the game’s official release schedule has not changed, and instead has just been clarified, but that’s just speculation on my part.

Gears of War 4 is expected to launch an online beta this spring for any players who picked up Gears of War Ultimate Edition on Xbox One.

Gears of War 4 is coming Fall 2016 exclusively on Xbox One.

Oculus Rift Price Revealed January 8, 2016

The headset poised to bring Virtual Reality into the mainstream now has a price, and it is very steep.  The Oculus Rift, a PC-enabled wireless VR headset, will launch later this year at a price of $599 US.  That puts it at the same price point as a premium launch model PlayStation 3 back in 2006.

The Oculus Rift package will include everything you need to get VR working on your PC including the VR headset, an Xbox One Controller, and various custom cables for the headset.  The package will also include two free games including the highly anticipated launch game EVE Valkrie.

If you would like to order the Oculus Rift, you can place a preorder for it right here. Just be aware that as of this time, you may have to wait until June before your headset arrives.

If you had participated in the product’s Kickstarter and previously received Oculus Rift headsets due to the amount you donated to the company, don’t order one online!  Kickstarter supporters can expect a final retail unit coming to your home at no extra charge.  The Kickstarter version will include everything offered in the retail package.

Just be aware that the Oculus Rift will require support from a pretty powerful gaming PC to function properly. If you’re unsure if your PC will work with the Oculus Rift download the Windows app from the Oculus website.

Shinra Technologies is Being Dissolved January 5, 2016

Over a year ago Square Enix announced they were venturing into online game streaming with their new subsidiary, Shinra Technologies. Named after the evil corporation from Final Fantasy VII, Shinra was poised to create entirely unique game titles which would take full advantage of cloud computing.

While online game streaming was a huge deal back when it was first revealed half a decade ago, it has been difficult for companies to monetize successfully.  Shinra said their software would allow for enormous persistent game worlds capable of maintaining user interactions for extended periods while being accessed by thousands of simultaneous PCs and smart devices.  On paper, it looked pretty impressive to me, but that didn’t seem to be enough to sustain investors.

Today, Square Enix filed that they will be cutting their losses on Shinra, essentially shutting it down.  There was no mention of what would happen to the company’s assets, technology or  software but it is likely they will either get sold to a potential buyer or absorbed by Square Enix. If you’re interested, you can read the official paperwork here.

Final Fantasy IX Coming to PC and SmartPhones December 31, 2015

Square Enix made a huge announcement for New Year’s Eve!  Less than half a month after we published a wish list of Final Fantasy games we would like to see Square Enix release, Square officially announced the formerly PS1 exclusive title Final Fantasy IX is going to be rereleased on PC and selected Android and iOS smartphones!

This is unprecedented news as, unlike the two other numbered Final Fantasy games to release on the PS1, Final Fantasy IX never received a PC release. This will be the first time the game is playable on a non Sony-branded platform.

The game appears to have the game’s original PS1 graphics assets. If you’d like to know a bit more about what this game is, watch the trailer below.

Final Fantasy IX is coming soon to PC, Android and iOS Devices. Square Enix cannot guarantee compatibility with all Android phones, but the game will require Android 4.1.  iOS users will need an iPhone 5s or newer device running at least iOS 7.

So, does this mean we could see Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy IX playable on PS4?