New Poll shows Next Gen Video Game Console buying decision hindered on multiple factors

According to results on a poll done by DealNews.com, the main factors for gamers next generation buying decision came in form of brand loyalty, price, and to a lesser extent specs. According to the results in the poll of just under 1,747 of the sites readers the following numbers have been observed:

PlayStation 3 Owners:

• 51% bought the PlayStation 4 (loyal gamers)
• 8% bought the Xbox One (swing gamers)

Xbox 360 Owners:

• 42% bought the Xbox One (loyal gamers)
• 14% bought the PlayStation 4 (swing gamers)

Dual-Platform Owners:

• 35% bought the PlayStation 4
• 23% bought the Xbox One

Also according to the results brand loyalty remained the top reason for staying on their current system. 32% of Xbox 360 owners reported this and 30% of PS3 owners reported brand loyalty as a reason for their purchase. Also of note in this poll is the fact that two times the number of Xbox 360 users cited console price for not buying the next generation version rather that of PS3 owners who did not purchase a PS4 for the same reason.

According to the poll conducted, 14% of Xbox 360 owners bought the PS4 over the Xbox One, conversely only 8% of PS3 owners opted to buy an Xbox One. These numbers are represented above in the swing gamers characteristic in the percentages above.

What about those who have owned or do own both consoles? 35% of these console owners picked PS4 over Xbox One, and 23% of these owners purchased an Xbox One over PS4. The main reason cited it specifications of the consoles.

Just 2% of PS3 users bought both the PS4 and Xbox One, and 1% of Xbox 360 users both PS4 and Xbox One.

Other close margins had to do with the amount of users who did not buy either next generation consoles. 42% of Xbox 360 users did not buy either PS4/Xbox One compared to 39% of PS3 owners who did not buy either console.

I stress that this is just a poll of roughly 1,750 particapants and not close to the actual number of video game owners whether next gen or current gen, but I find these numbers interesting because they actually reflect what I think most PS4/Xbox One buyers thought about when they made their decisions. Surely in some cases, money wasn’t an issue so buying both wasn’t a problem and I think that’s great that these people are well off, but not everyone had that choice, and that is what makes the buying decision so difficult for many.

MLB ’14 the Show Fact Sheet

Sony has released the fact sheet for MLB ’14: the Show today. The list is below, and I have bold and changed the color of the ones I like the most. The list can be seen here.

In the coming weeks, we will start releasing developer blogs that thoroughly explain the ins and outs of our major new features and improvements this year. We can’t wait to share more details about MLB 14 The Show’s feature set. Until then scroll down for a comprehensive summary of everything planned for this year’s game.

KEY FEATURES

• Next Generation Baseball Has Arrived – MLB 14 The Show makes its next-gen debut on the PS4 system, utilizing the system’s vast resources to deliver exceptionally detailed and fluid gameplay. With improvements to presentation, a wealth of added animations, and a dramatic increase in environment and player detail, we are setting out to create the best-looking and best-playing baseball sim ever created.
• The Evolution of Road to The Show continues (All platforms) – First among the major improvements is a completely revamped advancement system, complete with improved logic and the removal of advancement goals. Also being introduced is a new beginning to a player’s RTTS career with the Topps Amateur Showcase, a series of games against other draft prospects. Additionally, the training system, logic, screens and modes have all been revamped to provide users with a more engaging experience.

  – Other changes include a new player-creation process, the reintroduction of the “broadcast” presentation perspective as an option, and a re-envisioned Catcher Mode, to name a few (PS3 & PS4 Only).

• Year-to-Year Saves (All platforms) – For the first time in franchise history, saves can be carried over from MLB 14 to future releases of The Show, meaning that gamers won’t have to worry about starting their Franchise or Road to the Show seasons over in years to come.
• Player Lock (All platforms) – The new Player Lock feature (a.k.a RTTS anywhere) gives users the ability to lock-on to any single player and enter games using the Road to the Show gameplay mechanic, allowing for faster games and more focused on-field action.
• Quick Counts (All platforms) – Users will now be able to play a full nine-inning game in less than 30 minutes, half the time it takes in previous iterations of The Show. Despite the shortened game durations, realistic stats will not be compromised.
• Community Challenges (PS3 & PS4) – Players will be able to freely toy and tinker with game situations and scenarios on the fly, whether that’s the inning, score, who’s on base, or where the ball is hit. These custom situations can be bundled with a creative set of goals and put forth as a challenge to the community, whether it’s to relive the past, change history, or dream of new possibilities.
• Universal Profile (PS3 & PS4) – A new tendency-tracking system monitors and records gamers’ unique playing styles. Those patterns are stored in the Universal Profile, which can be viewed by anyone looking to get a quick scouting report on the player. The Universal Profile can also be subbed in in place of a CPU opponent in Diamond Dynasty and Online Franchise, making for more realistic head-to-head matchups when schedules prevent synchronous play.
• Online Franchise (PS3 & PS4) – Finally, Franchise mode can be shared with friends online, with most of the features from the offline version making the transition, including Scouting, the Amateur Draft, Free Agency and CPU Trades. The mode will remain highly customizable as scheduling, divisions, postseason spots and more are all commissioner options.
• Stubs (All platforms) – Playing games in MLB 14 The Show rewards players with Stubs. Stubs can be used to purchase additional in-game content – like Road to the Show training points – or used in our new mode, Community Challenges. Stubs can be earned in any mode, and they are not required to progress through a mode. You can still purchase additional in-game content through the PlayStation Store.
• Diamond Dynasty Extra Innings (PS3 & PS4) – In this mode, a player’s team is always looking for opportunities to challenge other users in an offline setting, which allows the user to earn bonus rewards the next time they log in. When online, the player has the opportunity to challenge other user-created teams in an offline game where the CPU controls their team. Players can only benefit positively in this mode even if their team does not perform up to their normal standards.
• Dynamic Difficulty (All platforms) – Baseball is a sport the dedicated love to master, but also one that can intimidate newcomers. In this year’s version of The Show, players who don’t feel like veterans yet can opt to start on a lower difficulty level and jump right in. An advanced logic system will then grade the user’s skill and adjust the challenge level up or down based on their overall performance. Batting and pitching are evaluated separately, so it’s possible for one to increase in difficulty while the other doesn’t, or even reduces. On-screen notifications will advise when the difficulty setting has been adjusted.
• Franchise Improvements (PS3 & PS4 Only) – Efforts continue to improve the accessibility of Franchise mode. A new notification system, which keeps the user more connected to their organization and the league, serves as an “Assistant GM” and will make sure critical information is more immediately provided and more readily accessible. Also refined is the logic that helps the multi-season cycle of Franchise mode and all of the stats and developments therein resemble real life as closely as possible. Other additions include a player search and the ability to hire and fire coaches during the regular season.
• True Broadcast Presentations (PS3 & PS4 Only) – The Show’s presentation crew has taken on a tall task for MLB 14: streamlining the game while enhancing the reality and increasing the variety of the experience. Pace of play is a focal point for the team as we strive to immerse the user in an even more engaging simulation. Heavy emphasis has also been placed on the stadium environment to feature the upgraded crowd actors, jumbotrons, LED boards, dugouts, specific stadium audio and a more engaged, responsive and unique crowd.

  -On the commentary side, the three-man booth of Matt Vasgersian, Eric Karros and Steve Lyons return for their second season together. This year’s title will emphasize the three announcers in a more interactive, conversational style, yet will also continue to mine the world of baseball to find intelligent, timely and compelling commentary concerning today’s teams and players. The overall goal is for the game to get deeper, and for the announcers to better adapt to changing game conditions — including rising the enthusiasm level when the situation dictates.

MLB 14 The Show includes over 40 more enhancements, new features, and improvements!

• New dynamic gameplay cameras for batting and fielding
• New dynamic catch position indicator for fielding
• New baserunning paradigm (New animation core and logic)
• Completely re-done catcher animations suite (over 150 all-new catcher animations)
• More than 90 new batting stances
• More than 160 batting stance re-captures for players who changed their stances
• More than 50 new fielding animations
• More than 30 new pitching motions
• 20 new signature HR swings
• Intro Fly-Ins (PS4 Only)
• New bat boy and ball boy presentations (PS4 Only)
• All-new high-resolution crowd reactions, ambient noise, cheers, etc…. (PS4 Only)
• Japan League-style and slap-hitter swing types (PS4 Only)
• Over 350 new fielding and batting animations (PS4 Only)
• Team specific, player specific, team generic crowd signs (PS4 Only)
• New RTTS Player Creation options, including the ability to model your skills, appearance, and signature animations after a real MLB player
• New and improved training modes, along with the addition of a new bronze/gold medal system.
• Easier trade requests (RTTS)
• Easier position changes (RTTS)
• Dynamic Potential for RTTS Player
• New injury presentations
• New Player Search feature
• Ability to hire/fire coaches in mid-season
• Notification system that keeps you connected to your team and league.
• New player contract logic that mimics real life
• New overall and potential formula
• Editable potential
• Refined player generation, with more position-specific attribute ranges (Online Franchise)
• New contract decision logic, which factors in contract renewable and arbitration status more heavily (Online Franchise)
• New lineup logic that takes into account secondary positions (Online Franchise)
• Refined trade logic (Online Franchise)
• Retired players stored for every season (Online Franchise)
• More player stats stored for every season (Online Franchise)
• New user management functionality at TheShowNation.com (Online Franchise)
• Make, accept, and vote on trades through TheShowNation.com (Online Franchise)
• Resolve and simulate games on TheShowNation.com (Online Franchise)
• League members can now manage games on TheShowNation.com (Online Franchise)
• New pitcher/batter status screen
• New pitcher/batter breakdown pop-up graphics
• Cycling help text
• Left-handed infielders
• CPU plate discipline logic has been re-written
• Pitcher can now bring up pitch history using L3 (same effect as R2 for the batter)
• New pickoff cameras
• New assortment of organ recordings
• Completely re-worked Plate Coverage Indicator (PCI)

<

p>That is the list of improvements SCEA has made to MLB ’14 the Show, and expect to hear more in the coming weeks as the game nears the PS3 and PS Vita release on April 1st and the PS4 release sometime in May. 

WWE 2k15 is coming to PS4 and Xbox One

The Rock WWE 2k14

During an earnings call yesterday Take Two announced that WWE 2k15 will be on PS4 and Xbox One which will be the first time in the franchise’s history that a game will come to the next generation consoles. While the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions were not mentioned, it is probably safe to assume that the games will be available on those platforms as well. NBA 2k15 was also confirmed for PS4 and Xbox One, but I don’t think that anyone will be surprised by that considering the fact that NBA 2k14 is out on PS4 and Xbox One already so that was probably to be expected.

Stay tuned during the summer months (most likely anyway) as more info is released on these games.

NBA 2k14 Review (Next Gen: Reviewed on PS4)

It’s finally time for me to dig in to reviewing PS4 games, not so much because of any sort of embargo or any of the likes. But mainly because I’ve been trying to get a good feel for these games. And NBA 2k14 has had me cultivated to say the least.

Preface

The part about NBA that really caught my eye was that it plays great and the visuals are amazingly detailed, far more than on current gen consoles, which was to be expected right? At least the visuals were expected, but the game play, I had some reservations about that.

Let me be honest, the last NBA game I played before 2k14 was NBA 2k11, and while that game was good, it wasn’t great in my eyes. And I feel like 3 years later that NBA 2k is mainly the same but looks prettier and the defense appears better than in the past which is good because the old games for me used to be scoring fests, and it still is, but to a much lesser extent.

Gameplay

In terms of gameplay, I like it, the game feels very fluid whether you are walking the ball up the court, or driving to the hoop for a hoop the players look and feel very good. The defense from 2k11 to 2k14 appears much improved, mainly in terms of contesting shots and grabbing rebounds on the defensive glass. Perhaps defensive rebounds are a little too easy for the CPU to snatch.

I think the most fun of all of the gameplay is trying to match up man to man against your opponent, this is even more the case in MyCareer mode where you guard your assignment it is up to the CPU team mates to do their job otherwise whatever work you’ve done to stifle your opposing point guard in my case is completely worthless, and against great teams that is typically the case.

The coaching parts of the game are a bit annoying since none of the settings previously saved seem to stay, so every time you play you have to turn timeouts, substitutions, and points of emphasis from auto to manual if you like making your own choices, and personally it adds to the depth of the experience trying to do things all on your own. That’s not to say auto is a bad way to play, but for someone like me it is not ideal if you’re somewhat of a control freak. And coming from someone who is addicted to the NHL hockey series from EA, I usually set those type of things up so I am used to making those decisions and that translates into this basketball series, even if my knowledge of basketball is not nearly to the level of what it is for hockey, baseball or football I still want to make these decisions, even if it sinks my team like it usually does.

MyCareer

I loved the career mode in NBA 2k11, the post game interviews were really the best thing about the mode back then because you could be a complete jerk and really have no drawbacks from anyone. Sure your team mates would never get you the ball but surely that was just because they were afraid to be exposed for the frauds that they were.

But in the MyCareer mode in NBA 2k14, things have changed, and not for the better. First off back in NBA 2k11 you were speaking to the media right out of the gate, but now, the only time I speak to the media is if I do something terribly wrong like have a bad night on the court. There is literally nothing to do most games in between outside of meeting with the coach and GM every now and then except for when the vets try to haze you. And you better believe I wasn’t going to be hazed by Elton Brand, and it showed on the practice court one time where my player had a bit of a dust up with Brand on the practice court. Trust me, he didn’t scare me, I was ready to put him on the ground. But outside of these rare occurrences and a chance at a “film study” which is merely a cut scene with no film to go over which is a disappointment since that could have been a nice touch to have pointers from these supposed mentors like Al Horford was mine.

Plus there seems to a period where you have to wait to be traded, I’ve yet to have the option to demand a trade from my current team, which is a shame because they blow so badly. I mean sure real superstars lift cruddy teams, but the idiot coach that I deal with only plays me 8 minutes a game, he’d be lucky to get blown out by 20 points a game with the way he misuses the talent that he has on the team.

But in all seriousness, this mode really does restrict what you can and can not do, I don’t even think there is a practice mode to work on timing your shots, free throws or whatever you want to work on, so the days of practicing and earning points towards your ratings have gone by. Now in order to improve you need to use virtual coins, and that is not the only thing that virtual coins are used for in the mode, but it is the most annoying. Instead of being rewarded for working on your game in a practice mode, you literally have to wing it and hope to get your timing down in a game which is never an easy time to learn your player in any game. In fact the only practice you really get is a 5 on 5 practice with team mates once in a blue moon. Therefore the only time you get to get used to your player is in game, or in these 5 on 5 scrimmages, which in all actuality, is a big problem that I bet 2k never considered.

Another thing with the mode that is an oversight in my mind is that when that rare case comes where you actually have a chance to interact with a team mate you are forced to read from subtitles on the screen. Why? Because there is literally no voice acting outside of when you are going up against your rival in the rookie showcase and later in your career and I believe the LeBron James cut scene was also done with voice acting, but if you want a mentor on your actual team, or someone who is acted out in a way where you can feel the interaction and you’ll be let down in that regard.

MyGM Mode

Kind of like MyCareer mode, the MyGM mode is limited on things you can do, and that is mostly because a lot of the things you would do is being held back by virtual currency, that’s right in game fake money. How absurd is this problem? Well lets put it this way, remember the days were you could do your own player rotations? Yes? Good, because now such a simple task will set you back a cool 500 VC.

That’s right, the things that should be available from the start are sometimes tied to VC, like the rotations, the hiring/firing of scouts, the CFO, the assistant GM, and various coaches are now tied to virtual coins.  It may sound absurd, and in reality it is. In fact for review purposes I ended up spending the $10 PSN wallet voucher I got with my PS4 pre-order and I ended up buying 35,000 virtual coins or whatever you want to call it, just so I didn’t have to play games to earn VC, I did that because that was A) too time consuming for the review process which is now 3 or 4 weeks in the making as it is, and B) it didn’t sit well for people who typically like to simulate their way through their career mode and just play various rivalry/playoff games with their favorite teams.

The mode isn’t all bad though even if I did start out bashing it. The experience is definitely different and a step in the right direction for GM type modes. But it isn’t perfect by any means, not only is Virtual Coins an issue, but the depth of the dialogue boxes are disappointing, You literally see the same replied throughout the season when dealing with your scout, trainer, and head coach. There is little variation in that respect, though I do like the boxes for the free agents, but then again, the replies are limited, and grow tiresome.

The good news is that actual GM work like trades, and free agent signings are not hindered by VC nor is setting up your coach options for game plans, for some reason they targeted rotations but I do not recall them hitting an other coaching method outside of encouragement traits but as the GM that doesn’t matter all that much. If you want to full experience expect to pay a lot of VC throughout your experience with MyGM, I spent roughly 30,000 VC of the 35,000 I got from my voucher on MyGM and it still only filled up half of the badges as it was within the mode. The ones that I didn’t fill were tied to staff contract reductions and little things like that which have little to no effect on how the team is run.

Online

I played one quick 2min quarter game with a friend and it went okay, there was no lag at all on my end, and he didn’t report any issues. However this experience is not typical if reports are to be believed from players on other sites such as Operation Sports and PastaPadre. I feel bad for those players, I think if online is as smooth as what me and my friend had that one night then the game would be a really big success all around, but it seems like their is some problems with online and unless it’s fixed gamers won’t be able to fully enjoy the experience.

Conclusion

NBA 2k14 is a great game on the court in my opinion. Coming from 2k11, the game feels a lot better and the defense appears to be tougher to play against, in particular inside passes to the hoop are hard to make, which is good because that would be exploited big time if that was an easy dish every time up court. The only minor complaint to me would probably be the CPU rebounding being a little too overpowering.

The MyCareer and MyGM modes are decent, not great.

In the case of MyCareer it feels like the mode suffers from a lack of a practice mode, and ways to develop your player outside of using virtual coins. The lack of things to do in between games is a little sickening for a mode that has so much potential to be amazing, you can’t even use the social media function yourself, the only good that does is looking for comments about you, and some challenges from upcoming opponents. But you yourself cannot interact in anyway making the social media screen and function underused and a missed opportunity.

Maybe once I advance more into MyCareer it will be better, but for now I will call it a missed opportunity for 2k to make a big impact on the mode. In fact in several ways it feels like a bit of a step back at this point.

On the other hand MyGM is actually a really good mode, which might surprise some people with as much as I ragged on it. But the over importance of virtual coins in the mode really stops it from being a huge success in the short term,  also hurting the mode is the lack of variation in the dialogue boxes between you, and your coaches and players take away from an asset that can be critical to the modes success in the long term. I mean I don’t mind earning the skills needed to be a successful GM but at least give me the basics like player rotations right from the start.

Despite that though, MyGM has the makings to be a success in the long term if they do some of my suggestions. But what the mode misses with that it more than makes up for with a good simulation engine, an impressive draft presentation (though I wish we could skip after the first go round since it doesn’t change at all outside of the names being called), and outstanding scouting reports that include a strengths and weaknesses section which I loved from the old NBA Live games. There are also plenty of stats, and rumors to sort through if that is your thing as well.

The game overall is a very good experience and should be in any next generation line-up, not only does it look great but it also plays great. The modes are either hit or miss, it will depend on the player and how much he/she is willing to put up with. But as a whole the game is definitely a buy in my book mainly on gameplay alone, which is saying a lot since I am usually a GM Mode type of player in these sports games.

Scores

My Next Gen Choice Was Easy

Here we are, the day of the launch of the PS4, and I have not even written about which console I got yet, but the picture above and the PS4 controller hands on impressions piece are a dead give-away.  So as I wait for the PS4 to come in, I wanted to write this piece and sort of explain why I choose this system over Xbox One, and what the plans on for the future.

Why PS4?

Well as you might already know, my current console is the PS3, and I enjoy playing on it. So when it came time to choose a Next Generation console I already had a solid reason to pick PS4 over whatever Microsoft had to offer. So when the time came to pre-order a console I had that in the bag but also at that point Microsoft was also saying how an online connection would be required to play on the Xbox One and that is one thing I didn’t want to do, partially because I didn’t fully have a grasp on what it meant. By online connection, did they mean be logged in to Xbox Live all the time? Or did they mean have a signal via wi-fi? That part kind of confused me in a sense, as smart as I like to think I am, there was a question about that. And since I play a lot of PSN and Xbox Live when I had the 360, I did not want to be committed to having to sign onto Xbox Live.

There were also other elements that factored into my purchasing decision. One being that I once had an original Xbox 360 and I ran into so many problems with it, it was more of a hassle to own the console than it was to keep it. I ended up trading it in since I wasn’t using it anymore after purchasing a PS3. Another one of the main reasons that I purchased a PS4, was I liked what I saw out of Sony’s E3 Press Conference, no restrictions that the Xbox One had at the time, and the price was what I was hoping for. Once the PS4 was said to cost $100 less than Xbox One I was sold. I mean sure that may sound like the cheap way out, but it wasn’t the biggest factor, but it certainly was the deciding factor.

The Games

At the time of the pre-order I had originally pre-ordered Battlefield 4 and Watch_Dogs. And obviously, that isn’t the line up I ended up with as Watch_Dogs was delayed until sometime in 2014. So that made me have to scramble to make more choices on launch day games.

What I ended up doing was buying Battlefield 4, and NBA 2k14 along with an extra controller. I also had Madden 25 pre-ordered but I canceled it once I realized that it was pretty much the same game I have on PS3. That isn’t to say Madden 25 is a bad game, I just don’t need or want two of them in my games shelf, I mean heck it’s full as it is.

There are actually two games on the PSN store I am considering trying out, one is Resogun and the other is one I wasn’t even looking at but it is called Blacklight: Retribution. These games are both free for PS+ members and both should be fine additions to any game library, especially if you didn’t pre-order many games.

The Apps

PS4 also comes with apps, the ones I will be looking at right off the bat will be Netflix, and NHL Gamecenter Live. Mainly NHL Gamecenter Live to see how stable it is, since the PS3 GCL app is good but suffers from buffering issues, otherwise it is a fantastic replacement for NHL Center Ice if you ever decided cable just wasn’t worth it.

The Future

While launch day games are sort of weak for PS4, there is a reason I kept the pre-order and it is future games. Games such as Watch_Dogs, Tom Clancy’s The Division, and MLB ’14 the Show will be great purchases in the future. Plus Madden ’15 or 26 however they choose to name it will probably be a solid addition to the PS4 and Xbox One’s line up in the summer time. Add on NHL ’15 and NBA 2k15 next fall and that could lead to some seriously good games on my radar.

However games that might not be on the radar now but could end up there such as Metal Gear Solid V and Infamous: Second Son.

Also in the future I can see myself investing in an Playstation Vita to check out the remote play and second screen functions offered on the PS4 link option on the Vita.

And probably once the Xbox One gets a price cut I’ll look into purchasing that as well to play some Xbox One exclusives such as Halo, and Forza 5.

Future Game Coverage Plans

The plan for coverage is still being finalized, you’ll definitely get reviews but when is still in the air and what games come first is still up for consideration since I have requests out for other games but no definitive answers at this point.

Long term I hope to get a feel for how the Vita and PS Camera work with the console and make use of its features. And eventually I would like to add an Xbox One to the mix so I can get more varied coverage for the site especially when it comes to Xbox One exclusives such as Forza Motorsport 5, Halo and Dead Rising 3.

I will also be looking at a couple apps to see if there are any performance issues/improvements and report my findings there. I will be mainly looking at  NHL Gamecenter Live, and Netflix since I am familiar with both on PS3.

Conclusion

Just because I picked up a PS4 over the Xbox One doesn’t mean I hate the Xbox One. Truth is that I’ve never played it, nor have I played the PS4 at the time of this writing. But considering the fact that I had issues with my old Xbox I was concerned with the quality of the launch Xbox One’s and I think I have a good reason to be considering how the Xbox 360 fared in the beginning stages.

While I say that I also want to make it known that I am aware of the PS4 launch issues, but Sony says it appears to be affecting just 0.4% of launch consoles, I feel terrible for the ones that have the issue, and I pray that these isolated incidents remain that way so other PS4 owners can enjoy their consoles on launch day and beyond. But these issues have me considering purchasing an extended warranty so that I can have some sort of protection should my PS4 bottom out past the original 12 month warranty that comes with the PS4 which is a purchase that I wasn’t planning on since I’ve been blessed with all of my Playstation’s lasting a long time to this point, so I hope that once I purchase this extended warranty, that I don’t need it. Surely that might sound like I wasted money, but I would have peace of mind knowing that I’d be covered.

In terms of the future? Outside of what’s listed above about the PS Camera, PS Vita, and a likely future purchase of Xbox One, I am pretty much thinking that the games will be a main focus from this point forward, and really if you think about it, that is how it should be.

 

 

GTA Online Free Beach Bum Update Hits Next Week: New Weapons, Vehicles, Jobs and More

Get ready to hit the beach with all new Jobs with the Beach Bum update for Grand Theft Auto Online, coming November 19th.

Get ready to tear up the coast and kick up some sand with the free Grand Theft Auto Online Beach Bum update that will be coming next week Tuesday November 19th. All the new Beach Bum content will be added automatically to GTA Online through our next title update (1.06), and will include two new weapons, a quartet of rugged and fun new vehicles for land and sea, lots of new action-packed Jobs, plus a wide variety of suitably rad new apparel, hairstyle and tattoo customization options. Read on for more details.

New Jobs

The Beach Bum update will bring a slew of new action-packed Jobs to GTA Online next week. These include new beach-themed Races, Deathmatches, Parachutes, Last Team Standings, Survivals as well as Gang Attacks for those who enjoy a good territorial skirmish.

 Better not kick sand in the wrong face. Beach blankets may run red by the time the sun sets on Vespucci.

Here are just a few of our favorite new ones that are on the way:

• “Grass Route II” (Race): In this sequel to the original popular Grass Route Race, go off-road in an epic heat starting on the North bank of the Zancudo River through the treacherous wetlands with a triumphant finish on the beach in North Chumash.
• “Survival on Del Perro Pier” (Survival): Skip the ferris wheel for a deadlier kind of thrill ride as you take on waves of relentless enemies at this beachfront attraction.
• “View of Vespucci” (Parachuting): This leap sends you from 2,980 feet, down towards Vespucci Beach, weaving through palm trees to land on the basketball courts of the rec center. If you’ve got skills, it’s possible to freefall through the first few checkpoints before even opening your chute.
• “Paleto Beach” (Team Deathmatch): The locals complain that not a lot happens in this sleepy town, so do them a favor and wake ’em up with a barrage of gunfire exchanged between you and a rival team. This Team Deathmatch takes place right on the romantic shoreline for 4-8 players.
• “Sundae Driving” (Bike Race): Sure to be a new fan-favorite motorbike race, menace Vespucci Beach on your two-wheel rocket, taking breakneck corners as you try and best the competition.

Expect these and lots more Jobs to be added to Grand Theft Auto Online next week.

New Vehicles
Hit the shore with four sand-and-surf-ready vehicles perfect to take on the all new Beach Bum Races and Vehicle Deathmatches: the BF Bifta dune buggy, the rugged Canis Kalahari off-road truck, the Bravado Paradise beach camper van and making a special return to the GTA series, the fast and stylish Speeder speedboat. All four vehicles will be available at no in-game cost, with the land-based vehicles accessible from the southernsanandreassuperautos.com website and the Speeder available via docktease.com on your in-game phone (call Pegasus for delivery). These vehicles are also available in Story Mode for Michael, Trevor and Franklin to enjoy – to access them, visit your garage property and the Marina property for the vehicles and the boat respectively.

Take to the seas and waterways in the classic, nimble Speeder.

New Weapons

Expand your arsenal with two new free weapons – the compact yet deadly SNS Pistol and the brutal newBroken Bottle melee weapon which is quite effective at delivering the appropriate message in up close and personal encounters. Each weapon will be available gratis from any Ammu-Nation location in GTA Online and will be added straight into each of the three characters’ inventory in Story Mode.

Beach bums with attitude. Hit the coast with all new customization options to style up your GTA Online character.

New Customization Options

You’ll be able to deck out your GTA Online character with all new beach-ready customization options including stylish board shorts, neon surfer attire, wild tribal tattoos, shaggy hair for that West Coastlaissez-faire vibe and more…

This is just the first of many new content updates we’re working on for Grand Theft Auto Online in the weeks and months ahead. Please stay tuned here at the Newswire for word on the forthcoming Content Creator, full on cooperative Heists, and GTA Online’s take on Capture the Flag – plus info on some exciting new Story Mode updates as well. We’ll have new info to share on all of this very soon.

Assassins Creed IV Black Flag out for PS4

SAN FRANCISCO — November 12, 2013 — Today, Ubisoft® announced that Assassin’s Creed® IV Black Flag™, the latest installment of the award-winning franchise set in the gritty and exotic Golden Age of Pirates, leaps into the next-generation of video games and is now available on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system in North America – rated M for Mature.

Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag is the first Assassin’s Creed game leveraging the power of next generation consoles, making this the most beautiful chapter of the franchise to date. On PlayStation 4, gamers will be able to use Remote Play to stream Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag to their PlayStation® Vita handheld entertainment system via WiFi, freeing up the television for other uses.

For a limited time, when gamer buy the disc or digital version of Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag for PlayStation 3 they can download a PlayStation 4 digital copy from the PlayStation Store for a discounted price.

Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag will release on Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and on Windows PC on November 19. Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag is now available on PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft and the Wii U™ system from Nintendo.

Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag tells the story of Edward Kenway, who falls from privateering for the Royal Navy into piracy as the war between the major empires comes to an end. Edward is a fierce pirate and a seasoned fighter who soon finds himself embroiled in the ancient war between Assassins and Templars. Set at the dawn of the 18th century, the game features some of the most infamous pirates in history, such as Blackbeard and Charles Vane, and takes players on a journey throughout the West Indies during a turbulent and violent period of time that becomes known as the Golden Age of Pirates.

Ubisoft has also announced the Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag Season Pass for $19.99, which includes Freedom Cry – a new, more than four hour, self-contained story featuring Edward Kenway’s first mate Adewale, the exclusive Kraken Ship Pack, additional single-player missions, weapons, skins and collectibles, as well as new characters for an expansive multiplayer experience.

Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag Season Pass grants a 20 percent savings off the regular price of each individual downloadable pack included. The Season Pass will be available for PlayStation®4 system, PlayStation®3 system, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Windows PC.

For more information on Assassin’s Creed, please visit assassinscreed.com and facebook.com/assassinscreed.

And for the latest on all of Ubisoft’s games, visit the UbiBlog: http://www.ubiblog.com.

**Ubisoft has recently launched its new press site, http://www.ubisoft-press.com, which contains product info, release dates, fact sheets, screen shots, videos, developer team backgrounders and more. Moving forward, please use this as your primary resource for obtaining assets as we will be discontinuing FTP links in the future. Visit http://www.ubisoft-press.com to “register now” and input all of your information and please note it will take up to 48 hours to process.

For more information on Assassin’s Creed, please visit: assassinscreed.com and facebook.com/assassinscreed.

About Assassin’s Creed
Initially launched in 2007, the first five Assassin’s Creed games have sold more than 57 million units worldwide, and the franchise is now established as one of the best-selling series ever. Recognized for having some of the richest, most engrossing storytelling in the industry, Assassin’s Creed transcends video games, branching out into other entertainment experiences including comic books, mobile games, novels, as well as a feature-length movie currently in development.

About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified lineup of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 29 countries and has sales in more than 55 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. For the 2012–13 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of 1.256 billion euros. To learn more, please visit: http://www.ubisoftgroup.com.

© 2013 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Assassin’s Creed, Black Flag, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Nintendo trademarks and copyrights are properties of Nintendo.

PS4 Controller Quick Impressions

The order for my extra PS4 controller actually came in yesterday, and it was a surprise because I had not seen anything to indicate it was on the way so imagine my surprise when it showed up. I was super excited to try it and test it out on a PS3 game to get a feel for it so I threw in NHL 14 to see if it worked, and it was pretty well functional, the joysticks did seem more responsive, even on the PS3.

The only buttons that did not work were the touchpad in the middle of the controller and the PS button which seems like of odd, but I am assuming that is because the PS4 home interface differs from the one PS3 has.

In terms of feel, I love the design, the feel of the controller as you are holding it, it has a smooth bottom making it comfortable to hold. The weight seemed about the same which is surprising considering the controller is a little bigger width-wise.

I love the new L2/R2 buttons, they are easier to reach and they have a little indentation which separates itself in terms of feel from the L1/R1 buttons which are both a little more round but flat like in the PS3 controller. The L2/R2 buttons reminded me why I loved the Xbox 360 controller which is because they’re easier to reach and easier to tell them apart from the bumper buttons. Sony did an amazing job with the controllers feel.

The only minus for the controls is that the Share and Options buttons are harder to find without looking because of the new touchpad, but with a little practice it will feel natural. And it will be worth it with the ability to share videos straight from your consoles and using the touchpad where available in game.

That’s about it so far, I can’t call this a review of the controller since I don’t have a game or the PS4 for that matter yet, so I don’t have a game that takes advantage of the share button or touchpad, but with my experience using the controller with NHL 14 on PS3 it feels like a nice upgrade over the Dualshark 3. But time will tell on how durable it really is because while the bottom feels good, I am worried it may be a little cheaply made which in turn could lead to dis-configuration of the padding down the line.

Notes:

The PS4 controller does not work with all games, there is a list on Reddit that has a list of games the controller works with, the only big game it doesn’t work on that I saw was disappointingly Grand Theft Auto V. The list of games it does work with includes but is not limited to is Battlefield 3 and 4, NHL 14, Assassins Creed 3 and 4, and also Grand Theft Auto IV.

The control also does not come with a USB cable you will need to buy a Micro B USB cable, which fortunately for me, my cell phone has one. If none of your USB cables work, try using your cell phone charger, it might actually work like mine did saving me a little money and frustration.

Sony releases info on MLB ’14 the Show and Announces Cover Athlete (Includes Blog from Sony, Screen Shots and a Trailer)

The 2013 baseball season may have just ended, but we’re not ready to stop talking baseball here at PlayStation. We’re proud to announce the award-winning MLB The Show series will be coming to the PS4 system next spring with MLB 14 The Show. The beloved franchise will also launch on the PS3 and PS Vita systems, making PlayStation your home for baseball.

With a new generation of consoles comes a new face for MLB The Show. Last year, you — the fan — voted on which superstar should be on the cover, and chose superstar Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates. With this year’s iteration of The Show, we did something that’s never been done in video game history — we let the ball players vote.

Our cover athlete was chosen by his fellow players, by the opponents who compete against him day in and day out. Every player in the big leagues had the opportunity to nominate one player for this year’s cover, and earlier tonight at the 2013 Player’s Choice Awards on the MLB Network, the winner was revealed. We’re proud to announce that eight-time All-Star, 2012 American League Most Valuable Player, 2012 American League Triple-Crown Award winner, two-time Sporting News Player of the Year (2012, 2013), and the two-time Hank Aaron Award winner (2012, 2013), Detroit Tigers third baseman, Miguel Cabrera, will grace the cover of MLB 14 The Show.

Cabrera’s on-the-field accolades, and off-the-field work ethic, make him the perfect cover athlete to lead our franchise into the next generation of baseball on PS4.

Speaking of PS4, the crew over at San Diego Studios is hard at work creating our best baseball product ever. Here’s a sneak peek at their plans.

Without revealing too much, we did want to give you a taste of some of the many advancements we’re making to the product for 2014. Here are just a few:

• We know how much time and effort our fans put into their Seasons, Franchises, and Road To The Show players. So beginning with MLB 14 The Show, you can now carry over your saves to future versions of MLB The Show. MLB 14 The Show lays the foundation for year-to-year saves, meaning you never have to worry about starting your Franchise or Road to the Show seasons over!
• Thanks to the power of PS4, MLB 14 The Show is going to be the most beautiful baseball product we’ve ever created.
• For some of you, full 9-inning baseball games may be too long for your liking, so we’ve created an all-new Quick Counts option, which utilizes generated pitch counts allowing gamers to play through full games faster than ever. Realistic statistics in this shortened gameplay experience have not been compromised. Users will now be able to play a full 9 inning game in less than 30 minutes, essentially cutting traditional game times in half.
• We think Road To The Show is the deepest, most realistic single-player experience in sports video games, and we’re making it even better. A few of the new features include a new advancement system, new intuitive player creation process, and all new pre-draft prospect showcase.
• And finally, what makes baseball great are those “big moments.” The power of PS4 will allow gamers to share those moments using the new “share feature” by capturing and publishing their most thrilling baseball moments, from hitting a game-winning grand slam, to picking off a runner at first for a crucial win in a World Series game.

We also wanted to give you a quick glimpse of some of the graphical leaps we’ll be able to make via the power of the PS4 hardware. Below are some comparison screens of a “work in progress” version of Fenway’s Green Monster for PS4, and a current version of the same famous wall in the PS3.

 

In the PS4 picture of the Fenway Park “Out of Town Scoreboard,” you’ll notice how different types of materials such as metal, wood, and steel properly reflect the sun. The shinier materials such as metal will give you more of a direct or tighter reflection. This is immediately noticeable on the team name plates. In contrast, the more matte surfaces such as the wall above the scoreboard won’t reflect as much direct light as seen in the photo. Contrast this with the PS3 version, where you see a consistent lighting reflection profile across the entire scoreboard.

 

Our lighting engine in PS3, while powerful, was limited in the way in which the lighting interacted with our models. Moving to PS4, which boasts 8 GB of GDDR5 RAM, we are able to properly represent the true nature of the surfaces. In the PS4 screenshot, you’ll notice the game scoreboard has actual geometry to it and not just a flat plane, compared to the contrasting PS3 screenshot. With the added horsepower of PS4, we can create more detailed representation of elements within the stadium. With the added memory, we can increase the texture size, and use higher resolution normal maps to push the illusion of reality.

 

In the final comparison, you get the complete composition of all the new technology we can use in the stadiums. Here we have an excellent example of the increased polygon count which is immediately noticeable in the depth and shadow projection in the small elements. In this angle you can see the specular highlight from the advanced PS4 materials interacting correctly with the new lighting engine.

These are just a handful of the improvements you’ll see in MLB The Show as we continue to develop and harness the power of PS4. We can’t wait to share more information about the game’s visuals and new modes in the coming months.

Lastly, to our loyal Canadian fans, you’ll have a hand in deciding who will grace the cover of MLB 14 The Show in Canada. And also, EB Games will have the same pre-order exclusive as GameStop. Stay tuned for more info on both.

Madden 25 and The Reason to be Worried

I recently read an article on Pastapadre and he discussed the fact that EA has missed the prime opportunity to showcase NBA Live 14 and I agree, and I agree even more so now that almost four weeks have passed since the blog and we really have nothing to show for NBA Live to this point outside of a gameplay trailer (NOT EVEN REAL GAMEPLAY) which wasn’t that great, and they detailed ultimate team which does nothing for me. Where as last week 2K released it’s list of new/upgraded features including MyPlayer and MyGM modes which both sound really good and they even said the gameplay and AI got better. Anyway if you want to read Pasta’s story from October 4, click here.

That brings me to Madden now because lets be honest we know nothing about the game outside of it has updated visuals and better offensive line battles, that’s it! Less than 3 weeks away and I feel like we know very little about the next Madden. I mean certainly there must be more to learn by now, right? Right? Is EA really going to make it a lackluster port like they did to open this generation with nice visuals? I mean seriously, sure you can trade up and get the next gen version for $10, but if that was your launch day game that made you pre-order a PS4 or Xbox One, you can not and should not be happy to see the lack of information that has come out.

The only saving grace for Madden could be the improved crowds that EA has been touting about and we’ve yet to really see it in action, so how can anyone even be excited about this feature? The answer here is that I really can’t until they show it off, and they haven’t. Wouldn’t you think that if they were so proud of it they would show it off?

EA has made it extremely hard to get excited about the next generation version of Madden, no matter how much I try to get excited about it. I want to be excited for it, I really do, but can I really get excited for a game that I’ve pretty much already played on PS3? The short and reasonable answer to that is no, I can not.

So instead of going on about this, I think I will close the blog out with this, I am strongly considering canceling my pre-order at this point. I will give it a little bit longer but I have no faith in this situation. I am also still on the fence a little on NBA 2K14, I really want to be impressed with MyGM and MyCareer otherwise I might look into other games to replace it with, or even wait for other games. As it is I have 3 next gen pre-ordered games, and all I really need is one and Battlefield 4 is the only one really on solid ground at this point.

Am I the only one that is not thrilled with the lack of news on Madden 25? Hell we could even lump NBA Live into this because that is just as disappointing in terms of news.

Titanfall coming March 11, 2014

VAN NUYS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) announced today that Titanfall™, the debut game from acclaimed independent videogame developer Respawn Entertainment, will be landing on store shelves beginning March 11, 2014 exclusively for Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, Xbox 360 games and entertainment system and PC. Already the winner of more than 80 coveted awards from critics around the world, Titanfall is winning over fans with its thrilling, dynamic first-person action gameplay featuring elite assault pilots and agile, heavily-armored, 24-foot titans. Crafted by one of the co-creators of Call of Duty and other key designers behind the Call of Duty franchise, Titanfall delivers a brand-new online experience that combines fluid, fast-paced multiplayer action with heroic, set-piece moments found in traditional campaign modes.

“Since we revealed the game in June we’ve been absolutely blown away by the reaction to Titanfall,” said Vince Zampella, a Co-Creator of Call of Duty and Co-Founder of Respawn Entertainment. “The feedback we’re getting from fans around the world is fueling our team as we head towards March and motivating us to deliver an experience that lives up to the hype.”

In addition to the standard edition of the game, the Titanfall: Collector’s Edition (SRP $249.99) will include an exclusive collectible 18” hand-crafted Atlas titan statue with diorama and battery-powered LED lighting, a full-size art book featuring more than 190 pages of rare concept art, and an exclusive full-size schematic poster of the Atlas titan. The Titanfall: Collector’s Edition is available for pre-order now at select retailers.

Set in the near future on a distant frontier torn apart by war, Titanfall drops players in the middle of a conflict between the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation (IMC) and the Militia. The action is rapid and varied – featuring parkour-style wall running, massive double jumps and the ability to hijack titans. The freedom to shift back and forth between pilot and titan allows players to change tactics on the fly, attacking or escaping depending on the situation and extending the action vertically to new heights.

Titanfall and the Titanfall: Collector’s Edition will be available for Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC on March 11, 2014 in North America, and beginning March 13, 2014 in Europe. For more information on the game and how to pre-order, please visit www.titanfall.com. Join the conversation on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/titanfallgame and #Titanfall, or on Facebook® at www.facebook.com/titanfallgame. Press assets are available at info.ea.com.

About Respawn Entertainment

Founded in 2010, Respawn Entertainment is an independent videogame development studio based in Van Nuys, California. The studio was formed by Vince Zampella and Jason West, former co-founders of Infinity Ward and two of the co-creators of the multi-billion dollar franchise Call of Duty™. Titanfall is the studio’s debut title. More information about the company is available at www.respawn.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets. EA has more than 300 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.

In fiscal year 2013, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.8 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster brands such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed™, Battlefield™ and Mass Effect™. More information about EA is available atwww.ea.com/news.

The Sims, Need for Speed, Mass Effect, Battlefield and Battlefield 4 are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. and its subsidiaries. John Madden, NFL and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. Titanfall is a trademark of Repawn Entertainment, LLC. Twitter is a registered trademark of Twitter, Inc. Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.

ROCKSMITH® 2014 EDITION COMPLETE TRACKLIST REVEALED

SAN FRANCISCO, CA. – October 16, 2013 – Today, Ubisoft® revealed the complete tracklist included in Rocksmith® 2014 Edition™ made of 55 songs ranging from the latest hits to classic rock songs. Ten more tracks are revealed today including “Everlong” by Foo Fighters and “Every Breath You Take” by The Police. 

Players already owning the previous version of Rocksmith (released in 2011) will be able to further enjoy their rock experience in Rocksmith 2014 Edition by importing the songs that were included in the first version (an extra cost will apply). Each song from the first version has been revamped to support all of the new features including Automatic Tone Switching, Articulation, Timing and Instant Riff Repeater. Additionally, the DLC bought for Rocksmith will be compatible with Rocksmith 2014 Edition at no extra cost.

Rocksmith 2014 Edition’s complete track list

• Aerosmith – Walk This Way
• Alice Cooper – No More Mr. Nice Guy
• Alice In Chains – Stone
• Arctic Monkeys – R U Mine?
• Avenged Sevenfold – Bat Country
• Bob Dylan – Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
• Boston – Peace Of Mind
• Bush – Machinehead
• B’z – ultra soul
• Def Leppard – Pour Some Sugar On Me (2012)
• Deftones – My Own Summer (Shove It)
• EarlyRise – Wasteland
• Fang Island – Chompers
• Foo Fighters – Everlong
• Gold Motel – Brand New Kind Of Blue
• Green Day – X-Kid
• Iron Maiden – The Trooper
• Jack White – Sixteen Saltines
• JAWS – Stay In
• Joe Satriani – Satch Boogie
• Kiss – Rock And Roll All Nite
• La Sera – Love That’s Gone
• Magic Wands – Black Magic
• Mastodon – Blood and Thunder
• Minus The Bear – Cold Company
• Monster Truck – Sweet Mountain River
• Muse – Knights Of Cydonia
• Nirvana – Heart Shaped Box
• Oasis – Don’t Look Back In Anger
• Pantera – Cemetery Gates
• Paramore – Now
• PAWS – Sore Tummy
• Queen – We Are The Champions
• Radiohead – Paranoid Android
• Ramones – Blitzkrieg Bop
• Ratt – Round And Round
• Red Fang – Wires
• R.E.M. – Losing My Religion
• Rise Against – Savior
• Rush – The Spirit Of Radio
• Screaming Females – Rotten Apple
• Slayer – War Ensemble
• Splashh – All I Wanna Do
• System Of A Down – Hypnotize
• Tak Matsumoto – GO FURTHER
• The Dear Hunter – Stuck On A Wire Out On A Fence
• The Kinks – You Really Got Me
• The Police – Every Breath You Take
• The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black
• The Shins – For A Fool
• The Smashing Pumpkins – The Chimera
• The Who – My Generation
• Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – Mary Jane’s Last Dance
• Weezer – Say It Ain’t So
• White Zombie – Thunder Kiss ‘65

Rocksmith 2014 Edition allows players to plug any real guitar or bass with a standard ¼” jack directly into their Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the Sony PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system, PC or Mac® to begin their musical journey. Rocksmith 2014 Edition will hit shelves on October 22, 2013 in the US.

For the latest information on Rocksmith 2014 Edition, please visit: http://www.rocksmith.com

About Ubisoft:
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified line-up of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 26 countries and has sales in more than 55 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. For the 2011-12 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,061 million. To learn more, please visit: http://www.ubisoftgroup.com.

© 2012–2013 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Rocksmith logo, Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries.

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.