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http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Wed, 26 Mar 2014 04:59:51 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-titanfall-modes-won-t-be-locked-behind-a-paygate/1100-6418551/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2451772-titanfall+screen+2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2451772" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2451772-titanfall+screen+2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2451772"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1365/13658182/2451772-titanfall+screen+2.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/think-titanfall-lacks-variety-it-s-getting-new-game-modes/1100-6418458/" data-ref-id="1100-6418458">previously confirmed new modes</a> for Respawn Entertainment's multiplayer shooter <a href="/titanfall/" data-ref-id="false">Titanfall</a> will not be locked behind a paygate, cofounder Vince Zampella <a href="https://twitter.com/VinceZampella" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">said on Twitter</a>. These modes will be release for free to all players, instead of being bundled with the game's DLC.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"DLC is in the works, not quite done yet though," Zampella said. "Modes we release will be free to all, not part of DLC."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Titanfall's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-season-pass-is-25-contains-3-packs/1100-6418133/" data-ref-id="1100-6418133">$25 DLC pass includes access to three expansion packs</a>. Standalone expansions will sell for $10 each, Zampella revealed, meaning you'll pay a $5 premium if you buy them individually. There's no word yet on when the first expansion will launch.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Finally, Zampella also said on Twitter that private matches are coming "soon" to Titanfall and that players can expect double XP weekends sometime in the future.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Titanfall launched March 11 for Xbox One and PC. The Xbox 360 version was recently delayed and is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-on-xbox-360-gets-another-delay/1100-6418398/" data-ref-id="1100-6418398">now expected to arrive on April 8</a>. Beyond that, we heard last week at GDC that Electronic Arts had<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-ea-secures-rights-to-titanfall-2/1100-6418404/" data-ref-id="1100-6418404"> secured the rights to publish Titanfall 2</a>, which <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-titanfall-2-won-t-be-exclusive-to-microsoft-platforms/1100-6418429/" data-ref-id="1100-6418429">might not be exclusive to Microsoft platforms</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 26 Mar 2014 04:35:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-titanfall-modes-won-t-be-locked-behind-a-paygate/1100-6418551/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-naval-strike-dlc-also-delayed-on-xbox-one/1100-6418550/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2457815-battlefield+4+naval+strike+-+attackboat_wm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2457815" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2457815-battlefield+4+naval+strike+-+attackboat_wm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2457815"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1197/11970954/2457815-battlefield+4+naval+strike+-+attackboat_wm.png"></a></figure><p style="">One day, poor <a href="/battlefield-4/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield 4</a> will pull something off without a hitch. But not today! Following <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-naval-strike-dlc-hiccup-causes-pc-delay/1100-6418518/">yesterday's bungled launch of the Naval Strike DLC on PC</a>, developer DICE has now said that it is delaying the launch of the new content on Xbox One.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">There's no word on a release date, although DICE says it's now targeting an early April release for both the Xbox One and PC versions of the DLC. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We have decided to delay the Xbox One version of Naval Strike because we want to address issues in the animation system that hinder players from engaging targets in set circumstances using popular weapon configurations," <a href="http://battlelog.battlefield.com/bf4/news/view/take-the-fight-to-the-sea-with-battlefield-4-naval-strike/" rel="nofollow">said DICE.</a></p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://battlelog.battlefield.com/bf4/news/view/take-the-fight-to-the-sea-with-battlefield-4-naval-strike/" rel="nofollow">The developer also explained why it chose to delay the DLC on PC.</a> "Wehave delayed the PC version of Naval Strike because we are concerned that the combination of the pack and planned PC updates would increase performance issues on mid-range to high-end PCs. We are working hard to resolve that issue now.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We know that many Battlefield 4 Premium owners wanted to play Naval Strike today. However, we didn't want to release the new content until we believed it was quality content."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We are trying to resolve these problems as quickly as possible and hope to release the update in early April for Xbox One and PC. We also want to remind Xbox One and PC owners of Battlefield 4 Premium that they will have two weeks early access for Naval Strike once it's released. Thanks for your continued patience and passion for our games."</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6413397" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6413397/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 26 Mar 2014 04:13:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-naval-strike-dlc-also-delayed-on-xbox-one/1100-6418550/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wolfenstein-the-new-order-gets-new-release-date-in-europe/1100-6418549/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/6/7/8/4/2236784-gsm_169_waitinggame_wolfenstein_092413_320.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2236784" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/6/7/8/4/2236784-gsm_169_waitinggame_wolfenstein_092413_320.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2236784"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/mig/6/7/8/4/2236784-gsm_169_waitinggame_wolfenstein_092413_320.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Bethesda has announced that the European release date for <a href="/wolfenstein-the-new-order/" data-ref-id="false">Wolfenstein: The New Order</a> has been brought forward to May 20.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The date shift means Bethesda is staging a simultaneous worldwide launch for the title, which will now be released on the same Tuesday across America, Europe, and Australasia.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Bethesda is also offering eventual <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/doom-4-still-exists-bethesda-unveils-doom-beta/1100-6417840/">access to a Doom 4 beta for those who preorder the game</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The New Order seems like it's trying to be Inglourious Basterds, mixing dark, absurd humour with even darker ultraviolence. If the prologue is any indication, I'm not sure MachineGames has enough Tarantino in it to pull this off. But the lows of an inconsistent tone didn't detract from the game's first hour of first-person shooting highs," said GameSpot editor Daniel Hindes <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-old-school-beginnings-of-wolfenstein-the-new-order/1100-6418085/">after playing the new Wolfenstein earlier this month</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Wolfenstein: The New Order will be released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6408208" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6408208/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p> Wed, 26 Mar 2014 03:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wolfenstein-the-new-order-gets-new-release-date-in-europe/1100-6418549/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/review-in-progress-age-of-wonders-iii/1100-6418542/ <p style="">Age of Wonders has returned, and this past week I spent a lot of quality time with the latest in this long-running strategy series. However, at the time of this writing, I have not yet been successful in playing Age of Wonders III online. This means I'm not ready to pass judgment on the game just yet, but I wanted to share with you my thoughts and impressions on what I've played thus far.</p><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/age-of-wonders-iii/" data-ref-id="false">Age of Wonders III</a> is at its best when you're leading your army in glorious battle. From flanking bonuses and line of sight to magical research and the industrial infrastructure of your empire, every detail in this turn-based strategy game contributes toward making the battlefield as complex and rewarding as possible. And because its managerial aspects are kept to a minimum, Age of Wonders III is easy to pick up, moves at a fast clip, and frees you up to focus your attention on the action.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417727" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417727/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Your path to glorious battle starts with building an empire. You settle cities and expand your kingdom in much the same way as in Civilization; however, in Age of Wonders III, all empire management is geared towards fielding and enhancing your army. Your cities do not require a lot of micromanaging, so you can concentrate on your troops. When you engage another army in battle, you are transported to a more intimate arena that's separate from the world map. The fighting takes place on a hex-based grid, which is usually filled with trees, boulders, or, in the case of urban assaults, city walls. Using the terrain, your skills, and every other tool at your disposal is paramount to victory. Rushing headlong into the fight only gets you slaughtered.</p><blockquote data-size="medium" data-align="right"><p style="">The key to victory lies in internalizing all these different factors and working out a solution that forces your opponent to make a mistake.</p></blockquote><p style="">Similar to the XCOM series, Age of Wonders III gives you plenty of opportunities to screw up in battle. Flanking attacks from teleporting foes, shield-bearing enemies who can deflect arrows, and a wide variety of harmful spells are just some of the dozens of possibilities you must juggle in a given encounter. The key to victory lies in internalizing all these different factors and working out a solution that forces your opponent to make a mistake. There's a lot to keep up with, but the game does a good job of presenting all this information in an easily accessible way. When you emerge victorious, it's because you outmaneuvered your opponent and successfully capitalized on his or her mistakes.</p><p style="">Woven between the combat and empire building is your empire's research tree, where you research new spells and technologies for your people. It's one of your most powerful assets, but also one of the most unpredictable. Depending on your class and race, there are always a few staples on the tree--such as basic seafaring or the ability to cast more spells per turn--but the rest are randomly selected and can be unlocked in any order. If you start out with a few direct-damage spells, you may wish to press that advantage by being extra aggressive, while on the flip side, if you have a magical ward for your city, you may wish to stick close to home. While they may be unpredictable, your available research options are always balanced in such a way that you never feel at a loss or underpowered. Adaptation is the mark of a good leader.</p><p style="">While Age of Wonders III does a good job of providing variety in most aspects of the game, there is one area that is underrealized: the classes and races. In the end, your class and race selections simply apply subtle variations on the same core set of units, and as a result, encounters can start to feel similar in spite of the game's elements of randomness. Sure, the orc archer may have a -1 penalty to damage while the elven archer has a +1, but in the end, they both behave largely the same. This isn't to say that the core set is unbalanced or not fun to command; however, it would have been nice to see the differences between these different factions pushed a little further to open up even more diverse strategies and tactics in battle.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/3/8/2/4/2033824-703317_20130327_007.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2033824" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/3/8/2/4/2033824-703317_20130327_007.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2033824"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/mig/3/8/2/4/2033824-703317_20130327_007.jpg"></a><figcaption>Dragons of all stripes are always a pain, regardless of which army you're playing.</figcaption></figure><p style="">With its tactically rewarding battles and streamlined empire management, Age of Wonders III is a well-crafted strategy game that doesn't let itself get bogged down in needless busywork. It pushes your focus onto its strongest suit, the battlefield, while keeping everything else in the background. Some smart elements of randomness help keep you on your toes after multiple sessions, though you will find several go-to strategies still apply regardless of the sort of army you lead. Hopefully the odds will be in my favor when I take the game online. Be on the lookout for the full review of Age of Wonders III on the PC ahead of the game's March 31 release.</p> Wed, 26 Mar 2014 00:01:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/review-in-progress-age-of-wonders-iii/1100-6418542/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oculus-rift-will-eventually-be-redesigned-with-facebook-branding-report/1100-6418548/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417953" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417953/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Facebook's acquisition of Oculus VR has reportedly led to plans for the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset to be rebranded with a Facebook interface and logo.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2487898-7916746436-24874.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487898" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2487898-7916746436-24874.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487898"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_small/280/2802776/2487898-7916746436-24874.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">According to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/technology/facebook-to-buy-oculus-vr-maker-of-virtual-reality-headset.html?hpw&rref=business&_r=3" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">The New York Times</a>, a source involved in the deal revealed that Facebook will "eventually" redesign the Oculus Rift hardware to use the social media platform's logo and interface.</p><p style="">The social media company announced its acquisition of Oculus VR earlier today. The buyout is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/facebook-buys-oculus-rift-company-in-a-massive-deal-worth-an-estimated-2-billion/1100-6418540/" data-ref-id="1100-6418540">worth an estimated $2 billion</a>. Following the news, Oculus Rift creator <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oculus-creator-explains-why-facebook-buyout-makes-sense/1100-6418544/" data-ref-id="1100-6418544">Palmer Luckey explained why the deal makes sense</a>.</p><p style="">The news was met with a<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-developer-notch-cancels-oculus-vr-version-of-game-after-facebook-acquisition/1100-6418541/" data-ref-id="1100-6418541"> particularly strong reaction from Minecraft creator Notch</a>, who proceeded to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-creator-notch-on-why-he-doesn-t-like-facebook-in-the-wake-of-oculus-buyout/1100-6418547/" data-ref-id="1100-6418547">cancel development for the Oculus Rift version of Minecraft</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Tue, 25 Mar 2014 23:08:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oculus-rift-will-eventually-be-redesigned-with-facebook-branding-report/1100-6418548/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-creator-notch-on-why-he-doesn-t-like-facebook-in-the-wake-of-oculus-buyout/1100-6418547/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2487864-mcvr.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487864" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2487864-mcvr.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487864"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/280/2802776/2487864-mcvr.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p style=""><a href="/minecraft/" data-ref-id="false">Minecraft </a>creator Markus "Notch" Persson has shed additional light on why Minecraft will no longer be developed for the Oculus Rift, following <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-developer-notch-cancels-oculus-vr-version-of-game-after-facebook-acquisition/1100-6418541/" data-ref-id="1100-6418541">Facebook's acquisition of developer Oculus VR earlier today</a>.</p><p style="">Following the announcement, Notch tweeted that plans for a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-developer-notch-cancels-oculus-vr-version-of-game-after-facebook-acquisition/1100-6418541/" data-ref-id="1100-6418541">Minecraft version of Oculus had been cancelled as a result of the deal</a>.</p><p style="">Writing on <a href="http://notch.net/2014/03/virtual-reality-is-going-to-change-the-world/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">notch.net</a>, the developer states, "Facebook is not a company of grass-roots tech enthusiasts."</p><p style="">"Facebook is not a game tech company. Facebook has a history of caring about building user numbers, and nothing but building user numbers. People have made games for Facebook platforms before, and while it worked great for a while, they were stuck in a very unfortunate position when Facebook eventually changed the platform to better fit the social experience they were trying to build."</p><p style="">He maintains that while virtual reality can be a suitable platform for social media, he "[does not] want to work with social," nor with Facebook, stating that "their motives are too unclear and shifting".</p><p style="">Notch himself contributed $10,000 to the Oculus Rift kickstarter project in 2012, an investment he says he did not make "to seed a first investment round to build value for a Facebook acquisition."</p><p style="">For more on the impact of Facebook's acquisition of Oculus VR, check out<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-you-shouldn-t-worry-about-facebook-buying-oculus-rift/1100-6418545/" data-ref-id="1100-6418545"> GameSpot's feature</a>.</p><p style="">A version of Minecraft for the Oculus Rift is still available on the Oculus website, <a href="https://share.oculusvr.com/app/minecrift" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">renamed "Minecrift."</a></p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 25 Mar 2014 20:54:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-creator-notch-on-why-he-doesn-t-like-facebook-in-the-wake-of-oculus-buyout/1100-6418547/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-and-360-experiencing-server-issues-titanfall-and-more-currently-affected-update/1100-6418539/ <p style="">UPDATE MARCH 25 20:20</p><p style="">According to the Xbox support web site, all Xbox services are up and back to normal. Hopefully if you were affected by today's issues, you're still able to get in and play some Titanfall or Forza 5 tonight.</p><p style=""><em>The original story appears below</em></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2487467-screen+shot+2014-03-25+at+2.33.29+pm.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487467" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2487467-screen+shot+2014-03-25+at+2.33.29+pm.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487467"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1534/15343359/2487467-screen+shot+2014-03-25+at+2.33.29+pm.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Earlier today, some users were experiencing issues with Xbox Live services related to reported "scheduled maintenance," but new issues have sprung pointing at a possibly larger problem. While the maintenance primarily affected the online experience with <a href="/forza-motorsport-5/" data-ref-id="false">Forza 5</a>, issues now extend to <a href="/titanfall/" data-ref-id="false">Titanfall</a>, <a href="/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3/" data-ref-id="false">Modern Warfare 3</a>, and <a href="/halo-4/" data-ref-id="false">Halo 4</a>.</p><p style="">As of 3:49:39 PM CST, Microsoft wrote on their official Xbox support site: "Are you running into connectivity issues when trying to play Titanfall or Forza 5? Are you having issues when trying to purchase in-game content bundles for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Fable Trilogy, Twisted Pixel, and Halo 4? Our team is engaged and working hard to get these issue resolved as quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience while our engineers investigate. Check back for an update in 30 minutes."</p><p style="">Microsoft says that users may experience issues:</p><ul><li><p style="">Accessing all game features</p></li><li><p style="">Accessing or retrieving data stored using cloud storage</p></li><li><p style="">Capturing game videos</p></li><li><p style="">Joining other Xbox Live members in online games</p></li><li><p style="">Posting game performance or viewing the performance of other Xbox Live members</p></li><li><p style="">Purchasing content bundles</p></li></ul><p style="">We'll update this story as it develops, but Titanfall's servers are currently offline and unavailable in the GameSpot office.</p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong>Justin Haywald is a senior editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/JustinHaywald" rel="nofollow"> Twitter @JustinHaywald</a></strong></p><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></strong><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Tue, 25 Mar 2014 20:29:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-and-360-experiencing-server-issues-titanfall-and-more-currently-affected-update/1100-6418539/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-you-shouldn-t-worry-about-facebook-buying-oculus-rift/1100-6418545/ <p dir="ltr" style="">I was as surprised as anyone when I heard that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/facebook-buys-oculus-rift-company-in-a-massive-deal-worth-an-estimated-2-billion/1100-6418540/" data-ref-id="1100-6418540">Facebook acquired Oculus VR</a>, the company behind the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. Oculus VR has repeatedly positioned its device as a gaming platform, and outside of supporting social games made by developers like Zynga, Facebook has relatively little experience in gaming at large. This, coupled with the fact that a lot of people dislike some of Facebook's practices, has left a lot of people confused and dismayed by the announcement.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Regardless of Facebook's privacy-related <a href="http://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-sued-for-allegedly-intercepting-private-messages/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">controversies</a>, I think this acquisition is a clear boon for VR's biggest proponents, not a threat. Here's why.</p><h3 dir="ltr">More Funds for Research and Development</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">Not long after the announcement, Oculus co-founder and VR visionary Palmer Luckey <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oculus-creator-explains-why-facebook-buyout-makes-sense/1100-6418544/" data-ref-id="1100-6418544">took to Reddit</a> to defend the decision to join a large and controversial company like Facebook. For someone who's made VR his life's work, Luckey knows full well that developing new technologies requires money--lots of money. Luckey had this to say about the benefit of the acquisition:</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The partnership accelerates our vision, allows us to execute on some of our most creative ideas and take risks that were otherwise impossible. Most importantly, it means a better Oculus Rift with fewer compromises even faster than we anticipated."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">So, with more working capital, Oculus VR will improve the Rift faster than it could have before and bring it to market sooner than they previously envisioned? Makes sense. So far so good.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417961" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417961/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><h3 dir="ltr">Facebook Has Proven its Ability to Grow Businesses</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">When Facebook acquired the photo sharing service Instagram nearly two years ago, there were 30 million active users. Today, that number is over 200 million. Did Facebook do this by fundamentally changing Instagram? No. If Zuckerberg's statements to investors earlier today are to be believed, Instagram has continued to operate independently since it was purchased. That doesn't mean that Facebook isn't leveraging Instagram as a product, but apart from reducing it's functionality on Twitter, Instagram has benefited from the partnership with Facebook because it's largely been left alone.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The association with a company like Facebook, whose proliferation of users is admirable, will expose Oculus VR and the Rift to a wider audience. With more people interested in VR, there's a greater chance that game publishers will take VR seriously, and the medium will grow faster than it otherwise would have.</p><h3 dir="ltr">Facebook is in this for the Long Run</h3><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2487833-bjmzyd4ccaavmaj.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487833" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2487833-bjmzyd4ccaavmaj.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487833"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_small/1406/14063904/2487833-bjmzyd4ccaavmaj.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Facebook's acquisition of Oculus VR is part of a long-term plan that aims to connect the global population, ideally, within the next 10 years. When discussing the development of VR, including gaming, Zuckerberg stated that he views VR as a five to ten year initiative. What that means is that Facebook isn't in a rush to turn a profit on the hardware; it's in a rush to fund development today to get results further down the road.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Though Zuckerberg made it clear that VR can serve Facebook's business outside of gaming, he also said that Oculus VR was valuated at $2 billion "solely" for its gaming business alone, and that it is the "clearest opportunity" for the device. Time, Facebook money, and its belief in VR gaming equals a brighter future for the medium.</p><h3 dir="ltr"> </h3><h3 dir="ltr">Facebook Supports Open Software Development</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">Facebook began its Open Compute Project in 2011, which aims to develop advanced, energy efficient data centers, but more importantly, share its findings with the industry at large in the form of open-source design documents. While that doesn't mean Facebook will give away Oculus VR's secret sauce, it's proof that Facebook isn't solely driven by monopolizing technology, and there's a great chance it will keep Rift development open to anyone who's interested.</p><blockquote data-size="large"><p dir="ltr" style="">...with more working capital, Oculus VR will improve the Rift faster than it could have before...</p></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="">If Facebook throws more money at research and development, if it isn't in a rush to turn a profit on VR, and it respects the Rift's value as a gaming platform, why should this acquisition negatively impact the future of VR gaming? We know that the Rift will also be leveraged for non-gaming purposes that tie into Facebook's advertising network, but that doesn't mean gaming will as well.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Not everyone is convinced. Mojang <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-developer-notch-cancels-oculus-vr-version-of-game-after-facebook-acquisition/1100-6418541/" data-ref-id="1100-6418541">pulled out</a> of a potential deal to bring <a href="/minecraft/" data-ref-id="false">Minecraft</a> to the Rift due to owner Markus Persson's feelings that "Facebook creeps me out." But, who says VR gaming will be threatened just because a service-based company with a social focus is involved? I'm optimistic that Facebook will help legitimize VR as a future gaming medium, and that Oculus VR will benefit as a result of time and further investments.</p><p style="">What do you think? Will VR gaming benefit or suffer from Facebook's involvement?</p> Tue, 25 Mar 2014 19:20:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-you-shouldn-t-worry-about-facebook-buying-oculus-rift/1100-6418545/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/buy-oculus-back-from-facebook-frog-fractions-2-sets-new-stretch-goal/1100-6418546/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2487832-d4287ffdd760dc993703ddb86e86759b_large.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487832" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2487832-d4287ffdd760dc993703ddb86e86759b_large.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487832"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1534/15343359/2487832-d4287ffdd760dc993703ddb86e86759b_large.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">The<a href="/frog-fractions/" data-ref-id="false"> Frog Fractions 2</a> developers are currently <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/475057068/frog-fractions-2" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">running a Kickstarter</a> for their game, and they just added a timely (joking) stretch goal: if they raise $2 billion dollars, they'll "buy Oculus back from Facebook." In case you missed the massive news, earlier today <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/facebook-buys-oculus-rift-company-in-a-massive-deal-worth-an-estimated-2-billion/1100-6418540/" data-ref-id="1100-6418540">Facebook announced that they're buying VR developer Oculus.</a></p><p style="">The news is surprising and even lead developer Notch to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-developer-notch-cancels-oculus-vr-version-of-game-after-facebook-acquisition/1100-6418541/" data-ref-id="1100-6418541">cancel the development of Oculus support for Minecraft</a>. However, GameSpot editor Peter Brown pointed out in a recent editorial that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-you-shouldn-t-worry-about-facebook-buying-oculus-rift/1100-6418545/" data-ref-id="1100-6418545">it's not necessarily something you should worry about.</a></p><p style="">The Frog Fractions project currently sits just shy of funding at $42k, so it's unlikely it'll reach the $2 billion goal. But just in case you never played the original, you can still <a href="http://twinbeard.com/frog-fractions" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">try it out online right now</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><tbody><tr><td><p style="">Justin Haywald is a senior editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/JustinHaywald" rel="nofollow"> Twitter @JustinHaywald</a></p> Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 25 Mar 2014 19:13:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/buy-oculus-back-from-facebook-frog-fractions-2-sets-new-stretch-goal/1100-6418546/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/smite-review/1900-6415709/ <p style=""> </p><p style="">Since the dawn of civilization, humankind has told stories of the gods above. Whether they were tales of Zeus gallivanting about behind Hera's back or the Norse gods preparing for Ragnarok, one truth held constant: the gods had powers not accessible to mere mortals. Smite seeks to change that.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">In Smite, you take control of a god of your choosing from a multitude of world mythologies in a match-based multiplayer online battle arena. Unlike in similar games in the genre, you aren't an all-seeing eye watching the battle from overhead and micromanaging a single unit or small army from above. You control only one god. You see only what that god sees. You are that god.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Such a small change in theory opens up an entirely new gameplay experience in an otherwise stale genre filled with copycats and bandwagoners. You don't play the game with your eyes locked on a mini-map, focusing on the gameplay itself only when an enemy gets frisky. You focus on what's directly ahead of you. As the eerie feeling you're no longer alone creeps up your spine, you quickly glance to other entrances to your lane, hoping to find your paranoia misguided, before you return to attempting to chip away at the enemy god's health to set up for a display of divine power.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/225/2256286/2487713-0006.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487713" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/225/2256286/2487713-0006.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487713"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/225/2256286/2487713-0006.jpg"></a><figcaption>You must protect your portal from enemy minions in Arena to slow the bleed of attrition.</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">The concept of Smite isn't much different from that of <a href="/league-of-legends/" data-ref-id="false">League of Legends</a>; in Conquest mode, your goal is to destroy the enemy's towers to make a path to its minotaur. You choose any or all of the three lanes to push your army of minions into the enemy's base. Your god levels up over the course of the battle, gaining access to his or her full array of skills, which help to battle the enemy's team of gods. You earn gold for being near minions as they die, and a bonus is granted for delivering the killing blow. There is no ability to deny your own minions as in <a href="/dota-2/" data-ref-id="false">Dota 2</a>, but forcing enemy gods away from the clashing minions starves them of their gold income. Gold is spent on items, and many of the items bear striking similarities to the items from other MOBAs. But if it ain't broke...</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">The difference is in the delivery, and thanks to Smite's WASD controls as opposed to the more real-time strategy feel of other MOBAs, items are free to have effects, such as allowing you to attack while on the move without slowing down. Playing a marksman yields a more visceral experience as you kite back without relying on either AI or rapid mouse movement for your target selection, instead focusing fire precisely on your pursuer until it's time to turn tail and flee.</p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/225/2256286/2487500-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487500" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/225/2256286/2487500-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487500"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/225/2256286/2487500-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Geb smash!</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Conquest isn't Smite's only available mode. Players not attracted to the crawl of early-game laning will find the deathmatch-oriented Arena mode strong enough to stand on its own legs. Two teams of gods are dropped into a coliseum setting with a crowd cheering or jeering as the attrition tug-of-war scoring pulls in either direction. The stadium crowd even claps familiar sports cheers as it observes the deific skirmish. This mode offers short games of nonstop action with plenty of thriller comebacks and close calls that get your heart racing until the final moment. If the Arena's chaos isn't enough, the genre staple All Random, All Mid makes an appearance under the name Assault, guaranteeing a unique experience in every game with its random selection.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Developer Hi-Rez knows that variety is the spice of life and ensures such is available in Smite with a cycling mode of the day, featuring focused game types with a specific selection of thematic gods, such as the Assault variant Wet and Wild with only Poseidon and He Bo as selectable gods, or Egyptian Roulette, which grants you a random Egyptian god on a Domination-type map with three control points over which you must battle for control. With a grand total of 55 different daily playlists to choose from, and Saturday's choice put to community vote, the game lets you escape the potential redundancy of the default modes in a fantastic manner.</p><p style=""> </p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/225/2256286/2487507-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487507" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/225/2256286/2487507-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487507"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/225/2256286/2487507-0002.jpg"></a><figcaption>Every god has post-game victory and defeat celebrations that shows how much detail was put into the game.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Game modes aren't the only examples of variety in Smite. Hi-Rez left no cairn stone unturned when selecting the deities to use in the game. The core Greek, Norse, and Egyptian gods are present, but alongside them come Chinese legends Sun Wukong and Ao Kuang, Hindu gods, and even the obscure Mayan god of bees, Ah Muzen Cab, and the howler monkey god, Hun Batz. The gods are fairly balanced in the five archetypical roles of hunter, guardian, assassin, warrior, and mage, although the mage carries a larger champion pool than the rest. Warriors and hunters deal physical damage, while the other three deal magical damage. Players who wish to experiment with hybrid item builds or attempt to play a mage as a hunter will be a bit disappointed to find the attack damage items missing from a mage's shop and similarly for hunters and (magical) power items. While the lack of innovation in item builds may be a bit of a downer, its offset by the reduction in potential item builds with the intention to troll.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Smite is free-to-play and supports itself through microtransactions, which may be used to unlock gods more quickly or to give your god a different appearance in battle. Smite offers a package of all the game's gods, present and upcoming, for a very attractive $30; most rival games offer an incomplete bundle of champions for a similar price, giving Smite the edge when it comes to value for your money. Many skins in Smite are also available to purchase through the earned-through-play currency, rewarding you for your loyalty even if you choose to play the game entirely for free.</p><p style=""> </p><blockquote data-align="left"><p style="">With just a few changes to what other games have delivered before, Smite manages to feel like a brand-new game.</p></blockquote><p style="">Furthering the comparison of Smite's platform to other MOBAs, Smite strays from the account progression mechanics that affect in-game powers such as runes and masteries from League of Legends. While your account does earn a level from 1 to 30, the only direct effect it has on gameplay is unlocking the game's ranked league play once you reach level 30. Summoner spells from League of Legends are also a no-show in Smite, with Smite instead electing to tie such powerful abilities to in-game purchased active items, which can be further upgraded with gold investment as opposed to furthering your core item build. Devoting time to one god at a time earns you worshippers, who serve no purpose other than to display a mastery level. This cosmetic ranking allows you a bit of self-satisfaction as the loading screen for each match shows how many mastery levels you've earned with both your account and the god you've chosen for the particular match.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Smite is a godsend for the MOBA genre, with the heart of its gameplay proving that innovation to the war plan for tower siege games is possible. With just a few changes to what other games have delivered before, Smite manages to feel like a brand-new game. There's no cost to join, and no mechanics that directly make players who have been around longer better at the game, making it easy to get into. Once in, it's hard to keep yourself from following a new god: Smite.</p> Tue, 25 Mar 2014 18:12:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/smite-review/1900-6415709/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/meet-the-crusaders-and-grab-the-loot-in-act-v-of-d/2300-6417973/ Erick takes some time from his 5 day stream of Diablo III's new expansion to show us Campaign and Adventure mode in Diablo III Reaper of Souls. Tue, 25 Mar 2014 18:05:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/meet-the-crusaders-and-grab-the-loot-in-act-v-of-d/2300-6417973/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/nhl-94-megabit/2300-6417971/ Peter takes you back to 1994 with arguably the BEST Hockey game on the planet with NHL '94. Tue, 25 Mar 2014 17:59:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/nhl-94-megabit/2300-6417971/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/facebook-is-buying-oculus-virtual-reality-update-o/2300-6417972/ Peter talks to Chris and Danny about Facebook announcing a $2 billion dollar deal to buy virtual reality headset maker Oculus, as well as the current state of Virtual Reality. Tue, 25 Mar 2014 17:54:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/facebook-is-buying-oculus-virtual-reality-update-o/2300-6417972/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/kill-the-drug-dealers-playing-infamous-second-son-/2300-6417970/ While playing Infamous: Second Son, Tom explains how to be morally good by taking down drug dealers, or be bad by killing street musicians in the city of Seattle. Tue, 25 Mar 2014 17:47:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/kill-the-drug-dealers-playing-infamous-second-son-/2300-6417970/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/goats-are-so-hot-right-now-escape-goat-2-with-deve/2300-6417968/ Ian Stocker stops by to talk to us about goats, mice, grim reapers all all that is Escape Goat 2. Tue, 25 Mar 2014 17:35:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/goats-are-so-hot-right-now-escape-goat-2-with-deve/2300-6417968/

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