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Most Active Halo: The Master Chief Collection Players To Beta Test Future Updates

Halo: The Master Chief Collection developer 343 Industries is offering an invitation the the community’s most active members to beta test upcoming updates for the game.

North American players who’ve opted-in via the Xbox One Preview program will get a chance to participate in the tests, according to the studio’s latest blog entry, beginning this Friday, January 23. Players must, of course, already own The Master Chief Collection in addition to being highly engaged. If selected, you’ll notice a prompt to download the a new update upon booting up when live.

“In recent weeks, we have been conducting extensive internal testing of an upcoming content update for Halo: The Master Chief Collection,” 343 wrote. “Given the scale of the update, which includes changes to the matchmaking experience and party system, we are expanding testing to include select members of the Xbox One Preview program to ensure the official release is the best possible experience for all players.”

Though it’s an interesting and potentially controversial approach to updating a game struggling to catch a break, it isn’t an entirely new one and has already proved beneficial for other multiplayer titles like Battlefield 4 who’ve adopted a similar philosophy.

What’s your take on it?

For those interested, you can read full content update beta test Q&A over on HaloWaypoint.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Free-To-Play Vampire Vs. Human Shooter Nosgoth Hits Open Beta Today, New Trailer

Nosgoth, the free-to-play vampire vs. human shooter from Square Enix and Psyonix based off the Legacy of Kain series, is heading into Open Beta on Steam, the studios announced today.

It’s free and is available to download now. To get involved, simply head on over to the game’s official website and click the big red “Play Now” button. All participants will score double XP throughout the duration of the Beta as well.

Above is a brand new trailer showing off footage captured from a real play session featuring Nosgoth community members and using the in-game camera tool, NosCam. Give it a watch!

“We are incredibly passionate about the Nosgoth community and we wanted to highlight this in our Open Beta Launch trailer which was made in conjunction with actual players,” said Game Director Corey Davis. “The community is at the core of the game and it is humbling to have such a vibrant and supportive fan-base and put these players’ front and centre of our campaign.”

New content is also on the way, including a new Vampire class called the Summoner who can call on dark powers to command ravenous ghouls. A new Human class and Vampire city map will follow, in addition to new game modes, modes, character skins, league rankings, crafting tools, gifting & trading tool, observer tools, and more.

Be sure to tune in to Psyonix’s live stream that will show off some of the new content this Friday, January 23 at 11AM PST.

Have you tried Nosgoth yet? What are your thoughts?

 

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Battlefield Hardline Q&A With Lead MP Dev – New Details On Unlocks, Player Counts, The Beta, & More

Following today’s earlier Battlefield Hardline multiplayer map and game mode reveals, lead multiplayer designer Thaddeus Sasser took to Twitter to answer a few burning questions from the Battlefield community.

He touched on many subjects, including how unlocks work, new gameplay improvements, player counts, the upcoming beta, and more. Here’s a list of some of the points that we found most interesting from his conversation with fans.

  • No level cap in beta. All unlocks are available.
  • Can unlock weapons and gadgets in any order, provided you have the cash.
  • Some unlocks have hidden requirements.
  • No single player weapon unlocks for multiplayer.
  • Beta unlocks will not transfer over to final game.
  • Better impact sounds with “death screams”.
  • Increased player movement speed.
  • No Body Armor Field Upgrade.
  • Can change loadouts between matches during single-elimination games.
  • No frag rounds for shotguns.
  • Conquest and TDM support 64 players on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
  • Only certain maps will support 64 players.
  • No Rush mode.
  • No counter-knife.
  • Cannot buy in-game cash with real money.

Below is an extended look at the Q&A with Sasser (@dirtydeathdog) on Twitter. Check it out and be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments. What answers were most interesting to you? What questions do you still have?

Battlefield Hardline launches March 17 with an open multiplayer beta arriving in the near future.

Developing…

Sam Johnston ‏@derp_nugget: Will there be any monitoring of Hackers/cheaters/boosters? Thank you

Yes, absolutely.  We have PunkBuster and Fair Fight, and will actively work to make sure the experience is fair for everyone.

Neptunez ‏@submushroom: battlefield be a Competitive Title on console?

We’d love that.  We have two modes designed specifically around competitive play – Rescue and Crosshair.

Cyberzwerg ‏@TheCyberzwerg: how does server size work with new game-modes like Crosshair? #RCON

Crosshair and Rescue were designed for 5v5 for competitive play and quick matches.

Георгий Дайнов ‏@dynevgeorge: Are there any guns, attachment or gadgets which haven’t been shown to community yet?

Maaaybe. There’s no level cap or lock restrictions on the Beta, so check it out and let us know what you think!

ryan ‏@rcf7111: will there be a hitmarker sound?

We’ve improved the impact sounds, and you’ll hear your targets give off a death scream when you’re successful.

Marc Carlsson ‏@MarcCarlsson1: How did you go about designing the movement and fluidity? imo, the change to BF4 made the movement to jerky.

We heard player feedback about the movement, and made targeted improvements – things like increasing player movement speed.

Lemon Jerky ‏@TheEpicDerp: Will the 25mm helicopter ammunition be coming back? I personally never used it much.

No, no 25mm cannon.  We didn’t think it fit the theme or our gameplay very well.

Mark ‏@PatronMark: is there a Perk or Field Upgrade to reduce Damage to the Chest similar to #BF4 ? Thank you! #BFHardline

There’s no perk or field upgrade for this, but there is an Armored Insert gadget for the Mechanic class.

Ludio ㅤ ‏@FireFartFTW: So you can unlock the last assualt rifle on the list first?

There is no “last” assault rifle in this system, but there are some where the unlock condition is hidden!

Dominic Fernandez ‏@DominicFGaming: Are we getting mini destruction like in BF3 where we could kill people with the rubble?

You can kill people with destruction, depending on the event, yes.  Drop a roof on someone, for example.

Stephen ‏@SJGard18: Does your rank/unlocks transfer from Beta to full game? Trying to clear any rumors

No way! They do not transfer.

Captain Excellent ‏@Capt_Excellent: Missed the beginning of stream, are there or would it be possible to implement character customization between rounds?

You mean change your loadout, right?  That was one of the most requested changes – you can do this in single-elim modes now.

Gamer-bot 5000 ‏@GamerBot5000: Are Frag rounds for shotguns back?

Nope, no frag rounds – didn’t seem to make sense in the setting.

Gary Hamlett ‏@GaryHamlett3: will 64 players be able play all modes or just Some modes will u be able play 32-32 matches be Available

Only Conquest and TDM support 64 players in Hardline.

PREZZER UK ‏@Prezzeruk: in game cash that no doubt can be bought with real cash?

No, you have to earn it in-game.

Neptunez ‏@submushroom: will you be able.to unlock all the weapons in the beta?

Yep! Well, if you can 1) afford them and 2) find the requirements.

-d00msdayxx- ‏@d00msdayxx: are there completely different sections of the maps designed and playable ONLY for certain game types?

The space the map uses is specific to the mode in most cases…so sort of.

Alpha ‏@Alpha8887: is there any form for counter-knife in Hardline?

No, we removed the counter-knife.

NOOBeliminator ‏@NOOBeliminator: Are molotov and incendiary grenades more powerful in #BFHardline then their #Battlefield4 counterparts?

Yessss.  A ton of fun, and good for short-term route denial as well.

Battlefield Hardline ‏@TheBFHardline: is there any water combat in #BFHardline?

Yep, maps like Riptide feature boats.  Not so much swimming, though.

Dogman ‏@dogman800: are weapons the only thing you can buy with the ingame cash or can gadgets n weapon add ons be purchased!!

No, gadgets, attachments, and vehicle unlocks too.  You need to unlock the attachment category with kills for weapons though.

Mr. Kieran Poole ‏@KOPoole: will the extended magaxine have any downsides?

Yes, a slightly longer reload and fewer total rounds overall.

1RobotChicken ‏@1RobotChicken: Will Rush be on BFH?

Nope, no Rush.

Punkyyy60 ‏@Punkyyy60: you have removed headglitch ?

The level designers have worked hard to avoid creating this situation in the maps.

Jake Spence ‏@MeGustoBatman: Will there be unlocks for multiplayer for playing the story like guns in BF4?

nope, no gun unlocked based on sp.

DeWinter Zero ‏@DeWinterZero: Any chance the whole knife animation attack is removed and you’re gone back to (the better) swipe knife attacks?

we have both.  swipe from front, takedown from the back.  also some weapons have 2-handed ohk’s (but slow).

Lono ‏@LonoB: with counter knife confirmed gone, are frontal knives possible or just from the side and back?

from the back, no front autoknife

William Le ‏@TheCanadianMerc: How many Faction outfits are there in Hardline?

4 themes per faction, 2 factions per side = 16 total possible changes.

Brandon ‏@Khardoh: is there any type of bullet drop in Hardline?

yep

Alex Rogers ‏@Rogey: No domination listed in BFH game modes, will it still feature?

not currently planned

Hardline ‏@dirtydeathcat: will all the maps be playable in 64 players ??

nope, just the ones that work great

Dominic Fernandez ‏@DominicFGaming: From what I’ve seen, secondaries are class specific. Why is that?

We want to encourage players to try new things! It’s also good for class balance.

Matt Handel ‏@BkLiveWire: How exactly does the whole money currency thing work in Hardline?

you play and get cash for being successful.  You then spend said cash on what you want – provided you’ve met any conditions.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Xbox Comes To Windows 10, Windows 10 Comes to Xbox, Fable Legends To Introduce Cross-Platform Play

Head of Xbox Phil Spencer took the stage today during Microsoft’s Windows 10 event to unveil the sort of relationship the company plans to build between their new operating system and their current gaming platform, the Xbox One.

Just as the Xbox App will be coming to Windows 10, releasing mid-2015, Windows 10 will be coming to Xbox One in more ways than one.

Using the Xbox App on Windows 10, gamers will be able to communicate with others over Xbox Live and across platforms using both text and chat. Just like on the console, users will also be able to access Achievements, Game DVR Clips, Friends Lists, and Activity Feeds. It will also allow anyone to capture gameplay using their Windows 10 device and save those clips to Xbox Live, One Drive, or any social network.

Spencer also spoke of Valve’s Steam service, which he says “runs incredibly well on Windows 10.”

Meanwhile, Windows 10 will also have a presence on Xbox One, as Universal Windows Apps will be available on both Windows 10 and Xbox One. This, Spencer hopes, will open up many opportunities for developers of games and apps.

In addition, and perhaps the coolest feature related to gaming, new advancements will allow gamers to stream their supported Xbox One games on any Windows 10-supported PC or tablet [UPDATE: via Wi-Fi on a local network].

During the demo, Spencer booted up a paused instance of Forza Horizon 2 running on Xbox One and began streaming it to a Surface Pro 3 tablet using an Xbox One controller. He was able to access the game in the “My Games” tab after having “set up a relationship” between the two devices. Through the Surface, he was also able to access the Xbox One’s menu and turn the console off.

Lastly, Spencer announced that the latest entry in the Fable series, Fable Legends, will not only come to Xbox One and Windows 10, but will also allow cross-platform play between both devices for the first time. He hopes that “enabling people to play multiplayer games on Windows 10, across Xbox One and Windows 10, will unlock the potential of Xbox Live and grow social network that’s there today.”

Check out the demo trailer below.

[youtube id=”xjwK3V9HyfU”]

Certainly lots to look forward to with Windows 10 as an Xbox gamer. What new features are you most excited about?

Thanks, Polygon

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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COD: Advanced Warfare Double XP and New Playlists Inbound This Weekend

Double XP and brand new playlists are coming to Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare multiplayer this weekend.

Kicking things off by celebrating the upcoming release of Advanced Warfare’s Havoc DLC, Sledgehammer Games is hitting the Double XP switch this Friday, January 23 at 9AM PST. It will run on all platforms through to Monday, January 26 at 9AM PST.

In addition, the Hardcore community can look forward to a brand new Hardcore Mosh Pit playlist this weekend, including a mix of modes like Team Deathmatch, Domination, Kill Confirmed, and Search and Destroy on a handful of different maps.

Winning last week’s community poll, the map “Comeback” will also get its very own 24/7 playlist this weekend which will rotate between modes like Team Deathmatch, Uplink, Kill Confirmed, Domination, and more. It will only be live for the duration of the weekend, so if “Comeback” is your jam, be sure to get some games in while you can.

Earlier this week, Sledgehammer provided fans with an awesome look at Advanced Warfare’s new Exo Zombies mode, which comes packed in the Havoc DLC launching this January 27 on Xbox Live.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Battlefield Hardline – Learn About All 9 Maps and All 7 Modes; Descriptions, Images, and Videos

Visceral Games reveals all in the studio’s latest developer blog, shining a light on all nine multiplayer maps and all seven game modes available in their upcoming cops vs. criminals shooter, Battlefield Hardline.

Below, you’ll find images, official descriptions, and even some videos of each and every playable location in addition to official descriptions of all of Hardline’s multiplayer modes straight from the developers.

Check them all out, take note of what strikes you the most, and be sure to drop your thoughts in the comment section below!

Battlefield Hardline arrives on all platforms this March 17.

Multiplayer Maps

Downtown

“The heart of downtown Los Angeles is a jumping environment – the streets, the buildings, the cars – are all open to criminal deeds. The police have shut down the city center, and a heated confrontation is about to break out.”

[youtube id=”4w68WKbe3DA”]

Bank Job

“Money is the root of all evil. The criminals are plotting a ruthless assault on a high-security bank vault. But, they messed up and triggered a silent alarm and the police are jamming to the scene of the crime.”

[youtube id=”d9JEFPVTr-s”]

The Block

“What looks like a liquor store and bail bonds office, is actually a front. This is home to a notorious criminal ring. The police know better than to enter The Block without backup.”

[youtube id=”icd2kAfg-cU”]

Dust Bowl

“The small desert town of Joad is off the beaten path and well-known for meth trafficking problems. The cops have had enough and are on the scene to shut it all down.”

[youtube id=”5zK6gfjhtYg”]

Hollywood Heights

“A mansion high in the Hollywood Hills looks ripe for a little crime. The criminals have started a wildfire in the nearby hills to distract the police. Do you think that’ll work?”

[youtube id=”CU0jh3Jcsbw”]

Growhouse

“The cops located an illegal underground marijuana grow operation. The cops are raiding the place, but the criminals aren’t going down without a fight. After all, this is precious cargo for them.”

Derailed

“The industrial side of Los Angeles is home to many shady dealings. A criminal ring has set up shop in the warehouses and scrapyards, where they’re trying to make that money from illegal doings.”

[youtube id=”5YvAKpaS7RQ”]

Riptide

“The industrial side of Los Angeles is home to many shady dealings. A criminal ring has set up shop in the warehouses and scrapyards, where they’re trying to make that money from illegal doings.”

Everglades

“Florida is not all sand and beaches. Deep in the heart of the Everglades, a fracking site has turned into a battle playground as the cops and criminals wage war against each other.”

Game Modes

Conquest

“A Battlefield staple, Conquest is based on the idea of controlling a base. Capture a base by standing near a flag on foot, in a vehicle or in the skies – if your team owns more flags than the enemy you’ll slowly reduce their tickets, which are their ability to respawn. The first team to run out of tickets loses.”

Team Deathmatch

“Team Deathmatch is infantry only and has the easiest objective to understand: shoot the enemy team more than they shoot you.”

Heist

“Heist is all about pulling off that big job or that perfect score. The criminals are trying to infiltrate a cash-filled vault, and the cops must regulate them. Once the criminals break in, they have to nab two bags of cash and jam out with them back to each of the two base points.”

Blood Money

“A huge pile of loot has been intercepted in transit. The criminals are fighting to steal the money, while the cops are trying to secure it as evidence. Each team is trying to secure the money in their team’s vault – but it’s not safe there. Raid the enemy team’s vault to help your team score the most money.”

Hotwire

“The criminals are trying to steal a list of marked cars while the cops are trying to repossess them. Use your driving skills to catch up with the enemy, and bring a friend riding shotgun to take them down.”

Rescue

“Rescue is one of two competitive modes. This is a cop-centric mode that lets you step into the boots of a SWAT operative tasked with saving innocent lives from the hands of criminals. Lead your team carefully into dangerous environments and get the hostages back to safety. Be careful though, because there are no second chances in this mode.”

Crosshair

“This is the second competitive mode. In Crosshair, a former criminal turned state’s witness is on the run from his former crew. The criminals are trying to erase the VIP’s face from the world, while the cops are trying to get him out safely. Once again, there are no second chances – one death and you are out for the match.”

Source: Battlefield Hardline

David Veselka

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PlanetSide 2 PS4 Closed Beta Launches, Will Run At 1080p, 30fps, More Details

This week marks the start of PlanetSide 2 closed beta’s debut on the PlayStation 4 and more details about the massive multiplayer online shooter are coming to light.

Speaking to Executive Producer Clint Worley, GameZone was able to relay some useful information to participants who will be chosen in waves in an effort to “make sure the servers are handling everything OK and that [the studio] getting the information [they] need to make tweaks and changes,” Worley explained.

As for the closed beta’s schedule, Worley says that the “current plan is to have the servers up from 3:00pm to 9:00pm Pacific Standard Time (6:00pm to 12:00am Eastern) on Monday through Thursday. Servers will be up 24 hours over the weekend, starting Friday at 3:00pm PT and ending on Sunday at 9:00pm PT.”

In the beta, participants will get access to one of the games four different continents that will host “a few thousand” players. Two additional continents, along with a tutorial area, will be rolled out as the beta progresses.

According to him, the closed beta’s download is 5GB in size. He was also able to confirm that though the studio was able to achieve a 1080p resolution, as promised, while running at intensive graphical settings, PlanetSide 2 will remain locked at a 30 frames per second frame rate.

The game itself is pretty intensive, not on the graphical side but more on the CPU side,” Worley explained. “We have no problem running at 1080. The optimization we’ve been doing hasn’t really been on graphics. Most FPS shooters have a 32v32, but we have battles where there are hundreds of players, tracking bullets, explosions, all that stuff. That’s the stuff that’s really intensive on PlanetSide 2. The game looking pretty hasn’t really been our problem. It’s looked great since E3. But we’re locked at 30, 1080, and that’s where we’ll be for launch.”

Other features that the game will support at launch but not during the beta include Outfit management and the PS4’s Share functionality and Remote Play. Button mapping won’t make it in either version.

So, did you get into the PlanetSide 2 closed beta on PS4? If so, what are your first impressions?

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Battlefield Hardline Will Come To Xbox One First Via EA Access [Updated]

UPDATE: EA Access subscribers will get early access to Battlefield Hardline, the game, not the beta, as the article originally stated. It has been amended to reflect that.

Subscribers to EA Access will get to enjoy Visceral Games’ upcoming shooter, Battlefield Hardline, early, according to a recent tweet from the studio.

EA Access is a subscription-based program that offers gamers access to EA games at a monthly rate, including demos and early trial periods, and is currently only exclusive to Xbox One. As Battlefield’s Twitter states, subscribers will gain advanced entry to Hardline before its official March 17 launch.

The service was similarly offered to the PlayStation 4 audience, but, ultimately, Sony decided that “it does not bring the kind of value PlayStation customers have come to expect”.

Battlefield Hardline’s upcoming multiplayer beta will include up to three modes and three maps for players to test out before the game launches. Keep your sights on MP1st for more updates.

Thanks, IGN

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Incoming Battlefield 4 Community Mission Will Unlock Battlefield Hardline Beta Content

Get ready. Developers DICE and Visceral Games are tasking Battlefield 4 players with a new mission that will unlock content for the upcoming Battlefield Hardline multiplayer beta.

The mission briefing arrives in the midst of a Battlefield celebration leading up to Hardline’s official launch on March 17. Players can expect “weekly treats with a Battlefield Hardline flair”, including Gold Battlepacks, Community Missions, Hardline-themed Dog Tags, Exclusive Wallpaper, and more.

As for your first mission, the operation begin this Wednesday, January 21 and will run through to the end this Saturday, January 24. Your task? “Work together and score 2 Billion points in Battlefield 4 Rush mode.” Your reward? If accomplished, Visceral promises to unlock the Heists game mode in the Battlefield Hardline beta. Players will also have a chance to unlock a new map by completing future assignments.

The start date of the beta is still unknown, but we do know that it will include at least two maps, Downtown and Dust Bowl, and two modes, Conquest and Hotwire. No rank limit also means players will be able to reach the highest rank they can muster during the testing.

Earlier today, details were dropped on the newly announced ‘Crosshair’ game mode, which aims to bring competitive, one-life-to-live action to Hardline this March.

Keep your sights on MP1st for all your Battlefield news.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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New Destiny Hot Fix Prepares Guardians For Crota’s End Hard Mode Raid

Users logging in to Destiny today will be prompted to download a small hot fix that will prepare the game for the launch of the Hard Mode version of Crota’s End six-player Raid.

It also includes a few minor fixes for the current raid which you can read up on in the patch notes below.

Officially launching at or shortly after 10AM Pacific Wednesday morning, Destiny community manager “DeeJ” left a set of instructions for those hoping to be among the first to tackle the new, tougher version of Crota’s End:

  1. “Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bungie
  2. “Open your Destiny application on the console of your choosing”
  3. “Wait at the opening login screen”
  4. “Stay tuned for Twitter updates, starting at 10AM Pacific”
  5. “Once we’ve given the green light, sign in and set Destination for Moon”
  6. “Hard Mode is Crota’s End, Level 33”

“NOTE: If you are already signed in, you can try to return to Orbit from a Destination. However, the best plan of attack is listed above.”

Will you be among the first to defeat Crota in his more difficult form?

Destiny January 20 Hot Fix Notes

Crota’s End

  • Prepared Hard Mode for manual activation on Wednesday, January 21st
  • Updates on exact go-time will be given via Twitter after 10AM Pacific

Bridge Encounter

    • Players are no longer able to de-spawn enemies after activating bridge plates and holding a specific spot

Crota Encounter

    • Fixed a rare issue that caused Crota to stop summoning Oversouls

David Veselka

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Learn About Battlefield Hardline’s New Elimination-Style Multiplayer Mode, ‘Crosshair’

Visceral Games is turning up the heat with ‘Crosshair’, an intense new multiplayer mode coming to their cops vs. criminals shooter, Battlefield Hardline, this March.

Crosshair shrinks the battlefield down to to a 5 vs. 5, 3-minute-long match with only one life to live in a standard elimination-type game mode, forgoing the series’ focus on vehicular warfare and spacious maps. However, separating Crosshair from similar modes in other shooters you might be familiar with is an additional 6th player that acts as a VIP whom cops must protect at all costs.

Carrying only a sidearm, the VIP can contribute to the cops’ range of firepower, but the catch is that the criminals need only to take out the VIP in order to win the match. With that in mind, anyone controlling the odd-man-out should remain cautious but also be aware that he or she can lead their escorts to heavy weapon stashes offering LMGs and other explosives.

The 3-minute timer aims to keep camping to a minimum and to ensure that matches are fast-paced.

Stay tuned tomorrow when we learn more about Battlefield Hardline’s multiplayer maps and game modes. Hardline hits the streets on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC on March 17.

Thanks, IGN

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Borderlands: The Handsome Collection Comes To PS4 And Xbox One This March

Joining the latest trend of the eighth generation of consoles, 2K Games and Gearbox Software are re-releasing their critically acclaimed titles on to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One platforms with none other than Borderlands: The Handsome Collection.

Just as the name implies, the collection will bundle both Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel into one very sweet deal that will include all DLC packs released for both games. You can catch the just-released trailer for it above.

The Borderlands: Handsome Collection also marks the very first time that the console version of both games included in the bundle will run at both 1080p and 60 fps. It also includes the ability for a split-screen four player co-op session.

Additionally, those who don’t want to lose any of the sweet loot that they acquired in the previously mentioned games can just transfer their save files for both games. Though it should be noted that it will only carry over if you’re playing on the same console family.

Borderlands: The Handsome Collection launches March 24. Will you be getting it?

Joel Santana

Gamer for the past 20 years who loves anything ranging from RPGs, Fighters and of course FPS games. Author

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A New Breed Of Zombies Invades Call of Duty, New Advanced Warfare Havoc DLC Trailer

Activision and Sledgehammer Games are bringing zombies back to Call of Duty this month with the launch of Advanced Warfare‘s first multiplayer expansion, the Havoc DLC pack.

Along with four new multiplayer maps and a new weapon, Sledgehammer is putting their mark on the famous zombie survival mode made famous by Treyarch in the World at War and Black Ops series. This time, players will face a new breed of exo-suit wearing zombies as a band of four companions portrayed by a cast of familiar actors.

Check out the just-released trailer above and tell us how pumped you are to get back to zombie slaying in the comments below!

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Havoc DLC launches first on Xbox Live this January 27.

David Veselka

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Halo: The Master Chief Collection Gets Another Content Update With More On The Way

As promised, 343 Industries has deployed yet another content update for Halo: The Master Chief Collection that Halo fans will be prompted to download upon their next visit.

The update, 1.19.15 to be exact, touches on a number of improvements across the board, including fixes for matchmaking, multiplayer, campaigns, menus, control layouts, and stability.

You can catch the full list of change notes below for specifics. In addition to today’s patch, the studio says it will “continue to work on additional content updates that will include added improvements for matchmaking, parties, and other top community items.”

Halo: MCC January 19 Content Update

Matchmaking

  • Improved matchmaking search success rates.
  • Made an update to reduce instances of “Awaiting Privileges” matchmaking errors.
  • Made an update to ensure player counts more reliably match the expected numbers for each playlist.
  • Fixed an issue where player would sometimes appear to be searching in an incorrect “FIND GAME” screen.
  • Added countdown sound effect to the voting timer.

General Multiplayer

  • Made an update to improve Halo 2: Anniversary network performance, specifically in regards to bandwidth spikes.
  • Made several improvements to party joining through the in-game Roster.
  • Made an update to ensure that the mute icon is visible while in Matchmaking.
  • Fixed an issue in Halo 4 where players could equip the same weapon as their primary and secondary weapons.

General Campaigns

  • Made several improvements to stat tracking for Halo: CE, Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo 4.
  • Made changes to Halo 3 and Halo 4 scoring to ensure that players are not penalized for destroying empty vehicles.

General Menu

  • Lowered the music volume level in multiplayer menus.
  • Fixed an issue where friend emblems in roster would show up as default when exiting a game session.
  • Made updates to UI and menus to improve multiplayer status messaging, such as when a player joins your lobby.

Control Layouts

  • Made an update to the Halo 2: Anniversary “Legacy” Stick Layout.

Stability

  • Made stability improvements across multiple titles for campaign and multiplayer.

David Veselka

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Sony Apologizes For PSN Holiday Outage, Offers 10% Store Discount Code To All Affected

Not being able to play games during the quiet time of the holidays sucks, especially after unwrapping that brand new title or new console you’ve been waiting for. Sony knows that and that’s why the company is now offering anyone affected by the PlayStation Network outage over the holiday break of 2014 an apology in the form of PSN store discount.

Today, Sony announced that, between 9AM Pacific of January 23 and 9AM Pacific of January 26, all users will be eligible to download a promotion code that will knock 10% off any game or content purchase on the PSN store with the exception of PS Plus, PS Now, or Music Unlimited subscriptions.

Aside from those three exceptions, it appears that anything is fair game, though the discount itself is only a one-time ordeal. It can be applied at the check out screen of any PSN purchase on PlatStation 4, PlayStation 3, web, or mobile at store.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com.

In addition, PS Plus members affected by the outage should start seeing their 5-day membership expansion as of this writing. Check your inboxes!

Thanks, VG247

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Destiny – Crota’s End Raid Hard Mode Arrives Next Week With New Loot

A harder version of Crota’s End six-player Raid is coming to Destiny next week, on January 21, developer Bungie has officially announced.

According to the studio’s latest Weekly Update, Hard Mode will be available at around 10AM Pacific and will feature Level 33 enemies. Without spoiling anything, Bungie Community Manager “DeeJ” hints that new challenges await in addition. “You’ll have fewer options for healing yourself, and each other,” he says. “The enemies you’re about to face are stronger and more prone to temper tantrums. Be brave!”

To make going the extra mile worth it, however, Bungie is introducing a brand new set of Primary Raid Weapons and other loot attainable only by defeating Crota in his new strength. Like all new DLC weapons, the new Raid weapons will carry a max attack rating of 331.

Here’s what to look forward to:

New Auto Rifle – Abyss Defiant

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New Scout Rifle – Fang of Ir Yût

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New Pulse Rifle – Oversoul Edict

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New Hand Cannon – Word of Crota

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New Upgrade Material – Crux of Crota, used to upgrade the Eidolon Ally into the Necrochasm.

necrochasm

New Ship – Bane of the Dark Gods

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New Shader – Glowhoo

Destiny Patch 1.1.0.4 will precede the arrival of the new Raid mode with patch notes going up when it becomes available. Keep your sights on MP1st for updates!

 

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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MP Talk – Halo 5: Guardians Arena Multiplayer Beta Impressions

Thanks for tuning in to the latest episode of MP Talk, the official MP1st podcast where we talk about the multiplayer games we love to play.

In this episode, we discuss our thoughts on the Halo 5: Guardians Arena Multiplayer Beta, now in its last week of testing on the Xbox One. That’s just the start of the discussion, however. We want to hear what you think about our conclusions and the direction Halo is headed in, so be sure to drop your comments in the comment section below, or hit us up on Twitter.

James \\ @MP1stLara

Tom \\ @Sgt_Mofo

Denny \\ @DennyKovacs

David \\ @Mister_Veselka

See you in the next episode of MP Talk!

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Zombie Survival Game H1Z1 Hits Early Access On Steam Today

H1Z1, the open-world zombie survival MMO game from Sony Online Entertainment, arrives on Steam today as an Early Access title.

According to SOE President John Smedly, zombie survivalists will be able to start downloading at 1PM Pacific, mere minutes away from this writing. You’ll find it on Steam for $19.99, including a second SKU for $39.99.

In the Standard Edition Bundle, you’ll find Early Access to H1Z1, 3 Event Tickets, 1 Launch Crate Key, and 2 Crates. Meanwhile the Premium Edition Bundle offers Early Access to H1Z1, 25 Event Tickets, 3 Airdrop Tickets, 4 Launch Crate Keys, 6 Crates, and an Exclusive Aviator Hat Crafting Recipe.

Answers to your questions about the Early Access period can be found over on the game’s official Q&A page right here.

Be sure to join in with developers during their live stream at 3PM Pacific over on their official Twitch channel.

Though Early Access is only open to PC users, H1Z1 is due for a PlayStation 4 launch at a later, unannounced date.

 

 

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Halo 4 and Team Hardcore Playlists Now Live in Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Halo: The Master Chief Collection has been updated to include both Halo 4 and Team Hardcore playlists in multiplayer matchmaking.

According to the latest note from developer 343 Industries, Team Hardcore currently includes Halo 2 classic game types while Halo 3 tournament-approved game types are on schedule to launch at a later date.

In addition, other fan-favorite playlists like Team Snipers, Team Doubles, an objective-only playlist, and others are also in the works with more details to come. “As always, playlists data and feedback will determine which playlists become permanent additions to the playlist lineup,” 343 writes.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection’s next update is targeted for a “late weekend release” and will include improvements to UI, matchmaking, game-specific multiplayer items, controls, and more. Keep your eyes open for full patch notes later on.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Evolve – Xbox One Open Beta Starts Thursday, Fourth Monster and PC Specs Revealed

Xbox One fans of Turtle Rock Studios’ 4v1 shooter Evolve are getting ready to dive into the game’s Open Beta, beginning this Thursday, January 15, which is now pre-loadable from the Xbox One Store.

Up for taste-testing is the “Hunt” game mode, two Monsters (Goliath and Kraken), eight Hunters (Markov, Maggie, Val, Hank, Hyde, Griffin, Lazarus, and Bucket), and all 12 of the game’s maps. On January 17, players will be able to hop in Evolve’s campaign mode, “Evacuation”. Any Monster and Hunter unlocks acquired during the Beta, ending on January 19, will carry over to the final release.

Users who’ve pre-ordered the game before or during the Open Beta will also gain access to an additional Monster (Wraith) and four new Hunters (Parnell, Abe, Caira, and Cabot) whom will all be available on day one of launch.

Meanwhile, PC gamers that took part in Evolve’s Big Alpha will get the chance to participate in a closed technical test on January 16. PlayStation 4 users will have the same opportunity on January 17. Neither will include the Evacuation mode nor will they feature unlocks that carry over to the final release.

While Evolve’s recently announced fourth Monster, Behemoth, won’t be playable in the Open Beta, you can check out his intimidating skill set in the new trailer below:

[youtube id=”8TvUpI9UfQA”]

Aside from being the game’s biggest monster yet, his abilities include:

  • Lava Bombs – Effective at short and long range, these mortar bombs shatter into fragments and continue to burn the area around them, including any Hunters who find themselves in the damage radius.
  • Rock Wall – Creates a large, semi-circular rock structure that either traps victims inside with Behemoth, or locks him away from attackers.
  • Tongue Grab – Behemoth uses his harpoon-like tongue to snatch a distant target and pull it into melee.
  • Fissure – A wave of destruction blasts out of Behemoth, fracturing the terrain and scalding and stunning everything in its path.

In addition to the new monster, Turtle Rock has also laid out the game’s official PC system requirements so you can get your rig ready for the big hunt. Here they are:

Minimum Requirements

  • OS: Windows 7 64-bit
  • Intel CPU: Core 2 Duo E6600
  • AMD CPU: Athlon 64 X2 6400
  • System RAM: 4GB
  • Nvidia Video Card: GeForce GTX 560
  • ATI Video Card: Radeon HD 5770
  • Video Memory: 1GB
  • Hard Drive: 50GB

Recommended Requirements

  • OS: Windows 7 64-bit
  • Intel CPU: Core i7-920
  • AMD CPU: A8-3870K
  • System RAM: 6GB
  • Nvidia Video Card: GeForce GTX 670 or GTX 760
  • ATI Video Card: Radeon R9 280
  • Video Memory: 2GB
  • Hard Drive: 50GB

Nvidia’s GPU analyzer will help you figure out if your PC is up for the job. The team also notes that, while the game supports 4k resolutions, SLI and Crossfire won’t be supported out of the box. A solution, however, is in the works.

Lastly, Turtle Rock recently cleared up exactly what is included in the game when it launches this February 10 and what is up for grabs as downloadable content, keeping in mind that new maps will always be free.

Here’s what’s included in the base game on launch:

  • 12 Unique Maps – each with a variety of modifiers that can drastically affect each match
  • 12 Hunters (Abe, Bucket, Cabot, Caira, Griffin, Hank, Hyde, Lazarus, Maggie, Markov, Parnell and Val)
  • 3 Monsters (Goliath, Kraken and Wraith)

More Hunters and Monster skins will be available in Evolve’s Hunting Season Pass. Behemoth, the fourth Monster, is free for anyone who pre-orders the game. Otherwise, he’ll be available in the Monster Expansion Pack along with a new skin for the Goliath. Certain editions of the game, detailed here, will also include the yet-to-be-announced fifth Monster and sixth DLC hunters.

What’s your excitement level after having played Evolve’s Big Alpha? Anxious to jump in the Open Beta tomorrow to try out all of the game’s 12 maps? Hit us up in the comments!

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber