Infinity Ward wants Call of Duty: Ghosts‘ multiplayer to feel more interactive and asymmetrical, giving players a chance to have an effect on the environment.
“Every map in multiplayer – we’re looking at trying to come up with some sort of way of making it a little more interactive, a little bit more asymmetrical, Zach Volker, animation lead at Infinity Ward, told OfficialPSM. ”
“One neat example that we’ve been throwing around is a satellite crashes in the center of the map and it’s a race to whoever can get there first and activate it – maybe gives some temporary UAV features. Little things like that. Then, we also have some larger-scale things where there’s going to be a map-wide earthquake and that’s going to affect the map in a certain way. Little things that could possibly change out the map layout in significant ways would be an option. So, we’re looking at ways that we can say, ‘how can we push the design of the map and give the player a little more freedom and make them feel like they’re having an effect on the environment?'”
During the game’s official unveiling, studio head Mark Rubin spoke of similar features and even mentioned a deeper level of character customization in Ghosts’ MP. You can hear what he had to say right here.
Elaborating on these customization options, Volker said that the team will “give you the flexibility and freedom to outfit your character in a way that kind of reflects your personality.” He added, “a lot of the assets are being brought over from the single player so – some of those cool guys that you saw in the single player, you can grab some of their gear. We’re looking at heads, helmets, upper body, lower body, and different texture maps that can go with that to customize.”
So, expect to wreak havok on the battlefield and look good doing it when Call of Duty: Ghosts launches November 5 on the Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4 and PC.
While we still have plenty more to look forward to when it comes to Ghosts MP, do any of the features mentioned so far have you excited?
EA is teasing what looks like the next-generation of Need for Speed with some ‘hot’ looking imagery.
The image below, posted on the publisher’s social media channels, teases a sports-car-turned-pursuit-vehicle, suggesting that you’ll once again be running from the police due to your uncontrollable need for speed in the next title.
The picture was captioned, “have no rules, show no mercy.”
The Need for Speed series has a number of developers backing the franchise. The last entry in the series, Most Wanted, was developed by Criterion Games, while before that, The Run was conjured up over at Black Box studios.
We recently learned that EA plans to power the next-generation of Need for Speed (at least, one or two titles) with the Frostbite 3 game engine.
With so many options ahead, where would you like to see the Need for Speed series go next-gen? More open-world racing like NFS Underground? More arcade-action like NFS Most Wanted? More simulator like NFS Shift? Or more cinematic, story driven gameplay like NFS The Run?
The next-generation of console gaming is on the horizon.
Both Sony and Microsoft have officially unveiled their respective, next-generation platforms: the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
We caught our first glimpse of the Xbox One only moments ago, during Microsoft’s unveiling earlier today, while Sony, on the other hand, showed us (sort of) the PlayStation 4 all the way back in February.
Both presentations garnered a large amount of excitement and hype, but the question still remains: “Who did it better?”
Before hitting the polls below and sounding off in the comment section, make sure to read up on some of the key takeaways from each presentation!
Catch Sony’s Presentation of the PlayStation 4 here.
Read up on Microsoft’s Presentation of the Xbox One here.
You can also catch each console’s reveal trailer below:
We’ve obviously much more to learn about each console – heck, we haven’t even seen what the PS4 looks like yet – but we still want to know who you thought presented their machine better: Sony or Microsoft?
Hit that vote button and let us know who you chose and why in the comment section below!
For starters, engadget reports that the Xbox One’s hard drive cannot be removed and is not user-serviceable. Speaking to senior director of product planning at Microsoft Albert Panillo, they were able to confirm that though it has a storage space of 500GB, you will not be able to physically swap it out with another hard drive later in the console’s life cycle. The console does, however, sport three USB 3.0 ports that will allow for external storage.
It should also be noted that Wired has confirmed the Xbox One will require you to install games to the hard drive in order to play. “On the new Xbox, all game discs are installed to the HDD to play,” read a statement sent to the site.
On the topic of online connections, Kotaku reports that while the Xbox One doesn’t have to be online all the time, it does have to be online. A Q&A on Microsoft’s press site reads, “no, it does not have to be always connected, but Xbox One does require a connection to the Internet.” Speaking to corporate vice president of Microsoft Phil Harrison, Kotaku Edior-in-Chief Stephen Totilo learned that “for single-player games that don’t require connectivity to Xbox Live, you should be able to play those without interruption should your Internet connection go down,” said Harrison. “Blu-ray movies and other downloaded entertainment should be accessible when your Internet connection may be interrupted. But the device is fundamentally designed to be expanded and extended by the Internet as many devices are today.”
In an update, Polygon was said to have learned that “while Phil [Harrison] discussed many potential scenarios around games on Xbox One, today [Microsoft has] only confirmed that [they] designed Xbox One to enable [their] customers to trade in and resell games at retail.”
Related to the topic used games, Xbox Live’s Larry “Major Nelson” clarified further on his blog “while there have been many potential scenarios discussed, today we have only confirmed that we designed Xbox One to enable our customers to trade in and resell games at retail.” He also clarified further on the subject of playing games at a friend’s house. He said, “another piece of clarification around playing games at a friend’s house – should you choose to play your game at your friend’s house, there is no fee to play that game while you are signed in to your profile.”
Update
Cnet also confirmes that the Xbox One will not be able to play Xbox 360 games since the system sports a different chip architecture – an advanced Micro Devices’ x86 instead of IBM’s PowerPC.
Microsoft issued the site this statement: “Xbox One hardware is not compatible with Xbox 360 games. We designed Xbox One to play an entirely new generation of games — games that are architected to take full advantage of state-of-the-art processors and the infinite power of the cloud. We care very much about the investment you have made in Xbox 360 and will continue to support it with a pipeline of new games and new apps well into the future.”
Does the fact that you won’t be able to remove or service the Xbox One’s hard drive, keep the console offline all the times, play games at a friend’s house without having to sign in to your profile, or play Xbox 36 games turn you off from Microsoft’s next-gen machine?
Video game publisher EA is excited by the opportunity to work on some of its upcoming Star Wars projects, including the possibility to continue the sorely missed Star Wars: Battlefront series.
Speaking at the Stifel 2013 Technology Conference, CFO Blake Jorgensen dropped the hint, saying, “the opportunity to do a new Battlefront, for example, which is one of the very popular Star Wars games, or some of the other traditional games that were made, is very exciting.”
Earlier this month, we learned that an agreement between Disney and EA would have some of the publisher’s most prized development studios like DICE, Visceral Games and BioWare working on a number of upcoming Star Wars games that would span “all interactive platforms and the most popular game genres.”
The prospect of having a studio like DICE behind the reigns of a game like Star Wars: Battlefront III has many fans excited, though it’s much too early to tell the way things will pan out. We can certainly hope, however.
Jorgensen also reiterated that none of EA’s upcoming Star Wars titles would be based specifically on any of the upcoming films, though they might see a release date near the films in the interest of marketing.
“These aren’t movie games, per se; these are stand-alone games,” he said. “But obviously they would come out near the movies and be able to tailgate off of some of the buzz that will be created around the new Star Wars movies.”
With the Xbox One cat finally out of the bag, so to speak, Battlefield developers DICE have taken to the media to make a few special announcements.
Earlier, DICE officially confirmed Battlefield 4‘s presence on the next-generation consoles – the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 – and revealed that the game would ship on October 29 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation3 and PC. They also announced and lightly detailed Battlefield 4’s first expansion pack, China Rising. You can read all about it here.
More recently, we’ve learned of a couple items that the studio will be showing off during this year’s E3.
For starters, DICE has confirmed that they “will be revealing even more information about Battlefield 4 at E3 2013 with a live multiplayer demo at 1 PM PDT on Monday, June 10.”
In addition, we’ll also be learning more about their plans for their Star Wars-licensed games around the same time. EA labels president Frank Giebeau wrote in a recent update, “our E3 briefing ‘The Download: EA 2013 Preview’ will be a showcase of next-generation games like Battlefield 4, Need For Speed, a full range of EA SPORTS games and a first look at our plans for the Star Wars partnership with Disney. Tune in on Monday, June 10 at 1pm PT on Spike TV or at www.ea.com/e3 to experience it all.”
Update
DICE has updated their Facebook page with the following, indicating that multiplayer matches will be streamed during the E3 event, including commentary:
Of course, we’ll be covering all the latest on Battlefield 4 and DICE’s Star Wars games during E3, so make sure to keep your sights locked right here.
Microsoft has officially introduced the Xbox One, a next-generation device “designed to deliver a whole new generation of blockbuster games, television and entertainment in a powerful, all-in-one device,” according to Don Mattrick, president, Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft.
There was a lot to see during the unveiling, so let’s get started right away with some of the key takeaways from the event.
Introduction
Xbox One users will be able to simply state the words “Xbox On” to gain access to a personalized Xbox One Home screen. According to Microsoft, the Xbox One will get to know you better the more you use it, tailoring the experience to better suit your needs.
Here are a few of the basic, but important features to take note of, as detailed by the Xbox One press release:
TV on Xbox One – Navigate and watch live TV from your cable, telco or satellite set-top box through your Xbox One. Microsoft is committed to bringing live TV through various solutions to all the markets where Xbox One will be available.3
Home – Turn on your entertainment system with two powerful words, “Xbox On,” and a custom-tailored Home dashboard welcomes you with your favorite games, TV and entertainment.
Snap – Do two things at once on the biggest screen in your home. Use Snap to jump into a multiplayer battle while watching your favorite movie, talk with friends on Skype while watching live TV, or track your fantasy team on TV as you watch the big game and more.
Skype for Xbox One – Specially designed for Xbox One, talk with friends on your TV in stunning HD, or for the first time ever, hold group Skype calls on your TV.
Trending – Stay on top of what is hot on TV by discovering the entertainment that is popular among your friends, and see what is trending within the Xbox community.
OneGuide – Find your favorite entertainment easily, searching by network, name or time, all with the sound of your voice and presented in a tailored program guide.
Microsoft has also created a “state-of-the-art gaming operating system” that will allow you to swap between gaming and TV viewing without having to switch inputs. An eight-core, x86 processor, and over 5 billion transistors will help reduce lag so you can switch between activities, including apps, quickly and fluidly.
Design
Sleek and modern hardware design
Shaped in the 16:9 aspect ratio and employs a horizontal orientation optimized for its high-speed Blu-ray disc player
molded in a deep and rich liquid black color and includes a distinctive beveled edge
New 1080p Kinect is more precise, more responsive and more intuitive. Said to work in nearly any lighting condition, to recognize precise motion control from a slight wrist rotation, and to distinguish your voice even in a noisy room using advanced noise isolation.
New controller features over 40 technical and design innovations, including an updated directional pad, thumb sticks, fit, and vibrating impulse triggers. Designed to work seamlessly with the new Kinect.
The Xbox One and new Kinect sensorThe new Xbox One controller
Xbox One Specs
8 Core CPU
8 GB System Memory
500 GB HDD
Blu-ray Drive
802.11n Wireless with Wi-Fi Direct
HDMI In/Out
USB 3.0
Controller Specs
Integrated Battery Compartment
Impulse Triggers
Wi-Fi Direct Radio Stack
Precision Directional Pad
Kinect Specs
1080P HD RGB Camera
30 FPS Color
Time of Flight (TOF) Technology
Microphone Arrays
Xbox Live
The new Xbox Live will allow games to be installed in segments so that gameplay can start quickly to updates downloading in the background. Users will also be able to save and store your personalized profile, games and entertainment in the cloud to access them anytime, from any Xbox One console. Also, existing Xbox Live Gold Memberships on the Xbox 360 will seamlessly carry over to Xbox One.
Here are a few of the new Xbox Live features:
Smart Match – A new Smart Match matchmaking system virtually eliminates waiting in lobbies by estimating wait times and finding people you want to play with while you are enjoying other activities — reputation fundamentally matters and helps find best matches.
Game DVR – A dedicated Game DVR captures and accesses your magic moments, all saved to the cloud. Along with sharing tools, you will have the most amazing bragging rights with Xbox Live.
Living Games – Dynamic, living worlds evolve and improve the more you play, and advanced artificial intelligence can learn to play like you, so friends can play against your shadow.
Expanded achievements – A new and expanded achievements system captures video of your epic moments, continues to grow a game’s achievements over time and rewards you in new ways, and your Gamerscore carries over from Xbox 360.
Xbox SmartGlass – Xbox SmartGlass is natively part of the Xbox One platform, built in from the beginning with the ability to quickly render content directly onto your device, and now more devices can connect at one time for multiplayer and shared entertainment.
“‘Forza Motorsport 5’ from Turn 10 Studios is the latest edition of the highest-rated racing franchise of the past 10 years. Built from the ground up to take advantage of Xbox One and the infinite power of the cloud, no game better delivers the sensation of being behind the wheel. ‘Forza Motorsport 5’ sets a new bar for racing games and will be available exclusively for Xbox One at launch.”
“‘Call of Duty: Ghosts’ is the next generation of ‘Call of Duty’ and a stunning leap forward for the franchise. It delivers an all-new world, an all-new cast of characters and an all-new story, built on a new, next-generation engine. The next-generation technical innovations built to support the incredible gameplay advancements make this the most beautiful and immersive ‘Call of Duty’ experience yet. Activision and Microsoft also announced the renewal of their close partnership that will see both the return of the ‘Call of Duty Championship,’ presented by Xbox, as well as all-new downloadable content debuting first and exclusively on the Xbox platform.”
Fifa 14, Madden NFL 25, NBA LIVE 14, and EA SPORTS UFC
“‘FIFA 14,’ ‘Madden NFL 25,’ ‘NBA LIVE 14,’ and ‘EA SPORTS UFC’ from EA SPORTS will change the way consumers experience and play sports games. Driven by the new EA SPORTS Ignite engine, these new EA SPORTS games will deliver massive innovations in human intelligence, true player motion and living worlds. Adding to its commitment to Xbox One, EA SPORTS also announced the promise of exclusive content to be revealed in the coming months.”
“‘Quantum Break’ from Remedy Entertainment is a revolutionary entertainment experience from the creators of ‘Max Payne’ and ‘Alan Wake’ that blurs the line between gaming and TV by integrating drama and gameplay into one seamless, uniquely immersive experience. How you play the game impacts the show, and the show informs how you play the game.”
In addition Microsoft also unveiled exclusive content partnerships with some big names in TV, sports and entertainment.
“‘Halo’ television series. Award-winning filmmaker, director and producer, Steven Spielberg will executive-produce an original ‘Halo’ live-action television series with exclusive interactive Xbox One content, created in partnership with 343 Industries and Xbox Entertainment Studios.”
“National Football League (NFL). A multiyear, landmark partnership will deliver the ultimate interactive NFL television experiences for the next-generation Xbox One and leverage Microsoft devices and services to evolve both in-game and on the sideline. The NFL on Xbox will redefine broadcast experiences through innovations around Skype, Xbox SmartGlass and player-worn technology; add an all-new fantasy football solution for the biggest screen in the house; and create a personalized NFL destination only available on Xbox One.”
Activision and Microsoft also announced the renewal of their close partnership that will see both the return of the ‘Call of Duty®Championship,’ presented by Xbox, as well as all-new downloadable content debuting first and exclusively on the Xbox platform.
The press release only reads that the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC version of Battlefield 4 will release October 29. No date was mentioned for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 releases.
“Battlefield 4 will be available October 29 for the Xbox 360® game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC. Battlefield 4 will also be available for the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4.”
Update 2
Check out some of the official artwork for the Battlefield 4: China Rising DLC below:
Previous to Microsoft’s unveiling of the Xbox One earlier today, Battlefield 4 was only officially confirmed for the PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3. Understandably, DICE and EA were most likely waiting for the announcement of both consoles before relaying the news that Battlefield 4 would be making it to next-gen.
Interestingly, the press release also makes mention of the Battlefield 4 “China Rising premium digital expansion pack,” which is most likely an alternative name for the previously announced Drone Strike DLC.
“In this sprawling expansion, players fight for dominance across the vast and majestic Chinese mainland in four massive multiplayer maps, using all-new vehicles and high-tech military equipment,” reads the release. Through a recent survey, DICE and EA also mentioned a few other possibilites for Battlefield 4 DLC that you might be interested to read about, including Naval Warfare, and “Battlepacks.”
Battlefield 4 will officially hit the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, this October 29, 2013, later on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Today, Microsoft announced the newest member to the Xbox family, the Xbox One.
Launching later this year, the Xbox One will come shipped with the console, a brand new Kinect sensor, a redesigned controller, and built-in compatibility with SmartGlass.
Once again, Microsoft and Activision shake hands in what seems like a generation-long deal to bring Call of Duty DLC to Xbox users first, as has been the case during the entirety of the current generation of consoles (Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3).
If past instances are anything to go by, Xbox One users can most likely expect extra Call of Duty content one month before PlayStation 4 and PC users. Of course, this only applies to extra downloadable content, and not the game itself. In the case of Call of Duty: Ghosts, this will also most likely apply to current-gen Xbox 360 users, who will get content one month earlier than PlayStation 3 users.
Excited for the next generation of Call of Duty, Hirshberg mentioned that fans have a lot to look forward to, saying that Ghosts will not only be the “most beautiful Call of Duty game [Activision has] ever made,” but also the “best Call of Duty [Activision has] ever made.”
Infinity Ward formally introduces the world to Call of Duty: Ghosts, the next generation of Call of Duty running on an all new engine with entirely new gameplay, story, and characters.
According to Infinity Ward studio head Mark Rubin’s presentation during Microsoft’s unveiling of the Xbox One, you are fighting forces superior to yourself in the wake of a “mass event” that has devastated the United States. You will fight with a believable cast of soldiers that you’ll feel “emotionally attached to,” including a K9 unit that will become an integral part of your squad.
New gameplay elements like vaulting, leaning and sliding will be introduced while the visuals will remain at a constant 60 frames per second and the controls remain low latency.
Multiplayer will introduce dynamic maps, including events like floods, earthquakes and other player driven actions. Players will also be able to customize their soldiers, including the head, body and gear.
Check out the world premier trailer, a Ghosts vs. MW3 comparison presentation, and a behind the scenes video preview that dives into a few of the multiplayer details mentioned above.
As always, let us know what you guys think in the comments below. Are you excited for the next generation of Call of Duty?
Though short, it unveils some of the first in-game footage of Ghosts. It’s not clear if this is the same footage that Activision will show during Microsoft’s conference.
According to the latest in-game “message of the day,” the new packs, including weapon camos, themed reticles, and calling cards, will be available for download on May 29. Players can vote for the two winners between May 23 and May 28, so get online and vote!
Anxious to see the new weapon camos in the running? You can check them out below:
Cyborg
Dragon
Paladin
Comic
Which one would you vote for?
In addition, as you can see in the message of the day, the update also indicates that the revolution DLC, Black Ops 2’s first set of DLC, will be available as a free trial from Friday May 24 at 10am PDT through Tuesday, May 28 at 10am PDT. If you don’t recall, it’s also the DLC that included Call of Duty’s first downloadable multiplayer weapon, the Peacekeeper SMG.
You can’t watch the new Call of Duty: Ghosts trailer yet, but you can watch people watch it.
Xbox Australia has posted a “reactions” video of various personalities watching the upcoming Call of Duty: Ghosts trailer, which you’ll get to see yourself in only a few hours during Microsoft’s unveiling of the next Xbox tomorrow, May 21, at 10am PST.
We hate to do this to you, but here are just a few reactions to tomorrow’s Call of Duty: Ghosts trailer.
Something big and Battlefield 4-related is coming.
According to both the Twitter and Facebook accounts of Digital Illusions CE, the studio behind the Battlefield franchise, a few big announcements regarding Battlefield 4 will be made soon.
Though no announcements have been made prior, it’s likely that EA and DICE would make an appearance as well during Microsoft conference tomorrow, perhaps to show off some more Battlefield 4 footage running on the next-generation Xbox.
Like many of you, we’re hoping to get our first taste of multiplayer some time soon. What do you think DICE has in store in the coming days?
You and a friend will either be able to play as Sam and Briggs through 4 missions types and 14 different maps that all feature missions tied to the main storyline.
Ubisoft’s last entry in the series, Conviction, featured a very robust and fully-featured co-op mode that ended up winning the hearts of many. It’s exciting to see it return in Blacklist and to learn where the team will take it this time around.
Splinter Cell: Blacklist launches on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC on August 20.
Recently, Insomniac Games, the folks behind the four player co-op shooter, Fuse, have released the game’s launch trailer a few days before it arrives at your local video game retailer.
Fuse invites you to a world where humans get their hands on alien technology they were never meant to acquire.
The game is set to launch on May 28th in the North American region and May 31th in Europe for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. You don’t have to wait that long to get your first glimpse of the game as there is a demo currently available to download on either platform.
Good news for Gear fans! Shortly after the latest Gears Of War: Judgement DLC, Dreadnought, hit the Xbox Live marketplace free of charge, thanks to the folks over at Maxim, we learn more about Judgment’s next DLC.
Epic Games has released everything you need to know about it, from the maps and game modes it’ll include, to the map layouts and more. Check out the details below:
Gears Of War Lost Relics Details
Will release sometime in June, and will include four maps ( Checkout, Lost City, Museum, Ward)
Contain new armor and new weapon skins
A new single objective type gametype, called Breakthrough. That features two teams with very distinct roles: one team has possession of a flag that they must deliver to a set location; the opposing team has a purely defensive role and unlimited resources. The attacking team must break through the enemy team’s defensive line and deliver the flag before their pool of lives run out.
In addition, Epic Games also released an overview of each of the maps. You can see it below:
Are you excited for some more Gears? Let us know in the comment section below!
Anxious to give fans their first look, the team has been updating the official Call of Duty website with hints of what is, perhaps, the game’s setting. The most recent updates include a new set of co-ordinates, additional text and a small note.
It’s rather hard to make out exactly what the note reads. Any thoughts?
Update
The folks over at DW247 have gathered a few interesting ideas. The note below appears to be signed by S. Gaghan, or Stephen Gaghan, an American screenwriter and director. He worked on movies like The Alamo, Rules of Engagement, and Sleepwalkers. His film Syriana, a story about the political scene revolving around the oil industry, won an Oscar award. It’s very likely that Gaghan was hired by the Infinity Ward studio to act as a screenwriter for Ghosts.
Lending to this theory further is that members of the IW team, including community manager @Teanah and community co-ordinator @candyslexia, follow Gaghan on Twitter. In fact, Gaghan has even responded to some tweets asking what he might be working on related to Ghosts, saying “it’s been a really cool experience for me.”
The left portion of the note appears to read:
the coastline.
s. Surfed the n
n(?) the sandbar
oth ways.
ght(?) there.
On the right:
Great line – move to later. some play – S. Gaghan
IW also recently teased the game with some short video clips. The catch? It’s all in wire-frame. While it’s tough to make out what exactly is going on here, there are a few things to keep an eye out for.
There are some rough screens of the short video tease that you can catch below, or you can check it out for yourself in full right here.
In the comments, definitely let us know what you find!
![More Call of Duty: Ghosts Intel Teased – Video Footage, New Co-Ordinates, Notes, and More [Updated]](https://mp1st.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Screen-Shot-2013-04-24-at-10.48.33-AM-e1366826085644.png)
