Half-Life: Alyx Is A VR Prequel Set Between The First Two Installments, Coming March 2020

For the past week, users across the internet have gone rampant when Valve spoke up that a new flagship title in the Half-Life series will be revealed that coming Thursday. While not exactly a true third installment that the industry has joked about for more than a decade now, we do know that the game will be a VR exclusive. More importantly, the game will be unique to the company’s virtual reality Index headset. For more background, the project actually leaked about a year ago when the construction for the then-unnamed VR headset was first unearthed to the world. But any following leads for the title since last November or any other resurfacing detail when Index launched earlier this year did not happen, so we assumed it was for the best that the Half-Life project was just another rumor for the pile. Today, Valve finally announced Half-Life: Alyx with a fresh trailer showing off what is to offer with this new VR experience. You can watch the trailer below: Set between the events of the first 1998 title and the succeeding 2004 sequel, you play as the titular protagonist Alyx, the daughter of Dr. Eli Vance. While living in the growing rise of Combine control in City 17, the two worked in hiding to create tools of science towards the efforts for the resistance of the newly built Citadel in the set metropolis. Unlike games for the virtual reality platform, Alyx is said to be a full-length game offering a new experience in the notorious Half-Life universe. Game Awards host Geoff Keighley revealed to be working in secrecy alongside Valve for the past few years recording the development of the VR game and has shared to have finished the game in about 15 hours. Keighley is also committed to his previous The Final Hours project for the upcoming title as he did with the two previous predecessors. In the video documentary of the approaching project, Keighley spoke with the team on Alyx and some of the back story for the game. However, what really grew some attention was what Valve’s David Speyrer disclosed upon work following next year’s game. Stating that “We wanna put this out and see how the world reacts to it before we make any concrete plans about what we do next,” suggesting that the team would like to work more on the property more if the user base fancies Alyx. Another discovery for the highly-anticipated virtual reality game is that current Valve Index owners will also be receiving Half-Life: Alyx for no additional charge: and the perks continue on as there will also be exclusive content only available to those who own the company’s headset. Half-Life: Alyx is scheduled to release for Valve Index via Steam in March 2020.

Trover Saves The Universe Gets Switch Release Next Week, Xbox One Later In Early December

This year’s PAX East surely caught word when Gearbox Software announced the long-awaited Borderlands 3 with the game scheduled to release later this Fall. However, another game that also took the stage for one segment of the developer’s hosted showcase was Squanch Games’ Trover Saves the universe. With the combined minds of Squanch Games and Rick & Morty creator Justin Roiland, this new virtual reality experience follows the journey alongside the titular protagonist as the duo must save your dog after being kidnapped by the beaked Glorkon. Storing your pets in his eyes, he uses their spiritual energy essentially to destroy the universe. The game received reviewer praise from its unique sci-fi settings and satirical story since releasing back in June for PlayStation 4 and PC. Now this week, the five month-old game will be arriving to both Nintendo Switch and Xbox One in two intervals through the coming weeks. Speaking with IGN, Justin Roiland reveals the game’s new debut on the two platforms. We love this IP and we’re really excited that gamers from all sides of the gaming sphere can finally play it. Upon the sudden announcement, Roiland discloses that the approaching versions will include the Important cosmic Jobs add-on and the Space Jam arcade game. Additionally, the downloadable content also features comedy segments only available in the expansion amid a new cast of characters and other details that will be discovered when playing. The VR experience will be on sale for PlayStation and PC users starting tomorrow as per a promotion for next week’s Black Friday, listing at $21.99. Both Xbox One and Nintendo Switch versions will also launch with a limited time 20% deal, pricing at $24.99. Trover Saves the Universe will be available for Nintendo Switch on November 28, 2019 and for Xbox One on December 3, 2019. Source: IGN

How Big Data Is Changing The Gaming Industry

Big data has been around for a while, and the gaming industry has been able to collect it on mass, however, how it’s understood and utilized is now coming to fruition. In a sector which generates billions each year, using big data is vital, and it’s slowly transforming the industry entirely. Big data’s impact on the gaming world begins right at the start of game design. Top developers from Microgaming who provide games to Royal Vegas casino to Rockstar Games who have released titles like Grand Theft Auto – are all now using the data. This is in addition to monitoring user behavior in real-time, to gain a true appreciation of what players like and dislike. It allows the developer to tweak games along the way, moulding the game into a version which is best suited to the demands of most of the player base, therefore having a positive impact on the experience enjoyed. We’ve recently seen the rise of freemium games, with the most notable one Fortnite Battle Royale. Freemium games immediately attract players as they’re free to download, install and play. However, freemium games come with premium extras. Big data plays a crucial role in making freemium games a success, and profitable for developers, as it gives an insight into what players want. So, in Fortnite for example, there are extra skins players can purchase, as well as a whole host of other items, and these have become very popular with gamers while making developer Epic Games a lot of money. Big data has, therefore, changed how a lot of developers go about their business. Rather than focus on making as much money as possible as quickly as possible, companies such as Epic are now focused on their strategy in the short term, with profits a long-term goal. Big data is collected, analysed and implemented as part of a plan, with developers and producers knowing as the product is of better quality, the profits will roll in down the line, due to it being adjustable on the hop. Gamers will be pleased to know that big data can also play a crucial role in the difficulty of the titles they’re playing. As data can be monitored live in real-time, it allows developers to discover whether a level in a game, an opponent, or requirements are either too difficult or too easy. These things can then be adjusted to ensure the ideal difficulty is available to players, and all this is done using up to date information. Big data is undoubtedly already making a significant difference in the gaming world at present, but we’re very much in the early days of its powers. Its ability to improve the experience gamers have is its biggest asset, especially as developers can make changes on the fly to enhance things such as gameplay. Big data is also changing how developers approach creating games, preferring to put a solid structure and strategy in place, rather than chase profits from the get-go, and this can only be a good thing.

Alien Isolation Embarks For Nintendo Switch On December 5th

One announcement that surely stood out at the previous Nintendo Direct back in June was that Alien Isolation will be making its way to Nintendo Switch later this year. While the game was received about average upon releasing back in 2014, users who have yet to play are truly missing out on an experience that is worth the go. Here is the synopsis provided for the game: “When she left Earth, Ellen Ripley promised her daughter she would return home to celebrate her 11th birthday. She never made it. Fifteen years later, Amanda Ripley learns that the flight recorder from her mother’s ship has been recovered. Amanda enters Sevastopol space station to finally solve the mystery of her mother’s disappearance, only to confront an unknown menace.” Of course, since the game release at the beginning of this generation, the Nintendo Switch version will include the additional downloadable content the released. Notably, this iteration for Nintendo’s handheld hybrid will offer Last Survivor, a rework of the last mission Ellen Ripley prepared when on the Nostromo. This wouldn’t be a Switch port without the additional features included exclusively for the platform: implementations like HD Rumble and Gyro controls are confirmed to be active with this version of the game. Are you getting the Switch version for Alien Isolation? Alien Isolation will be available for Nintendo Switch on December 5, 2019.

Detroit Become Human Officially Hits Epic Games Store On December 12

Just in the first month of this year, no one would have guessed that Chinese Internet Technology company NetEase was planning on making a small acquisition for French developer Quantic Dream. This decision later revealed that this would open the studio’s current lineup of titles outside of Sony’s reach and breaking their exclusivity with the PlayStation brand. It wasn’t until later that we discovered that Quantic Dream’s portfolio would be coming to PC via the Epic Games Store: furthermore revealing that Heavy Rain, Beyond Two Souls, and Detroit Become Human will be releasing throughout the course of this year. While the 2010 title released in June following with the succeeding game launching the next month in July on Epic’s PC storefront, when exactly would last year’s game hit PC then? It wasn’t until this week that Quantic Dream announced that Detroit Become Human will finally be arriving to the Epic Games Store on December 12. You can watch the new trailer for the game below: Notably, this is the latest installment from Quantic Dream and any further projects later on will most likely be available on the palette of platforms. Interesting enough, the purchase that NetEase made back in January actually created more opportunity for the developer. During an interview back in August, Director David Cage revealed that the studio had interests in becoming an independent publisher. You can read the full story here. Do you plan on picking up Detroit Become Human on PC? Detroit Become Human is currently available for PlayStation 4.

Psyonix Teases New In-Store Look For Rocket League

Back in August, Rocket League developer Psyonix announced that the team will be done with the implementation of lootboxes disguised as Crates which players can use real-time currency to purchase boosters and other virtual items. While the studio did show to be ambitious about this power move for the 2015 title, how exactly the team plans to implement a new system that replaces the current was left out at the time. This week, Psyonix finally resurfaced with new information regarding the new Item Shop for Rocket League. Revealed from the latest blog post, this replacing storefront is said to be a new way for players to browse through all the available in-game so users know exactly what they are using their resources towards. Abandoning the previous showroom, players will be able to find the Item Shop the same through the game’s main menu. The page will display two separate timers: Featured and Daily. The first will be exclusive item that users will be able to put their credits towards and runs for 48 hours: the more self-explanatory portion will only be up for 24 hours before resetting with new item up for purchase. Psyonix truly emphasizes player consent before purchasing as they clarify that the type of paint, item, or blatant rarity will be made apparent on the Item Shop. The same can be said for how many credits the respected in-game product might cost. Here is how the game’s virtual currency converts to USD: 500 Credits – $4.99 USD or region equivalent 1100 Credits – $9.99 USD or regional equivalent 3000 Credits – $24.99 USD or regional equivalent 6500 Credits – $49.99 USD or regional equivalent Reconfirming what the team announced back during the Summer, all premium cars that are available via the latest DLC for the game will be available until next month’s title update. If already in possession of said items, they will still be in your inventory following the update. Interesting enough though, Psyonix does share that those items in circulation might return to the Item Shop, but that will be available at a later date. Respected Eports-themed items will also be receiving its own Item Shop tab. What do you think about this store revamp for Rocket League? Rocket League is out now for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Source: Psyonix