Sunset Overdrive: The Overlooked Exclusive Part 1 – History and Announcement October 7, 2016
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If you’re a long-time PlayStation fan you’ve probably heard of the name Insominac Games. Over the past twenty years they’ve developed some of the finest games avalible for Sony’s game consoles including Spyro The Dragon and Ratchet and Clank. With each game, Insomniac has always been able to deliver solid gameplay sprinkled with a quirky sense of humor.
I first became aware of Insominac Games right around the time of the PlayStation 3’s release. A cover feature in Game Developer Magazine which has sadly not been re-published online as of the time of this article talked about the development of a PS3 launch game called Resistance: Fall of Man. After reading the postmortem, I did some of my own research on the game and by the time I eventually bought a PS3 in summer 2007 I made sure to pick up a copy of Resistance: Fall of Man with it. I wasn’t disappointed because it was without a doubt the best launch game for the fledgling PlayStation 3. In fact, I stand by the statement that until Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune was released, Resistance: Fall of Man was the best game on the PS3, and it would remain the best PS3 multiplayer game for quite some time after that.
Since playing Resistance: Fall of Man, I became a die-hard Insomniac fan and began to pay close attention to their work. I would even regularly listen to the official Insomniac podcast, The Full Moon Show, for news about their upcoming games. Years passed and Insomniac released two more Resistance games which I greatly enjoyed.
In early 2013 Sony announced their next console would be the PlayStation 4, and Microsoft announced their next console would be the Xbox One. Months later, at E3 2013 Microsoft made it clear to consumers they were going to release as many exclusive new games on the Xbox One as they could. Third party publishers and independent developers were lining up to produce exclusive games for Microsoft including Dead Rising 3, Titanfall, Quantum Break, and D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die. However, I think everyone was most surprised when Microsoft revealed this trailer brandishing the Insomniac Games logo.
That’s right, you’re seeing the teaser video for a colorful open-world action game with a sick sense of humor, and it was only coming to the Xbox One. Turns out that was a big problem. When it was first announced, the Xbox One held a $100 price premium over the Sony PS4. Microsoft planned to force anti-consumer policies in the Xbox One’s operating system, although they were keeping hush about the details unless the gaming media directly questioned them about it. Then there was the fact that a new Kinect was going to be included with each Xbox One, fueling every wild conspiracy theory you could imagine, and probably some you couldn’t.
Microsoft would go on to reverse the anti-consumer policies they had planned before the Xbox One launched, enabling players to trade and resell their Xbox One game discs, but consumers didn’t trust Microsoft would not reinstate their policies later on. The Xbox One launched in late 2013 and languished on shelves. Even with all the great exclusives, gamers were overwhelmingly choosing the PS4 for its lower price and improved performance for multiplatform games.
Months passed and the third party publishers who developed Xbox One exclusive games were not happy. The console was not selling as well as the PS4 and gamers were not buying the Xbox One’s exclusive games regardless of their quality. To make up for lost sales, some publishers ported their Xbox One exclusive games to the PC, but they could not bring their games to the PS4, which had a commanding market share. Things were not looking good, Sunset Overdrive was still a year away from release and there was no way to tell if it could compete as an Xbox One exclusive.
Stay tuned for next time as we continue talking about this overlooked gem! Sunset Overdrive is out now exclusively on the Xbox One.
Dungeon Keeper Free On Origin On The House October 6, 2016
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EA’s Origin service routinely gives away PC games for free through their On The House promotion. These games can range from newer titles like Dead Space to classic titles from EA’s back catalog like Wing Commander 3. Today, it looks like EA is offering the original PC classic game Dungeon Keeper for free through this promotion.
You will need the Origin client and an Origin or EA account to get your copy of Dungeon Keeper but all of that can be obtained free of charge. As usual, any games obtained for free while On The House will remain active forever in your Origin account. However, if you want the game, get it now because there’s no telling how long it will be offered for free.
Gears of War 4: Live Event October 6, 2016
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We are less than a week away from the launch of Gears of War 4 and last night, Microsoft hosted a three hour live stream to celebrate the game’s upcoming launch. For those of you who missed the live broadcast last night, here is the complete video of last night’s Gears of War 4: Live Event.
Gears of War 4 is coming October 11th, 2016 to Xbox One and Windows 10.
Kingsglaive Final Fantasy XV Blu-Ray Steelbook Unboxing October 4, 2016
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The CG animated feature KINGSGLAIVE: Final Fantasy XV was announced several months ago alongside a slew of new Final Fantasy XV content including the prequel Platinum Demo, the traditionally animated episodic series BROTHERHOOD: Final Fantasy XV, the smartphone game Justice Monsters Five, and more.
While the film had a successful theatrical release back in August, it was so brief and so limited it was nearly impossible for me to go see it while it was being shown.
A Blu-Ray Disc featuring the film is being included with both Final Fantasy XV Retail Collector’s Editions, so I wasn’t interested in getting the normal BD release. However, this steelbook edition of the film includes a special bonus disc featuring an extended cut of the traditionally animated prequel series BROTHERHOOD: Final Fantasy XV, making it a must buy.
Thankfully I knew the film would be getting a standalone release on Blu-Ray Disc, so I decided to wait for that. Today, that wait ended. So take a look with me and see just what’s inside the steel box.
Final Fantasy XV is coming out November 29th, 2016 to Xbox One and PS4.
Mythical Pokemon Hoopa Gift Code October 3, 2016
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The mythical Pokémon Hoopa cannot be obtained through normal means in any Generation 6 Pokémon game, but it was given away in the US last year at participating McDonald’s for a brief time. However that promotion ended a while ago and since then the only way to get a Hoopa was by trading it with someone who already had it.
Good news, The Pokémon Company is giving Hoopa away for anyone who missed the McDonald’s promotion. Just connect your 3DS system to a WiFi hotspot, boot your game and input the code below from the “use a code” option in the game’s gift menu:
2016HOOPA
If you want Hoopa then you should get this code as soon as possible. The download code will work until October 9th.
Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire are out now on the 3DS platform.
Pokemon Generations Episode 4 Released October 1, 2016
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For many people, the first shiny Pokémon they ever captured was the red Gyrados in Pokémon Gold/Silver/Crystal. Now, get ready to take a look at a classic moment from gaming history in a way you have never seen before.
New episodes of Pokémon Generations will be coming every Friday until December.
Dragon Quest Builders Demo Released September 27, 2016
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The Dragon Quest franchise has been a staple of Japan’s RPG genre since the days of the Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom). Publisher Square Enix is planning to release the next Dragon Quest game in the West next month, so they released the official demo for Dragon Quest Builders today.
If you’re on the fence about picking up this game and have a PlayStation 4 or Vita make sure to give it a download and see how you like it.
Dragon Quest Builders is coming October 11th, 2016 to PS4 and PS Vita.
Pokemon Trading Card Game Online Updated with Free Goodies September 27, 2016
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If you’re a Pokémon Trainer who who collects Pokémon Cards, I have some news for you. The Pokémon Trading Card Game Online app has recently been updated on the iPad, and it’s highly likely the update will be coming for the PC, Mac and Android version soon.
Anyone who downloads the new app will get a free goodie chest after they log into their TCG Online or Pokemon.com account. The goodie is random and could be anything from play coins to a random TCG card.
Pokémon Trading Card Game Online is free to download on the PC, Mac, Android and iPad.
Gears of War 4: Live Event Coming October 5th September 26, 2016
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Last year, Microsoft hosted a major worldwide streaming event to celebrate the launch of Halo 5: Guardians on the Xbox One. Now it looks like they’re doing it again for the release of Gears of War 4 and I could not be happier.
Gears of War 4: Live begins 6PM ET October 5th, 2016. We will keep you posted on where to watch the event when it begins.
Gears of War 4 is coming October 11th, 2016 to Xbox One and Windows 10.
Nintendo Hosting StreetPass Weekend September 30-October 1st September 24, 2016
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Got a 3DS system but running short on new StreetPass data? We’ve got you covered. Nintendo has announced that they’re going to be hosting a special StreetPass Weekend at Nintendo Zone locations all over the US from September 30th to October 1st.
Traditionally, Nintendo handheld owners who visit these hotspots will get the StreetPass Mii data from the six previous users of that hotspot. However, during a StreetPass Weekend, that concept is turned on its head because during that time Nintendo will send users StreetPass data from six random players from anywhere in the world. If you want a diverse set of StreetPass Miis to fill up your plaza you should totally look into participating.
Nintendo Zone locations are free WiFi access points avalible to Nintendo 2DS and 3DS owners. They can usually be found in businesses like Barnes and Noble, Best Buy, McDonald’s, Burger King, and of course Nintendo NYC. To find a participating location check here.
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