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Gamespot's Site MashupGears of War developer makes a Flappy Bird cloneWarlock 2 ReviewQuick Look: Wolfenstein: The New OrderPokemon Snap Gameplay - The Shaun Method HighlightsWolfenstein: The New Order - Now PlayingGS News - Xbox One Gets External Storage; Batman: Arkham Knight Trailer!The Descent Series Should Rise AgainGS Breakdown: Batman Arkham Knight trailer analysisWolfenstein: The New Order - Graphics ComparisonQuick Look: TransistorWWE 2K15 launching October 28 for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4US gamers spent more on hardware, but less overall, during Q1 2014New SoulCalibur lacks multiplayer because of its "pay-to-win model"Fallout parent company officially sues Oculus VR and Palmer Luckey [UPDATE]Wolfenstein: New Order Demo - The Lobby

http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Thu, 22 May 2014 04:57:31 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gears-of-war-developer-makes-a-flappy-bird-clone/1100-6419801/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2538359-tappychicken.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2538359" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2538359-tappychicken.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2538359"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2538359-tappychicken.jpg"></a></figure> Epic Games, the developer behind games like <a href="/gears-of-war/" data-ref-id="false">Gears of War </a>and <a href="/unreal-tournament/" data-ref-id="false">Unreal Tournament</a>, has released a Flappy Bird clone. The game, Tappy Chicken, is available today as a free download for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/keynote/id821841075" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">iOS</a> and<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.epicgames.TappyChicken" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Android</a>.Described as "easy to play and impossible to put down," Tappy Chicken was made by a single Epic Games artist who the studio says has no traditional programming skills. The game runs on Unreal Engine 4 and Epic Games says it's an example of how its engine can be used for a whole host of games--from <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gears-of-war-creator-working-on-a-high-end-game-that-will-push-next-generation-graphics/1100-6419180/" data-ref-id="1100-6419180">graphics-intensive experiences</a> to lighter fare like this.Tappy Chicken plays just like Flappy Bird. Your only task is to avoid structures that stand in your way by tapping anywhere on the screen to make you chicken fly higher. When you die, Xs run through the chicken's eyes and it lays a cracked egg.The game is free, but you'll notice some in-game ads. There's also Game Center and Google Play leaderboards, and Epic Games says new updates are on the way for the future.As for the real Flappy Bird, creator Dong Nguyen said this month that it will <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/flappy-bird-returning-in-august-with-multiplayer-will-be-less-addictive/1100-6419647/" data-ref-id="1100-6419647">return to app stores sometime in August</a>. The new version will have multiplayer and is described as "less addictive" than the original.<table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">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></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>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> Thu, 22 May 2014 04:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gears-of-war-developer-makes-a-flappy-bird-clone/1100-6419801/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/warlock-2-review/1900-6415768/ It was sometime around the 13th straight hour of playing Warlock 2 that I realized I probably should have been asleep a few hundred turns ago. Despite that realization, I couldn't quit playing. Warlock 2 is a classic 4X strategy game that focuses a bit more on the combat and exploration side of things, and it works stunningly well for the most part. Warlock 2 starts with a novel premise--warfare split across multiple dimensions--and executes that vision with an inspired artistic flair, some unorthodox design choices, and a haunting, emergent narrative.Before each match in Warlock, you pick your "great mage," a grand and nigh omnipotent leader to help guide your forces and vie for power with others of your kind. You research world-rending spells, gather your forces, and wage war on a transdimensional stage. Play, for the most part, revolves around slowly making your way across different planes of existence. These are radically different dimensions, with some being pits of demons and hellfire and others so imbued with the energy of life that simply being there heals your soldiers over time. Strange dimensions were a big feature in the first Warlock game as well, but this time around, they've moved from being an ancillary novelty to the focus of play.<figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2538135-001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2538135" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2538135-001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2538135"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/78/787590/2538135-001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Sometimes it's easier to just surround your enemy with dragons.</figcaption></figure>The dimensions are linked by a haphazard network of portals. These act as choke points, much like Sins of a Solar Empire's phase lanes. Until the very late game, most of the strategy revolves around controlling as many of these portals as possible. As a given match progresses and your burgeoning empire begins to stretch across several of these planes, maintaining efficient troop movement and matching your empire's upkeep costs can become overwhelming. Around eight hours into my first match, I was struggling to maintain a decent flow of cash to support my armies. I was forced to take a hard look at each of my bases and nix the unnecessary ones. Simply destroying them can cause quite a bit of unrest in your citizenry; instead, you're encouraged to convert them to either massive forts or temples for your favored deity.There are eight major gods you can follow, and each correlates with a broad class of forces: life vs. death, earth vs. wind, fire vs. water, and so on. Earning the attention of gods can be accomplished only by building temples and shrines in their honor, and doing so can give you access to some of the best spells in the game. In the main research path for spells, you only ever have two healing spells, and by the late game, those start losing their utility. I chose as my deity the god of life, and had quite a few options for keeping my troops in proper fighting condition. Toward the end of the game, my patronage had started to annoy some of the other gods, and I saw the living avatar of the god of death descend from the heavens to kill me. I didn't have the armies to repel him, and I was close enough to satisfying another victory condition that I just let him destroy some of my older bases. With that, though, I began to notice an underlying theme in Warlock 2--the idea of balance and order.<figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2538158-002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2538158" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2538158-002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2538158"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/78/787590/2538158-002.jpg"></a><figcaption> Things start to look pretty chaotic after many mages have done their worst.</figcaption></figure>The first Warlock had you seeking to attain the highest power in the land. Following those events, one omnipotent being controls all of creation and has torn it apart to maintain his position as the United One, a title that's about as ironic as they come. After finishing my first campaign match, I saw a terse clip confirming my interpretation. Gods seek your favor, but should any one gain too much power over any other, they descend to correct the imbalance themselves. Everyone naturally seeks power and hopes to expand and conquer in this world, but after a point, that becomes problematic.Powerful spells that can reshape vast swaths of land help buttress the central theme of the game, namely that as a great mage, you are one step removed from a god--a power that you probably shouldn't have. Each type of land has its own effects, and these move beyond the standard defense and movement bonuses. While I was invading the plane of death, I noticed that this unholy land was steadily killing my holy warriors. I steadily reworked the land and filled it with life-giving hills and flatlands. While it was nice to have that ability, it seemed fundamentally wrong. I was twisting and contorting the world to suit my own designs, but, as far as the basic setting goes, that's exactly how the world became so broken in the first place.Sometimes the land-changing spells can be a bit too powerful, and it's far easier to destroy than it is to create. If an opponent simply scorches your plains to reduce farm output, your farms themselves aren't destroyed. They just become less efficient. If your farms or any other buildings are sunk entirely, however, you need a spell to fix the land and then rebuild all of your damaged structures. If another mage strikes the proper city with one of these spells, that can stall a military campaign or kill your ability to maintain units. The results are not too far removed from the role of nuclear weapons in other strategy games, but these spells can be cast very cheaply and cannot easily be blocked without constantly running counter spells. In multiplayer especially, it can often become a contest to see who forgets to block whom first, and that can get tedious quickly. Ostensibly, powerful spells are intended to be balanced by the fact that you can't cast where you can't see, but building up a small cadre of scouts to keep large chunks of the map visible at all times is hardly difficult.<blockquote data-size="large">Because the focus is on such small groups, distinctive visual design helps reinforce the idea that each piece of your army is special. Ships, lords, and even foot soldiers are remarkably well designed.</blockquote>Even with a few scouts on hand, armies in Warlock are noticeably smaller than in most strategy games. At my strongest, I was fielding a force of maybe 20 units, and typically running about 10. With unit upgrades and the very limited movement speed of units, games focus more on managing small teams of powerful, well-trained soldiers than massive fodder armies. You also have the ability to keep up to four lords, which, depending on their level and upgrades, can easily overwhelm just about anything. That's for the best, because it avoids one of the biggest problems of games like Civilization. With the exception of the awkward pacing issues I mentioned earlier, games progress evenly and don't bog down with hundreds of soldiers in the late game. Managing their equipment and buffs is also much easier and more straightforward than it really should be given how many potential boosts you can give to any one unit.<figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2538159-003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2538159" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2538159-003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2538159"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/78/787590/2538159-003.jpg"></a><figcaption>Warlock problems: mages flooding your farms with spells from halfway across the known universe.</figcaption></figure>Because the focus is on such small groups, distinctive visual design helps reinforce the idea that each piece of your army is special. Ships, lords, and even foot soldiers are remarkably well designed. Even with the basic troops, there's plenty of variety and flair to their visual presentation. Subtle graphical effects, such as the continually twisting rays of light that hover over holy, life-giving plains, make the overworld visually busy, but in such a way that helps the entire game feel more cohesive and solidly constructed. The user interface is similarly intricate, and all of these pieces work together to help sell this rendition of the standard fantasy setting.That level of detail sometimes clashes with the lackluster execution of some of Warlock's better ideas. The potential for political interaction between the disparate factions is limited. With the exception of the undead's weakness to all things holy and life-giving, there's not a whole lot to make each faction feel distinct in terms of play. And when it's time to sit down at the negotiating table with other leaders, your choices can be summarized by "Give me stuff" and "I'll kill you."Warlock was a creative game that tried a few interesting new things--namely the global spells and extra dimensional planes--and Warlock 2 takes them all a step further. Making the multiple dimensions a priority instead of a side bit refocuses play toward direct combat and exploration. The small army sizes prevent floods of units from taking and holding all points on the map and necessitate greater care with movement and empire expansion. Together, this creates a slow but focused style of play that's unlike anything else on the market. Wed, 21 May 2014 18:32:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/warlock-2-review/1900-6415768/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-wolfenstein-the-new-order/2300-6418893/ Watch extended gameplay footage from Wolfenstein: The New Order featuring the Giant Bomb crew. Wed, 21 May 2014 17:44:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-wolfenstein-the-new-order/2300-6418893/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/pokemon-snap-gameplay-the-shaun-method-highlights/2300-6418918/ Shaun goes into the world of Pokemon to chuck apples at their junk and take some "interesting" pictures in Pokemon Snap. Wed, 21 May 2014 17:20:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/pokemon-snap-gameplay-the-shaun-method-highlights/2300-6418918/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/wolfenstein-the-new-order-now-playing/2300-6418896/ We give you a longer look at the new Wolfenstein game and take questions from the viewers. Join us and tell us if this game is all you thought it would be! Wed, 21 May 2014 16:48:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/wolfenstein-the-new-order-now-playing/2300-6418896/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-xbox-one-gets-external-storage-batman-arkh/2300-6418915/ New Zelda game gets release date, Batman: Arkham Knight gets trailer, Alienware probably won't profit from their Steam Machine, and Xbox One updates! Wed, 21 May 2014 16:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-xbox-one-gets-external-storage-batman-arkh/2300-6418915/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-descent-series-should-rise-again/1100-6419795/ Almost two decades ago, there was a game that vexed me. It disoriented me, turned me around, killed me mercilessly, and changed the way I played video games for the rest of my life. That game was <a href="/descent/" data-ref-id="false">Descent</a>. As a mercenary pilot, I plunged into zero-gravity mining facilities throughout the solar system to combat rogue robots and rescue hostages, all the while navigating labyrinthine mazes of forking tunnels and multi-exited chambers. While space flight games like <a href="/star-wars-x-wing/" data-ref-id="false">Star Wars: X-Wing</a> introduced me to the "six degrees of freedom" control scheme, it was Descent that taught me how precious that freedom can be.And it wasn't just me. According to Wikipedia, the Descent series sold over 40 million copies. Even if you take these numbers with a grain of salt, there's no denying that a generation of PC gamers got their first-person shooter kicks in the mines of Descent, its sequels, and its expansion packs. The late '90s saw a proliferation of games in that genre, but since the turn of the century, first-person shooters have largely left the "six degrees of freedom" subgenre behind in favor of putting your boots on the ground. Yet with the advent of promising virtual reality headsets and <a href="/videos/return-of-the-space-sim-star-citizen-and-elite-dan/2300-6418513/" data-ref-id="2300-6418513">the resurgence of space sims</a>, it's time for Descent to return.<div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418744" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418744/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div> Of course, just because something hasn't been around for a while doesn't mean it should come back, and I'll confess that my enthusiasm to see the series return is partially motivated by personal nostalgia. As I mentioned before, I didn't find Descent to be an easy game and many of my hours spent with it were frustrating ones. The level layouts started off fairly simple, but soon developed into twisting, branching, head-spinning mazes in which it was easy to get turned around and spend significant time retracing my steps. The automatically charted wire-frame map offered some crude assistance, but if I counted on it to navigate during the desperate race to the exit of each level (triggered once you blew up your primary target), things often went poorly.A similar fate often befell me in combat. The virus-corrupted robots arrayed against me came in various models, some tougher and more powerful than others. The littlest ones were pretty easy to dispatch, but unless I was careful about every corner I turned, they'd often tag me once or twice before I shot them down. When bigger baddies came into play, evasion became an even more crucial part of combat as I tried to land shots while dodging enemy fire. Shield and health pickups were precious resources in this pre-regenerating-health shooter, but there never seemed to be enough around when I needed them. I died often in those tunnels, more often than I'd care to admit.<figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/542/5424362/2537985-%23%23%2300005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2537985" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/542/5424362/2537985-%23%23%2300005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2537985"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/542/5424362/2537985-%23%23%2300005.jpg"></a></figure>And yet, it was these challenges that drew me back into those mines, time and time again. Forming a mental map of Descent's levels was one of the trickiest tasks I'd encountered in a game at that point, but it was vital to my success, and so I did it and sharpened my spatial awareness in the process. Positioning myself to avoid enemy fire and return my own required that I master orienting myself along those six degrees of freedom, and so I learned to transpose my perspective into that world; to this day, I still use the inverted-look controls that I became accustomed to as a Descent pilot. Overcoming these difficulties not only brought its own satisfaction, but helped shape me into the gamer that I am today.Map design and combat: On these two pillars, Descent built its empire of virtual mercenaries. Then, as now, game design that used relatively simple systems in increasingly complex ways to demand much of the player had powerful appeal. As long as the player has the means to master a game's challenges, the fulfillment of overcoming difficulties will always be alluring to some.But it's not just difficulty we crave; it's novelty, and how can a long dormant series be novel again? Here's where modern gaming innovations make Descent an even more tempting reboot. From the two-dimensional mines of <a href="/spelunky/" data-ref-id="false">Spelunky </a>to the isometric caves of <a href="/path-of-exile/" data-ref-id="false">Path of Exile</a>, procedurally generated levels help deliver fresh experiences to players in a number of genres. The mines of Descent would be perfect candidates for such creation, and they wouldn't have to be limited to the metallic walls and lunar geology of past Descent games. Imagine exploring organic tunnels carved by some unknown alien creature, or floating past dazzling crystalline stalactites in pristine ancient caves. Perhaps the influences of <a href="/red-faction-guerrilla/" data-ref-id="false">Red Faction</a> and <a href="/minecraft/" data-ref-id="false">Minecraft </a>could also come into play as you bored your own shortcuts through layers of destructible sediment.All of Descent's dizzying navigation challenges could be even more exciting with the immersive potential of a virtual reality headset like the Oculus Rift or the Sony Morpheus. Feeling the mine walls close in on you from all sides could get your heart racing, and turning your head to spot shortcuts, power-ups, or delicate environmental details could greatly heighten the sense of being an explorer in an uncharted land. Space sims like <a href="/star-citizen/" data-ref-id="false">Star Citizen</a>, <a href="/elite-dangerous/" data-ref-id="false">Elite: Dangerous</a>, and <a href="/eve-valkyrie/" data-ref-id="false">EVE: Valkyrie</a> are already using the Oculus development kits to great effect; now it's time to take those free-flying thrills and delve underground.<figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/7/1/5/5/2027155-651271_20130206_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2027155" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/7/1/5/5/2027155-651271_20130206_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2027155"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/mig/7/1/5/5/2027155-651271_20130206_001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Retrovirus, a recent Descent-like game. </figcaption></figure>Fortunately, the past few years have seen some releases that aim to capture the magic of Descent, albeit with mixed results. <a href="/retrovirus/" data-ref-id="false">Retrovirus </a>offered a technological slant on the genre, though uneven difficulty made it a bit of a rough ride. <a href="/miner-wars-2081/" data-ref-id="false">Miner Wars 2081</a> earned enough support on Steam's Greenlight program to get published, reflecting a robust level of player interest in a Descent-esque revival. And over the past few months, the Descent games themselves have been arriving on Steam for the first time. Could this be a calculated move to cultivate interest in the genre ahead of a big reveal at E3?That last guess may be a long shot, but for the chance to return to the mines that helped define my gaming past, I'm willing to gamble on the future. Wed, 21 May 2014 15:57:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-descent-series-should-rise-again/1100-6419795/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-breakdown-batman-arkham-knight-trailer-analysis/2300-6418911/ What's actual gameplay, what's not, and who's the Arkham Knight? Wed, 21 May 2014 15:08:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-breakdown-batman-arkham-knight-trailer-analysis/2300-6418911/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/wolfenstein-the-new-order-graphics-comparison/2300-6418910/ Compare the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC in this graphics comparison of Wolfenstein: The New Order. Wed, 21 May 2014 14:36:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/wolfenstein-the-new-order-graphics-comparison/2300-6418910/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-transistor/2300-6418887/ Watch extended gameplay footage from Supergiant's strategic futuristic follow-up to Bastian featuring the Giant Bomb crew. Wed, 21 May 2014 14:32:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-transistor/2300-6418887/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wwe-2k15-launching-october-28-for-xbox-360-xbox-one-ps3-ps4/1100-6419794/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2537973-2k15.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2537973" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2537973-2k15.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2537973"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2537973-2k15.jpg"></a></figure> 2K Sports <a href="https://twitter.com/WWEgames/status/469201693721120769" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">announced today on Twitter</a> that <a href="/wwe-2k15/" data-ref-id="false">WWE 2K15</a> will launch October 28 in North America across Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4. The professional wrestling game will be available internationally three days later on October 31 for the same platforms.WWE 2K15 was previously announced, but we didn't know anything about platforms or a release date until today. 2K also shared a logo for the game today, but there's no screenshots, video, or other game details to speak of. Last year's <a href="/wwe-2k14/" data-ref-id="false">WWE 2K14</a> was developed by Yuke's.For more on the WWE 2K series, be sure to read <a href="/reviews/wwe-2k14-review/1900-6415512/" data-ref-id="1900-6415512">GameSpot's review of WWE 2K14</a>.What are you hoping to see in WWE 2K15? Let us know in the comments below!<table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">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></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>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> Wed, 21 May 2014 13:02:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wwe-2k15-launching-october-28-for-xbox-360-xbox-one-ps3-ps4/1100-6419794/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/us-gamers-spent-more-on-hardware-but-less-overall-during-q1-2014/1100-6419793/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2537964-xbox+one+ps4.png" data-ref-id="1300-2537964" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2537964-xbox+one+ps4.png" data-ref-id="1300-2537964"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2537964-xbox+one+ps4.png"></a></figure>Consumers in the United States spent 47 percent more on video game hardware during the first quarter of 2014 than they did during the same period last year, but overall spending on gaming was still down by a small amount, the NPD Group reports.$983 million in total was spent on video game hardware in the U.S. during the quarter ending March 31, representing an increase of 47 percent over Q1 2013. That's obviously due in large part to two new consoles hitting the market late last year in the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. NPD analyst Liam Callahan says we can expect to see year-over-year increases for hardware sales to last through "most of 2014," according to an NPD press release.We haven't gotten an update on sales figures for the One since the end of 2013; <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-sold-3-million-units-in-2013-microsoft-says/1100-6416955/" data-ref-id="1100-6416955">3 million units</a> were sold worldwide by the end of the year, while <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-ships-1-2-million-to-retailers-during-2014-s-first-quarter/1100-6419194/" data-ref-id="1100-6419194">5 million have been shipped</a>--but not necessarily sold--to retailers. The PS4 has <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-reports-7-million-playstation-4-consoles-sold-worldwide/1100-6419044/" data-ref-id="1100-6419044">eclipsed the 7-million-sold mark</a> worldwide, and we know that at least about 3 million of those have been sold since the beginning of the year.While hardware trends are looking up, the industry as a whole saw sales fall to $4.6 billion in the U.S., a 1 percent decrease compared with Q1 2013. New, physical games in particular took a hit, dropping 27 percent year-over-year to $372 million in sales. Digital spending, was up 4 percent, while accessory spending was down 11 percent to $446 million. Controllers and "interactive gaming toys" (i.e. <a href="/skylanders-giants/" data-ref-id="false">Skylanders</a> and <a href="/disney-infinity/" data-ref-id="false">Disney Infinity</a> toys) were called out as bright spots in the accessory space."For the first quarter of 2014, content spending increased for used games, digital full games, DLC, and mobile with a modest increase in subscription revenue," Callahan said. "This is another example of the interplay of physical media as well as digital downloads as consumers transition further into this console generation."The NPD issued its monthly sales report for new, physical sales during April last week, revealing the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-outsells-xbox-one-in-us-during-april-titanfall-remains-top-seller/1100-6419672/" data-ref-id="1100-6419672">PS4 had outsold the Xbox One</a> in the U.S. for the fourth month running. <a href="/titanfall/" data-ref-id="false">Titanfall</a> remained the best-selling game in the country for the second month in a row.Have you been spending more or less on gaming so far this year as compared with years past? Let us know in the comments.<table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSmokingManX" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 21 May 2014 12:55:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/us-gamers-spent-more-on-hardware-but-less-overall-during-q1-2014/1100-6419793/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-soulcalibur-lacks-multiplayer-because-of-its-pay-to-win-model/1100-6419790/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2537905-13929676515_05a9313e44_o.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2537905" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2537905-13929676515_05a9313e44_o.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2537905"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2537905-13929676515_05a9313e44_o.jpg"></a></figure>For <a href="/soulcalibur-lost-swords/" data-ref-id="false">SoulCalibur: Lost Swords</a>, Namco Bandai elected to use a free-to-play business model and, perhaps even more notably, ditch the multiplayer mode that was so central to past entries in the series. As it turns out, the decision to leave multiplayer out stems from the use of what its developer describes as "a pay-to-win model."In an interview with <a href="http://www.siliconera.com/2014/05/19/bandai-namco-theres-multiplayer-soulcalibur-lost-swords/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Siliconera</a>, Lost Swords producer Masaaki Hoshino said, "The reason that we went single-player... well, originally, we were thinking about having a multiplayer option, but because we're going with a pay-to-win model, we were worried that by having online multiplayer, for all the new users that would be coming in experiencing the game for the first time, they might be immediately deterred by fighting against opponents who had superior equipment and gear--and we didn't want to have that kind of negative impact on new players."In the singleplayer experience, having a pay-to-win structure won't impede the player's experience with the game," he added.There are different approaches to free-to-play games--some go the route of games like <a href="/dota-2/" data-ref-id="false">Dota 2</a> and <a href="/team-fortress-2/" data-ref-id="false">Team Fortress 2</a>, selling primarily cosmetic items that don't affect gameplay. Others sell items that give players an edge or prevent them from playing as much as they want without paying. Lost Swords, which was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/namco-bandai-announces-free-to-play-soulcalibur-lost-swords/1100-6414315/" data-ref-id="1100-6414315">announced last year</a> and then released in April on the PlayStation 3, does both, offering in-game purchases for things such as treasure chests and potions that can be used to extend the amount of time you're able to play the game.Hoshino says the game is targeted at "old fans and new players alike," although it's "definitely catered towards an audience who will experience the franchise for the first time." He also said making the game free-to-play "wasn't so much about the business model itself, but the idea that we wanted to expand the market to the more casual user, and we thought that the free-to-play mold would fit that model better."Abandoning multiplayer in a fighting game seems like a particularly odd decision considering how critical it is to the success of the genre. While series fans may balk at its omission, they can continue to play 2012's <a href="/soulcalibur-v/" data-ref-id="false">SoulCalibur V</a> while waiting for a proper, multiplayer-equipped sequel.If you've tried out Lost Swords, which is a free download on the PS3's online store, let us know what you think in the comments.<table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSmokingManX" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 21 May 2014 12:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-soulcalibur-lacks-multiplayer-because-of-its-pay-to-win-model/1100-6419790/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-parent-company-officially-sues-oculus-vr-and-palmer-luckey-update/1100-6419792/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2537940-oculuslawsuit.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2537940" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2537940-oculuslawsuit.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2537940"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2537940-oculuslawsuit.jpg"></a></figure>[UPDATE] Following the publication of this story, Oculus VR issued a statement regarding ZeniMax's lawsuit. "The lawsuit filed by ZeniMax has no merit whatsoever. As we have previously said, ZeniMax did not contribute to any Oculus technology. Oculus will defend these claims vigorously."The original story is below.Earlier this month, ZeniMax <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-elder-scrolls-parent-company-seeking-compensation-for-oculus-rift-headset-oculus-calls-claims-ridiculous/1100-6419351/" data-ref-id="1100-6419351">accused Oculus VR </a>of stealing virtual reality technology that would later become popular headset Oculus Rift, which <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 purchased for $2 billion</a> just two months ago. Now, the Fallout and Elder Scrolls parent company has filed an official lawsuit against Oculus VR and 21-year-old founder Palmer Luckey.The suit accuses Oculus VR of "illegally misappropriating ZeniMax trade secrets relating to virtual reality technology, and infringing ZeniMax copyrights and trademarks." It also accuses Oculus VR of breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and unfair competition. The suit, some 55 pages in total, was filed today in U.S. District Court in Texas.<blockquote data-align="left">"Luckey has held himself out to the public as the visionary developer of virtual reality technology, when in fact the key technology Luckey used to establish Oculus was developed by ZeniMax" -- ZeniMax</blockquote>ZeniMax further claims that defendants Oculus VR and Luckey unlawfully exploited ZeniMax's intellectual property, including trade secrets, copyrighted computer code, and "technical know-how" related to virtual reality.Legendary game designer John Carmack is at the heart of the matter. He worked on virtual reality technology while employed at id Software, and ZeniMax claims that this technology, "developed by ZeniMax after years of research and investment," should belong to them.The suit goes on to say that defendants "refused all requests" from ZeniMax to compensate them and that they continue to use ZeniMax's intellectual property "without authorization.""Luckey has held himself out to the public as the visionary developer of virtual reality technology, when in fact the key technology Luckey used to establish Oculus was developed by ZeniMax," ZeniMax said in a statement.In a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oculus-responds-to-claims-that-it-stole-vr-tech-from-fallout-parent-company/1100-6419420/" data-ref-id="1100-6419420">statement earlier this month</a>, Oculus VR said it is confident that it can prove that "all of [ZeniMax's] claims are false." The company went on to say at the time that there is not a line of ZeniMax code or any of its technology in Oculus products and that Carmack did not take any intellectual property from ZeniMax. We have reached out to an Oculus VR representative for comment regarding ZeniMax's lawsuit."Intellectual property forms the foundation of our business," ZeniMax CEO Robert Altman said in a statement. "We cannot ignore the unlawful exploitation of intellectual property that we develop and own, nor will we allow misappropriation and infringement to go unaddressed.""ZeniMax and id Software take their intellectual property rights seriously," ZeniMax's legal counsel Anthony Sammi said in a statement. "We now look to the federal courts and will pursue all appropriate measures available under the law to rectify defendants' egregious conduct."ZeniMax is seeking unspecified damages and a trial by jury for the case. We will continue to monitor this story as it develops. <table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">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></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>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> Wed, 21 May 2014 12:09:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-parent-company-officially-sues-oculus-vr-and-palmer-luckey-update/1100-6419792/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/wolfenstein-new-order-demo-the-lobby/2300-6418908/ Chris shows Danny and IGN's Greg Miller how to murder Nazi's of various shapes and sizes in this first look at Wolfenstein: New Order. Wed, 21 May 2014 12:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/wolfenstein-new-order-demo-the-lobby/2300-6418908/

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