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Microsoft Studios Unveils “The Coalition Army”

After taking over the Gears of War franchise, Microsoft wanted to make sure that it took care of and nurtured the creative fanbase of the gaming franchise.  Their move to do so came in the form of the announcement of The Coalition Army. In a news article on the Gears of War website, the company revealed the exclusive benefits of joining the club for Gears of War fans.  Named benefits include news directly sent to the member’s inbox, as well as an increased chance for the studio to feature an individual’s fan art.  Members will also enjoy special resources for the upcoming Gears of War 4 beta, including an introduction video for YouTubers, as well as official beta overlays for streamers. This kind of support for the creative side of a fanbase is a great move by Microsoft, and hopefully the start of a trend in modern gaming.  Check out the official announcement here.

Among the Sleep Coming to PS4 and PC

Dutch publisher SOEDESCO announced on Tuesday that, alongside Norwegian developer Krillbite, it will be bringing its award-winning first-person horror game, Among the Sleep, to PS4 and PC this summer. SOEDESCO explains that Among the sleep is a horror game told from the viewpoint of a two-year-old toddler.  “The creaking of the stairs, the incessant scratching of branches on the window, in time they grow into monsters in the mind of a child… Through exploration and atmosphere players get to experience the fears and trepidations a two-year-old might experience. Fully immersive, with extensive detailing to give players a true sense of being helpless, scared and woefully unprepared.” Stay tuned for more information on this release.

Destiny April Update Drops Today – What You Need to Know

The long-awaited April Update for Destiny will drop today at around 10 AM Pacific.  The download sizes are 1718 MB for PS4, 1040 MB for PS3, 1736 MB for Xbox One, and 793 MB for Xbox 360.  Some major changes are coming with this update, and here are just a few of the big bullet points if you just want an overview of what will be coming with this update. There will be 2 new strikes on Xbox platforms, and 3 on Playstation, as well as new story missions and quests.  The new endgame mode will be a revamped Prison of Elders mode called Challenge of the Elders, in which guardians will battle Taken forces that Variks has imprisoned in the hopes that we can learn from how they fight. Perhaps the most exciting news of the update for guardians who have known the grind to 320 light is that infusion will now infuse at a 1:1 ratio, meaning no more stepping up weapons a little bit at a time.  An additional change to leveling comes in the form of smarter loot—legendary engrams will now decrypt at a light level above your guardian’s total light level. Another exciting change is the addition of Chroma, which is more or less underglow neon for your guardian’s armor, and comes in 4 colors—red, blue, yellow, and white.  In addition, a number of year one and year two exotic and legendary weapons and will be coming to year two, and no Bungie update would be complete without weapon and sandbox tweaks, the most notably a fix to the special ammo glitch and the reinstatement of special ammo upon beginning a 3v3 match. For more in depth discussions of the content in the update, check out our recaps of the reveal streams: Bungie “April Update Reveal” Stream Recap Bungie “New Things to Earn” Stream Recap Bungie “Sandbox and Crucible” Stream Recap Are you excited about this update?  Let us know what you can’t wait for most in the comments below!

Rocket League: Collector’s Edition to Release in June

The physical edition of Psyonix’s surprise hit of 2015 will hit shelves in June.  The publisher, 505 Games, has revealed that the game will release in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa on June 24, and in North America on July 5. The physical edition will come with the expansion packs Supersonic Fury, Revenge of the Battle-Cars, and Chaos Run.  The biggest news of the release is that 505 has also revealed that it will feature four “brand new vehicles.” Rocket League is available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

Bungie’s Sandbox and Crucible Livestream Recap

The third and final Twitch livestream that Bungie hosted in anticipation of the Destiny April Update, coming April 12, focused on changes to the weapons sandbox, as well as changes to PvP activities. The stream started off by discussing some general changes to PvP encounters, such as removing the ability of players to “sprint revive,” instead requiring players to be more exposed as they revived a downed teammate in a 3v3 scenario such as Trial of Osiris.  Additionally, the shield granted by reviving and being revived was diminished slightly, which caused a few fans to wonder if changes to the archetypes of snipers that could “res-snipe” could be affected.  Another change to the elimination game mode was extending the countdown timer for teammates available to be revived by 2 second for each time they have died within a round. The team also discussed changes to the ammo economies within PvP game modes.  The previous special ammo patch is being recalled, once again allowing guardians to spawn with special ammo across the board.  To counter this, special ammo now spawns in much later in matches, and more sparingly.  Heavy ammo now only spawns once per match at the five-minute mark. Bungie also discussed changes to the Crucible rewards, indicating that legendary gear drops will increase across the board.  Gear attainable from the chest at the fabled Lighthouse will drop max-light level gear, and the gear dropped in the bounties in Trials will drop at light level 330, with the gold-tier package now becoming available each day as opposed to each week.  Iron Banner gear will also receive a light buff. Senior Gameplay Designer Jon Weisnewski also discussed weapon balancing in this next update (Note: This list is not comprehensive, as there will be a full list of changes and specifics in the patch notes next week).  Auto Rifles will have the base damage increased slightly on slow rate-of-fire weapons, but decreased slightly on high rate-of-fire weapons.  Pulse Rifles will have a slight buff for low rate-of-fire weapons, and Hand Cannons will have in increased ammo inventory overall.  Fusion rifles will have a blanket stability increase.  Snipers, a hot topic as of late in the community, have some changes coming as well.  Increased zoom on the low-zoom scopes (which will also give a range increase), two frames of extra zoom transition while transitioning to aim down the sights, and a slight reduction to all sniper stability stats will make it a little harder to snipe enemy players at closer ranges. Exotic weapons will also receive some tuning.  MIDA Multi-Tool will have the perk high-caliber rounds removed, for example.  The SUROS Regime will receive a damage buff if the perk Focused-Fire is active, and it will also receive a ranged buff that, combined with other ranged perks, can actually allow players to max out range on the weapon.  The spin-up perk will also trigger four bullets later than it currently does, making this gunplay perk decision swing a little differently than it does in the current weapon meta.  Hawkmoon will receive a range buff, while The Last Word will receive a damage nerf to its namesake perk.  The infamous Thorn will get a bit of nerf, as the Damage over Time will do less damage and tick for four pulses as opposed to the current 6, and the intensity of the poison screen effects will be a little less than it is currently.  The Icebreaker special ammo glitch commonly utilized to get around the special ammo nerf included in the last update will no longer work, just as the glitch using sidearms will also be disabled.  Additionally, total ammo for heavy machine guns and sniper rifles have been decreased.  The exotic sidearm, Dreg’s Promise tracking rounds now lock on better to enemies.  Tellesto’s projectiles will now stick to ally guardians, as well as to a Defender Titan’s Ward of Dawn, which could allow for some interesting team gameplay.  The legendary weapon, 1000-Yard Stare, which Bungie revealed has been the single most-used special weapon in the game to date, will receive an additional ammo inventory reduction, and Quillum’s Terminus, the raid heavy machine gun, will also receive the same.  The King’s Fall weapons overall will receive a buff to reload speed, and the raid auto rifle will also get a stability buff. The final segment of the stream discussed the way that Bungie is changing subclasses to help balance the Crucible, namely the Warlock subclasses.  Again, this list is not comprehensive, and the detailed patch notes will be shared when the update goes live.  Sunsinger Warlocks will have a nerf to Flameshield, both with regard to the amount of shield granted and the ability cooldown.  Additionally, triggering a self-revive while having Firebolt grenades equipped will cause the super to drain more quickly, although the grenades as a whole were unaffected in the update, a surprising move to many players.  Stormcallers were also affected by changes, including a shortened active time of Stormtrance.  The developers stated that they made changes to the subclass that were designed to influence the importance of “more decisions” as the player decided on their loadout with a Stormcaller Warlock.  The third subclass of Warlocks, the Voidwalkers, received a few changes to the way that abilities triggered, focusing on the draining and vampiric effects that define the subclass.  A specific change mentioned was the effect of a more immediate melee ability. Obviously, there was a lot of ground covered in this livestream, and the team emphasized several times that this was an overview of the content changes coming in the new update, and that this is not an exhaustive list. What do you think of the changes coming to Destiny in the April Update?  Let us know in the comments below.

Xbox neXt Rumors Put to Rest

The recent rumor that has the gaming community abuzz has turned out to be just that, a rumor. After Microsoft Employee David Gardner listed the “Xbox neXt” on his LinkedIn page, the internet took it to mean that a new version of the console, whether a brand new one or improvement of the original, was in production.  However, Microsoft quickly squashed the rumors, stating, “Xbox neXt was an old internal team name for a group that worked on releasing Xbox One and is not related to a future console.  We have nothing further to share.”

Mass Effect Andromeda Early Gameplay Footage Leaked

On April 1, most gamers know to be suspicious of any big news, but every once in a while, a major piece of content gets an unofficial news update, and this year was no different.  Shinobi602, a gaming news insider and longtime fan of Mass Effect,  posted on Twitter about the footage and included a link to YouTube, but the linked video was quickly removed at EA’s request, which all but confirmed the legitimacy of the leak. A blogger on AllGamesDelta posted the video there, containing footage of an early build for the night anticipated title, which can be seen here. The footage features environmental effects like rain, some cinematic footage with a Krogan and a human in a standoff, explosion effects, and perhaps most exciting, a jet pack.  While it’s not terribly long, and no in-game sound was included, the footage was the first gameplay content that has been revealed, and fans who have been patiently waiting are sure to be excited at this refreshing glimpse of Andromeda. The latest installment in the Mass Edfect universe is expected to release in early 2017, with a major reveal expected at E3 this June.  Let us know what you think of the footage in the comments below. *Edit:  The video in the original link has been removed, but we have now updated the article with a working link.*

BioWare Releases Official List of Top 10 Most Beloved Mass Effect Characters

The Mass Effect universe is without a doubt one of the deepest, richest worlds in gaming.  The lore, the music, even the visual effects added layers of realism to this universe.  If there was one element, however, that BioWare utilized most powerfully to immerse players in their universe, it would have to be the incredible cast of characters who help guide the player through the narrative of Mass Effect. Friday morning, BioWare released an official list, based on several years of survey data, detailing the characters voted on by fans as their overall favorites. Khalisa Bint Sinan Al-Jilani Starting the list at number 10, Miss Al-Jilani makes an appearance in all three games of the original trilogy.  Her dedicated search for the truth, as well as her incredible tact as a journalist, give the Mass Effect universe a strong example of what BioWare clearly envisions as an “ideal” investigative agent of the media.  Her ability to take a beating for what she believes in was undoubtedly a major part of this choice.   The Mad Prophet This unforgettable Batarian on the crime-ridden space station Omega doesn’t even need a name to hold the number 9 spot on the list.  His unrelenting devotion to spreading the truth, regardless of what anyone else thinks, is only matched by that of Commander Shepard himself/herself.  Players can even see his constant cries of “Repent, the end is nigh!” rewarded in the Omega DLC in Mass Effect 3, where they get a glimpse of his crowd of followers.   Corporal Jenkins Although his appearance in the game is brief, Richard L. Jenkins makes an unforgettable mark on the series through his heroic sacrifice helping Commander Shepard reach the Prothean Beacon.   It is nearly impossible to watch his death and not shed a tear. His zealous spirit is remembered throughout the remainder of the trilogy, and his eager and courageous attitude is a clear motivation for Shepard and his/her crew throughout the rest of the series.   The Racist Afterlife Bartender Only appearing in Mass Effect 2, the second Batarian character in the list makes his debut at number 7.  His unrelenting attempts to poison all members of the race that drove his from their homes shows his devotion to his people, and his courage is exemplified as he does not shy away from trying to kill even the great Commander Shepard.  Although he is dies by his own poison in the end, fans everywhere admire his courage and ingenuity.   Urdnot Wreav The true exemplar for his race in the Mass Effect Universe, this Krogan puts all others to shame.  Although he can allow Wrex, a little-known character, to lead the Urdnot clan in the later part of the trilogy, the player can choose to kill Wrex and allow Wreav to lead the Krogan to a glorious future of conquest in the third game.  Wreav is the ideal leader for his race, ensuring that the legacy of conquest is not forgotten and the Krogan do not surrender their heritage, making him an instant fan-favorite.   The Shepard Clone This character’s unforgettable appearance in the Citadel DLC is one of the biggest twists in the game’s plot.  The clone forces Commander Shepard to face who he/she was truly meant to be, and nearly succeeds in taking over the Normandy to assume the place of the real Shepard.  Many fans wish BioWare would have written a successful takeover into the main game, allowing Shepard to reach his/her full potential.  The clone’s clearly superior leadership skills and ability to inspire followers would have made a great improvement on the game’s protagonist, and this is the main reason that fans voted him/her to the number 5 spot on this list. Carth Onasi Carth makes his return from Knights of the Old Republic brilliantly in the Mass Effect universe, continuing his brilliant military career as he joins the Alliance Military.  Many fans actually believe that he is one of the deepest characters in the game, despite the fact that he is one of two characters able to be killed on the planet Virmire.  Fans applauded BioWare’s decision to allow him to become a force-user in the Mass Effect Trilogy, as his skills with the blaster in KOTOR were not quite enough to make him an optimal party member.  His skill with the Force in Mass Effect is evidenced in his selection as a Spectre in ME3, and he was an obvious choice for fans in this list for both his combat skills and deep, meaningful romance option. Counselor Udina One of the great hallmarks of Science Fiction is that it allows storytellers to make brilliant points about modern society in a separate universe, and Counselor Udina is perhaps the perfect example of BioWare utilizing this in their games.  Obviously an incredible attempt to comment on the current political system and show what an ideal politician should look like, Counselor Udina is easily one of the most beloved characters in the series.  His unerring efforts to assist Commander Shepard throughout the trilogy, combined with his incorruptible nature, allow fans a refreshing and optimistic look at what politics could ideally be. Conrad Verner Although many fans contend that he deserves the number one spot on this list, Conrad comes in as the number two most beloved Mass Effect character.  Conrad’s transformation throughout the trilogy is perhaps the most unforgettable in the series, especially considering his major contributions to Shepard’s efforts.  Following Shepard’s death at the beginning of ME2, Conrad takes it upon himself to be a hero.  Conrad was the hero the universe deserved, but not the one it needed. Because he could take it, because he wasn’t a hero. He was a silent guardian, a watchful protector… but ultimately, Commander Shepard needed Conrad, and his ability to help the commander see what needed to be done, his inspiration for Shepard, was one of the most powerful in the trilogy. The StarChild The number one spot on this list should come

Homefront: The Revolution Includes Playable TimeSplitters 2 Easter Egg

Deep Silver’s Homefront: The Revolution reportedly houses an Easter egg containing playable versions of TimeSplitters 2.  In order to find the Easter egg, players need to locate an arcade cabinet in the first two levels in a makeshift prison area.  What makes this Easter egg interesting is the fact that neither Deep Silver nor the development team (Dambusters) even have the license for the TimeSplitters2. The way that the Easter egg ended up in the game (legally) is that the game’s original developer, Crytek UK, had previously been Free Radical Design, who developed TimeSplitters 2, and it was at this point that the Easter Egg was inserted into the code.  When Deep Silver took over development because Crytek was unable to pay its UK studio, the Easter egg remained in the game. Homefront: The Revolution will release in May on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.  Check out the trailer here.

Phil Spencer Says that Halo 5 Will Not Go to PC

During a post-keynote Q&A during Microsoft’s Build conference, Phil Spencer said that, since Halo 5 was designed for the Xbox only, it will not be made available on PC.  “I get out of saying ‘all,’ because I think there are games that people want to play in front of their monitor with a keyboard and mouse,” Spencer commented, referring to a statement that “all” games would be on both platforms. “And I want to be somebody that builds those games. I don’t want to make it some kind of artificial mandate, because then I think we end up with ‘Frankengames’, games that really weren’t meant for a certain platform. And because some suit said, ‘Hey, everything’s gotta run on both platforms’, you end up with something people don’t want.” Despite this statement, he did not say that the Halo franchise would not ever make the transition.  “In terms of Halo FPS on PC, I think there’s a ton of opportunity for us right now, but I don’t want to get into a world where we’re looking back, like at Halo 5. It doesn’t mean there’s nothing there that could ever end up on PC, but I’d much rather look forward with what our plans are.”