Black Ops 3 has been officially announced by Activision (NASDAQ: ATVI) in a brand new teaser trailer, pointing to a worldwide reveal later this month.

According to the teaser trailer, Activision will hold a global unveiling of Black Ops 3 on April 26, 2015 with the possibility of in-game footage, screenshots, and more details on the game.

.@Treyarch is #BackInBlack https://t.co/oxsNv8idvU

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) April 9, 2015

The existence of Black Ops 3 was first speculated by a Snapchat viral campaign spotted by Black Ops II players, lending credence to a possible continuation in the series.

The community’s intuition proved to be right on the mark, as the next Call of Duty game will indeed be a third Blops, and judging from the mysterious trailer we might see some familiar faces in the new sequel.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 officially confirmed.

— Nadeshot (@OpTic_NaDeSHoT) April 9, 2015

Call of Duty world champion Nadeshot was among many who broke the news to excited Blops fans, many of which have been clamoring for a return to the Black Ops line.

Since the news broke the #BackInBlack hashtag has been trending on Twitter, leading to thousands of posts from excited gamers.

It’ll be interesting to see what Activision and Treyarch have planned for the reveal, but all we know for now is that Black Ops 3 is indeed real, and it’ll be blown apart later this month.

The post Black Ops 3 Confirmed, Set For April 26 Reveal appeared first on VR World.

Rockstar Games offers a brief look at the impressive array of graphical options and settings included on Grand Theft Auto V‘s PC version.

Thanks to the platform’s raw power and functionality, GTA V on PC is largely seen as the definitive flavor, featuring a huge range of visual and performance upgrades that soar past consoles.

Today Rockstar delivered a brief Tweet that shows off some of the exclusive higher end options that PC users will get to play with to test the mettle of their rigs.

One of these settings lets you play a god of sorts, giving players direct control the visual fidelity of Los Santos’ environments and population. The graphics tab includes slider bars for population density in any given area–that is to say how many NPC’s are on-screen–as well population variety, ensuring seldom repeated characters.

Other visual options include your basic textures and shadow quality presets, along with tampering with the pristine sheen on reflective surfaces like water and glass, water quality (which is pretty important when you’re boating or jet-skiing across the waves on Vespucci Beach).

You’ll be able to adjust “high detail streaming” while doing barrel rolls and soaring the skies, which might have something to do with the streamers left by the planes in the air. Other advanced options include high-resolution shadows and extended shadow and distance scaling.

The advanced graphics tab even has a benchmark tester, just in case you need to gauge how good your hardware is while in-game.

Below is a full list of GTA V on PC’s graphical settings (thanks, PC Gamer):

Graphics Tab

• Video memory slider: shows you how much video memory is being used in MB
• DirectX Version Output monitor: 1-3
• Anti-aliasing: FXAA, MSAA and Nvidia TXAA supported
• Pause game on focus loss
• Texture quality: Normal – Very High
• Shader quality: Normal – Very High
• Shadow quality: Normal – Very High
• Reflection quality: Normal – Very High
• Reflection MSAA
• Water quality: Normal – Very High
• Particles quality: Normal – Very High
• Grass quality: Normal – Very High
• Soft shadows options: softer, softest, AMD CHS, Nvidia PCSS
• Post FX options: Normal – Ultra
• Motion blur strength
• In-game depth of field effects
• Anisotropic filtering: Up to x16
• Ambient occlusion Options
• Tesellation Options

Advanced Graphics Tab

• Long shadows: On/Off
• High resolution shadows: On/Off
• High detail streaming while flying: On/Off
• Extended distance scaling bar
• Extended shadow distance bar
• Benchmark testing

As far as controls, it looks like Rockstar might have ensured the game can be comfortably played with a keyboard and mouse as well as a gamepad.

Players can customize their keyboard and mouse combinations with specific key-bindings and map their own control schemes, and adjust various sensitivities and auto-centering features across vehicles and on-foot.

Basically Rockstar gives PC gamers expansive control over the entirety of their experience in Los Santos, letting them tweak a vast assortment of options to ensure optimum performance.

Grand Theft Auto V‘s highly anticipated PC version launches just next week on April 14, 2015.

The post GTA V on PC Advanced Graphics Settings Unveiled appeared first on VR World.

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) will release Mass Effect 4 by March 2016 as part of its initiative for fiscal year growth, renown industry analyst Michael Pachter predicts.

In a new report focused on EA’s plans for growth across the company’s current fiscal year (lasting from April 2015 to March 2016), the Wedbush Securities analyst prognosticates key titles including the next Mass Effect game will be released before the fiscal year’s end.

“EA’s strong presence on the next-gen consoles positions the company to thrive in coming years,” Pachter wrote in the report.

“Fiscal Year 2016 (FY:16) is expected to feature incremental releases Mass Effect 4, Mirror’s Edge 2, a new Need For Speed game, and Star Wars: Battlefront, as well as meaningful re-orders for Battlefield Hardline, which launched in late Q4:15.”

Concept art for the new Mass Effect showcases that sci-fantasy universe that’s rife with adventure and possibility.

Pachter’s predictions have been known for being accurate, making him a trusted industry soothsayer who’s forecasts have come to fruition.

Pachter was one of the many sources that claimed Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) would release Kinect-less Xbox One model, and also contributed to other bold analyses and predictions.

Even still not much is known about the new Mass Effect game, and if EA is indeed planning a March 2016 release, it’d be wise to start launching teasers to build hype and speculation.

BioWare has yet to release any real concrete details about the game other than a few snippets and a formal announcement at E3 2014. As far as visuals, all we’ve seen so far are a few pieces of concept art back from November 2014.

What we do know is that the new Mass Effect title might not be a direct sequel, and that Commander Shepard won’t involved at all. The developers have confirmed that the “Shepard trilogy is over”.

BioWare wants to explore new tangents in the massive universe, and plans to create a brand new story arc for the game, which may or may not be the beginning of a new series.

Mass Effect 4 will run on BioWare’s new Frostbite 3 Engine that powered Dragon Age: Inquisition. Also the Mako will return, and Mass Effect 4 will have multiplayer.

The art beautifully melds the worlds of fantasy and technology, illustrating the very heart of sci-fi.

BioWare community manager Chris Priestly discusses the new game, giving a few clues here and there:

“To call the next game ‘Mass Effect 4′ or ‘ME4′ is doing it a disservice and seems to cause a lot of confusion here.

“We have already said that the Commander Shepard trilogy is over and that the next game will not feature him/her. That is the only detail you have on the game. I see people saying ‘well, they’ll have to pick a canon ending.’

“No, because the game does not have to come after. Or before. Or off to the side. Or with characters you know. Or yaddayaddayadda. Wherever, whenever, whoever, etc will all be revealed years down the road when we actually start talking about it.

“I do not call the game ME4 when I talk about it ever, [because] that makes people think of it more as ‘what happens after ‘Mass Effect 3′ rather than ‘what game happens next set in the ‘Mass Effect’ Universe.

“Obviously fans are going to speculate content, character and story until we actually reveal details in the years or months to come as you have almost no actual details, just don’t get bogged down in ‘well how are they going to continue ME3.”

If this lineup is authentic, then EA’s 2016 fiscal year looks pretty solid. Between the hotly anticipated Star Wars: Battlefront from DICE and a new Mirror’s Edge sequel the publisher will forge the path for its seminal big release of the year: Mass Effect 4.

We’ll likely hear more details over the year about BioWare’s next sci-fi adventure, possibly at E3 2015, and it’ll probably see a release on PS4, Xbox One and PC.

The post Mass Effect 4 Predicted For Early 2016 Release appeared first on VR World.

There’s a lot of magic in a fantasy map.

Whether its a sprawling fantasy epic like The Wheel of Time or a multi-hundred hour RPG like Skyrim, world maps have a way of bringing an enchanting universe to life. The maps let us pinpoint our adventures and trace paths through sprawling continents, trekking through misty mountain highlands, tropical sunny coasts, and everything in between.

That same grand splendor is clearly evident in the atlas for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which depicts a vast fantasy world filled with kingdoms, magic, and faraway lands.

The Witcher 3’s world map is incredibly handsome, and reminds me of Morrowind’s beautifully crafted atlas.

To get the beautifully illustrated Witcher 3 map you’ll have to pre-order the game’s official collector’s edition strategy guide from GameStop, which is priced at a hefty $40. The guide also comes with a neat 90-page “grimoire” that has extra details about the monsters and peoples of the world.

CD Projekt RED has touted the massive scope of the The Witcher 3‘s open-world for quite some time.

According to the developers, the game will take over 200 hours to complete in its entirety, including all of the various quests, collectibles,  and side missions.

As far as size, the Witcher 3‘s in-game world is comparatively scaled to be 30 times bigger than the area in Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Put alongside other epic RPG’s we see that the game is 20% larger than the frosty continent of Skyrim.

Witcher 3 is full of beautiful scenic vistas with varying environments, from alpine mountainscapes to exotic islands and sprawling cities.

To traverse this incredible expanse, Geralt of Rivia will be able to ride on horseback across land and reach outlying island regions like Shelliar via sailboat. Players will also be able to explore full-scaled underwater regions by diving underwater and swimming in the wave-cresting seas.

The atlas maps out the Witcher 3‘s entire world, depicting every city, kingdom, river, and zone in the game.

From the Grassy Knoll and Gustfields in the north the Crow’s Perch and swampy Mire to the south, the map highlights every exotic location that players can visit in their journey.

Geralt can only reach certain areas by sailboat, and he’ll also be able to swim and dive to search for undersea treasures.

Three major continental zones include the wide expanse of the Northern Realm, the island chains of Shelliar that can only be reached by boat, and the faraway White Orchard that’s cut by a wide river.

All of these regions feature CD Projekt RED’s dynamic day-to-night transitions and real-time environmental effects including rain, storms, snow and more to deliver an authentic immersive feel.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is slated to release May 19, 2015 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.

The post The Witcher 3 Map Showcases Colossal Fantasy World appeared first on VR World.

It looks like Rockstar’s highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto V on PC will be a whopping seven discs, according to recent reports.

The news was originally found on a Reddit post that depicts what appears to be an early shipped physical copy of the game across seven DVD discs. For comparison’s sake the Xbox 360 flavor of the game weighs in at just two DVD discs, whereas the PS4 and Xbox One variants are a single Blu-ray disc.

But why go with DVD instead of Blu-Ray, when the latter can hold so much more space?

It looks like Rockstar went with the more accessible option. Not everyone has Blu-ray drives and the studio wanted to make GTA V as compatible as possible, even if if the game has high recommended specs.

Digital downloads of GTA V require at least 65 GB of free space, and doing a little bit of match, the physical version seems to be around ~63 GB (7 discs multiplied by the max 9GB capacity of dual-layer DVD’s).

Since GTA V on PC is markedly different than its console predecessors, it’s easy to see why the game needs so much space.

Harnessing the extensive power of the PC platform affords amenities like consistent 60fps frame-rates for fluid gameplay, not to mention dazzling 4K-ready resolution.

Adaptive Sync is yet another PC-only utility that improves performance. Using Nvidia’s G-Sync and AMD’s FreeSync PC gamers can ensure optimum graphical fidelity and refresh rates between monitors and GPUs.

It looks like GTA V might require a 58mb day one update, which is paltry compared to the mandatory 8-16GB day one updates required by some console games.

GTA V on PC also requires a 58mb day-one update, says Twitter user Funmw4, who actually was able to snag the update while pre-loading his copy.

Apart from the update, Funmw4 also confirmed that a Rockstar Club account is 100% required to play the game, which is a bit curious. In the console flavors signing up wasn’t mandatory, but offered extra features like sharing in-game pictures across social media streams and forums.

Digital pre-loading for GTA V has since gone live, allowing gamers to secure their copies before Rockstar officially launches it next Tuesday.

t’s also worth noting that the day-one update might be a an anti-piracy measure of some sort, perhaps even a safeguard against cracked versions.

It’ll be interesting to see if the game is in fact seven DVD discs or not, but judging how long the downloads are taking so far, this might be the best option.

The post Report: GTA V On PC Will Span Seven Discs appeared first on VR World.

A viral marketing campaign for this year’s new Call of Duty game has been unearthed, and it looks like the annual release might return to the Black Ops series.

The campaign was spotted shortly after Activision (NASDAQ: ATVI) released a stealthy update, which embedded a number of Snapchat QR codes across various Call of Duty: Black Ops II maps.

The Snapchat links are planted across random advertisements in the game’s multiplayer maps, and you can actually scan them in with your phone using the Snapchat app to get a glimpse at the viral campaign.

YouTuber Drift0r first spotted the additions, and uploaded video walkthroughs on where to find them. Additionally the Snapchat QR codes can only be found on console versions of Black Ops II as the update isn’t yet available on PC.

After scanning the QR codes you’re met with a message that you’ve added Call of Duty as a friend. But what about the campaign itself?

The viral scheme has published two very short videos that raise many more questions than they answer. The videos are extremely cryptic and point to an odd sort of induction footage, the kind of eerie content you’d use to brainwash someone.

As Charlie Intel notes, the account’s Snapchat name has been changed to Dr. Saim, who presumably is the speaker during the 10-second clips.

“Listen only to the sound of my voice…” the first video proclaims.

“Let your thoughts drift…let the bad memories fade…let peace be upon you.” Dr. Saim says in that calm voice while odd footage rolls past.

@TmarTn @OMGitsAliA @Drift0r On Callofduty's Snapchat! pic.twitter.com/P7cD3ozAa5

— Nick (@Nipple_Nicholas) April 7, 2015

@TmarTn @charlieINTEL new callofduty snapchat video pic.twitter.com/NBehwcqQUY

— Element (@Elemxnt) April 7, 2015

But how exactly does this suggest that Black Ops III is in the works?

The link here is tenuously based on the fact that the QR codes were found in Black Ops II, leading gamers to believe Activision might be going back to the franchise.

The bizarre videos align perfectly with the headgames that were featured throughout both Black Ops campaigns. Plus the publisher usually unveils is new annual Call of Duty entrant in May, so the timing is right to start building speculation and hype with mysterious teases.

It’ll be interesting to see what Activision has to say in the coming weeks, but for now we’re stuck with the enigmatic footage and curiosity. Fans have been calling for a return to the Black Ops line and this might be Activision’s answer to the demand.

Source: YouTube

Via: Charlie Intel, PC Gamer

The post Is Activision Teasing Black Ops III With New Hidden ARG? appeared first on VR World.

Warner Bros. has just acquired the rights to create a Five Nights at Freddy‘s movie from game creator Scott Cawthon, The Hollywood Reporter reports.

Vertigo Entertainment’s Roy Lee will produce the feature-length adaptation, along with Seth Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg of KatzSmith Productions. Both producers at KatzSmith Productions are also working on a Beetlejuice sequel.

The producers will work closely along with the game’s developer Scott Cawthon to keep the distinct horror thrills intact, and make sure the movie is an authentic extension of the beloved creepy series.

“We’re looking forward to working with Scott to make an insane, terrifying and weirdly adorable movie,” produce Grahame-Smith shared.

“The story really lends itself to being a movie and it taps into a largely unexplored niche of horror that a lot of people will be able to relate to,” Scott Cawthon, the game’s renown creator, said.

The Five Nights at Freddy’s games have a distinct cult following, and have become some of the most acclaimed indies of all time.

Taking place in a haunted Chuck E. Cheese-type restaurant called Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, the games tell a truly eerie and chilling tale while utilizing some of the most original horror elements in the industry. There are currently three games in the Five Nights at Freddy‘s series, with a possible fourth chapter in the works.

It’ll be interesting to see how the movie will take shape over the coming months, but since Cawthon is involved, we think that the film will stay true to the mystique that’s enthralled millions of gamers.

No details on a release date have been revealed, and we should expect updates later this year.

The post Warner Bros. Making Five Nights At Freddy’s Movie appeared first on VR World.

UPDATE 3: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided has just been updated with an official listing on Steam, featuring a batch of new screengrabs included below.

UPDATE 2: Square Enix has released a new announcement trailer for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided that’s incredibly explosive, symbolic, and just plain awesome.

The video clocks in at three minutes in length and delivers some of the most impressive visual fidelity I’ve seen all year. Plus we have a new bit of info from the trailer’s description, which can be found below.

“Deus Ex: Mankind Divided directly follows the aftermath of the Aug Incident, a day when mechanically augmented citizens all over the world were stripped of control over their minds and bodies, resulting in the deaths of millions of innocents.

“The year is now 2029, and the golden era of augmentations is over.

“Mechanically augmented humans have been deemed outcasts and segregated from the rest of society. Crime and acts of terror serve as a thin veil to cover up an overarching conspiracy aimed at controlling the future of mankind…

“Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is coming soon on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. #CantKillProgress”

UPDATE: All Games Beta has just spotted a collage of new screenshots for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided which can be found below.

Original story is as follows.

Square Enix’s new Deus Ex game has been unearthed, revealing the return of Adam Jensen in a direct sequel to the cyborg shooter hit Human Revolution.

The new game is called Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, and is currently in development for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.

It’ll take place in 2029 right after the events of Human Revolution, and according to Game Informer, Eidos-Montreal will keep the game’s distinct level of choice-driven gameplay intact as well as update combat mechanics and boss fights.

The game itself focuses on the new pressures on society brought on by augmentations, causing humanity to splinter off into two groups: humans and “transhumans”, that is people with special biomechanic agumentations that make them extra-powerful.

As a comparison, think of how society hates and fears  mutants in the X-Men comics. People are afraid of the new transhumans because they’re basically superhuman, meaning augmented criminals and terrorists can do far more damage.

This time around Jensen, an augmented human himself, gets hired as a special operative in an Interpol-funded task force that hunts down these dangerous transhuman terrorists.

“Jensen has a new suite of augmentations that allow him to cleverly navigate stealth, combat, and social interactions, but how Jensen chooses to solve every problem is entirely up to you.” –Game Informer

Game Informer has also confirmed that Deus Ex: Mankind Divided will be their cover issue for May, which promises tons of new info and scoops.

Additionally the new screenshots (see below for a full gallery) show off some features of the game, including what looks to be a live-action upgrade system (above) as well as that sleek high-tech style we know and love.

Mankind Divided was presumably the new game that Square Enix was set to reveal in their 3-day “Cant Stop Progress” ARG stream. The publisher has issued a new Tweet that hints at a full reveal tomorrow.

Come see the future of Deus Ex, tomorrow at 09:00PT/12:00ET/18:00CEST on http://t.co/cyr5xIE3fm. #CantKillProgress pic.twitter.com/bJS5Gf2gUu

— Deus Ex (@DeusEx) April 7, 2015

The post New Deus Ex Game Leaked, Adam Jensen Returns appeared first on VR World.

Do you love Heroes of the Storm as much as we do? Well you’re in luck. In collaboration with Mionix and Blizzard, we’re giving away 50 keys for the Heroes of the Storm beta.

If you’re not familiar with the game, Blizzard describes it as “a raucous online team brawler starring your favorite Blizzard characters. Build and customize heroes from across every Blizzard universe to suit your play style. Team up with your friends and engage in fast-paced mayhem across varied battlegrounds that impact strategy and change the way you play the game.”

So if you’ve ever wanted to pit your favorite characters in the different Blizzard universes against each other, this sounds like the perfect game for you.

Currently Heroes of the Storm is in closed beta with a release expected later this year. So far over 9 million players have signed up for the closed beta.

Using the widget below you can enter to win one of 50 beta keys for the game.  For an extra chance at winning, visit www.mionix.net/HOTS. The contest closes on April 11 and the keys will be distributed then to the lucky winners via email. The contest is only open to those that reside in the EU, as the keys will not work outside of that geographical area.

Heroes of the Storm beta key giveaway

The post Win a Heroes of the Storm Beta Key from VR World and Mionix appeared first on VR World.

Online retailer Amazon has opened up pre-orders for Razer’s new surprisingly beefy Android-powered micro-console, the Forge TV.

Since Razer has opted to sell controller-less retail versions for $99, Amazon’s $149.99 listing bundles the device alongside the new Android-optimized Serval controller. The controllers normally retail at $79 so you’re actually saving money going this route.

The Forge TV is scheduled to release May 1, 2015.

Here’s what the device has under the hood:

• CPU: 2.7 GHz Snapdragon 805 (quad-core)
• RAM: 2GB
• Storage: 16GB
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.1, wireless 802.11ac, gigabit Ethernet
• Ports: HDMI 1.4 output, USB 3.0, DC Power
• OS: Android 5.0 Lollipop

Forging a New Path

Micro-consoles have started crowding the hardware market over the last year or so, and they ultimately aim to deliver a console gaming experience without the premium console price. We’ve seen devices like the MadCatz Mojo, the Gamestick

Tapping the versatility of Android has been the key, as the OS not only games via Google Play but a wealth of multimedia and entertainment apps like Netflix, Hulu and HBO Go.

With just about every major player throwing their hat into the ring of Android set-top boxes, it’s not so surprising to see Razer jump in as well.

The Razer Forge TV has access to Google Play’s wide array of apps and features, making it a multimedia portal as well as a mini games console.

With so many options on the market, Razer plans to woo gamers with an attractive performance versus value ratio.

As far as performance and functionality goes the Forge TV beats out competitors like the Ouya, which retails for the same price, and delivers a fractured games marketplace compared to the huge open-ended Google Play store.

Beating Ouya is just the start. Razer’s Forge TV will take on key competitors like Valve’s new Steam Link and Nvidia’s 4K TV- ready Shield Console.

How well it’ll fair against the big contenders like Valve and Nvidia remains to be seen. That being said the Forge TV is $50 cheaper than the Shield Console, and since gamers already own PC’s, picking up a higher performance micro-console is a bit redundant.

Apart from price, Razer does have additional aces up its sleeve: the multiplatform-capable Serval controller, and the Cortex game streaming ecosystem.

The Serval controller is quite flexible and can transform into a MOGA-like controller for on-the-go mobile gaming.

The Serval controller is basically a refined Sabertooth controller that can duo as a Moga controller. It can be paired to four different devices including PCs, tablets, mobile phones and the Forge TV, making it a versatile and flexible solution.

You can also hook up four Serval controllers up to the micro-console, making for some epic couch co-op sessions.

Razer even has a stylish “Turret” keyboard and mouse combo that’s designed for use in your living room, which is a pretty great idea.

Cortex is Razer’s unified games streaming ecosystem that will bring PC gaming to your living room.

Cortex is Razer’s answer to Steam Link, and represents a major ecosystem that will unify Razer’s array of gaming hardware.

Using Cortex you’ll be able to stream games from your centralized PC to the Forge TV via LAN connectivity. It’s a lot like the PS4’s Remote Play function only with PC games.

No release date has been finalized for the PC-to-mobile games streaming service, but Razer has targeted a Q2 2015 release window.

If you’re thinking about picking one up be sure to check out some reviews. The major consensus seems to indicate that the Forge TV’s full potential won’t manifest until Cortex is made available.

Until then it’s just another middle-grade set-top box in a sea of Android micro-consoles.

Source: Amazon

Via: Talk Android

The post Pre-Orders Open For Razer’s Forge TV Micro-Console appeared first on VR World.

Right before April Fool’s day, Hyperkin, the famed accessory firm that created the Game Genie, unveiled a new peripheral that transforms smartphones into fully-functioning Game Boy handhelds.

Labeled the Smart Boy, the peripheral was previously dismissed as an April Fool’s Joke. But Hyperkin reveals that the company used the annual holiday as a disguise for a marketing ploy, and it was just testing the waters to gauge interest.

It looks like Hyperkin is satisfied with the Smart Boy’s reception because the device is currently in development.

“As this is only a conceptual design, features may be removed or added in its current development stage,” the company said on its Facebook page.

Only iPhone 6’s will be compatible will the device so far, but there are plans to include other smartphones in the future.

The Smart Boy will only be compatible for iPhone 6’s at the start, but it’ll support other mobiles in the future.

Essentially the Smart Boy is a hollowed out dock stylized like a Game Boy with two different slots. The front slot secures the smartphone in place, which acts as the handheld’s screen. In the back you’ll be able to slide in cartridges just like the original model.

Game cartridges will slide in the back of the dock, making a sort of strange hybrid controller fashioned after Nintendo’s namesake handheld.

Hyperkin promises that all official Game Boy and Game Boy Color game cartridges will be compatible with the device.

The Smart Boy looks, feels and functions just like Nintendo’s popular early 90’s handheld, featuring an 8-way D-Pad along with the A and B buttons. Plus it also features its own 5-hour battery that “can be charged through the phone itself”.

Hyperkin might have a hard time getting licensing rights from Nintendo regarding Game Boy tech and games playback.

While Hyperkin might be on board for this idea, Nintendo most assuredly is not.

The beleaguered Japanese gaming giant is infamous for their restrictive reign on their official products, and we might see Nintendo try to shut down the Smart Boy.

On the other hand Nintendo could learn something from the device. Since the company has confirmed it’ll be making smartphone games after all, a mobile-compatible peripheral like the Smart Boy could help make mobile gaming more accessible.

Touchpad screens are great for navigating websites and using apps, but they’re bad for trying to play platformers like Super Mario Bros. that take quick reflexes and coordination.

The post The Smart Boy Transforms an iPhone 6 Into a Game Boy appeared first on VR World.

In an interview with the Gaming Business Review, an online site ran by M2 Publishing, Tim Sweeney detailed recent developments in Epic Games, as well as his visions of the future.

The interview obviously took place during Game Developer’s Conference 2015, which is traditionally held in San Francisco, CA. We highly recommend that you head there and read the whole interview, but we could not miss out on a question that is shaping the industry right now:

GBR: How big do you see virtual reality becoming over the next five to ten years as a business?

TS: Virtual reality and Augmented Reality will literally change the world. They will be the next computing platform.  There’s a market for billions of these devices because everybody who has a smartphone today will — perhaps in as much as decade from now — much prefer entertainment in a completely immersive experience that takes advantage of your entire field of view and has full body input through miniaturized cameras and other technologies.  But we’re in the early days of it now.  Let’s be clear, everything is in the development kit stage.  It is for early adopters and what we’re seeing now is really just the Palm Pilot to the platform that will evolve into something iPhone-like in its quality.

There’s no point in denying it, after seeing billions of dollars earned by 3D movies which rely on ‘cheap tricks’ to achieve depth (try finding animated feature movies without 3D being the ‘default’ option), next step will bring us technologies such as Microsoft Hololens, production versions of Facebook-owned Oculus VR (John Carmack keynote) and second-generation Google Glass, which is developed in near-secrecy by the search giant and a practical monopoly in glasses, Italian giant Luxottica.

After operating for almost 20 years as an independent studio, Epic Games made waves across the gaming and development community when they accepted an investment from Tencent Holdings (HKG:0700) last June (2014). The Chinese powerhouse paid up $330 million for 48.4% of the company, setting the valuation just a bit below $680 million.

Tim Sweeney continued to be the CEO, while his lifelong business partner Mark Rein still continues as in his role of Vice President.  Not selling themselves outright like idSoftware did with ZeniMax Media, Epic Games continues to be independent studio, consisting out of product (games) and technology development units. Their recent announcement about making Unreal Engine ‘free’ opens a path for even more ‘premium freemium’ titles which base their revenue model on microtransactions.

The post Tim Sweeney: Virtual Reality will Literally Change the World appeared first on VR World.

What better to celebreate Easter than looking back at some of our favorite hidden secrets peppered throughout our games libraries?

Easter eggs are old time immemorial, and serve an important purpose that makes gamers everywhere grin in delight. Most of the time the Easter eggs are little bits that devs leave in their game, small nods to pop-culture references that bring a truly enchanting sense of achievement when found by players.

Without further adieu, let’s just in and check out some of my personal favorite Easter eggs in gaming.

Diablo 2 –  The Secret Cow Level

Diablo 2 is one of my favorite games of all time, and features one of the most hilarious Easter eggs in video games history: the infamous Cow Level.

That’s right. There’s a secret area in Blizzard’s iconic demon-slaying ARPG where you fight cows…and take on the dreaded Cow King.

The Secret Cow Level can be accessed by combining Wirt’s Leg–which is found on Wirt’s body via a portal to Tristram in the Stony Field–with a Town of Town Portal book.

The cows are called “Hell Bovines”, and to make things even more hilarious, they actually moo. They moo a lot.

This level isn’t just for fun, though; it serves as a very valuable spot to find goods and level up for new players–I myself have helped hundreds of other players level up and snag loot from cow runs over the years.

But stay clear of the Cow King: once you slay him you can’t ever open the Cow portal ever again.

Halo – Half-Naked Guy & Dancing Marty

The Half-Naked Guy is one of Halo 3‘s most popular campaign Easter eggs, and was one of the more truly weird and…uncomfortable finds in the game.

And that guy in his boxers? That’s none other than Jason Jones, co-founder of Bungie Studios. What a way to be immortalized, right?

The cardboard cutout can also be found in a Halo 2 cutscene, although you have to zoom quite a way’s in to see him. The image shows up on the Gravemind mission and the Legendary difficulty must be active.

In the same vein, you can also find an incredibly goofy cutout ex-Bungie composer Marty O’ Donnell in the Halo 3: ODST campaign.

The egg shows Marty dancing hilariously in a .gif style repeating fashion with bubbles and little cartoon hearts emanating around him. The dancing is accompanied by some groovy tunes, too.

Diablo 3 – Whimsyshire

Blizzard made it clear from the start that the infamous Cow Level wouldn’t return for Diablo 3. But that doesn’t mean the fun is over. They’ve just become more happy, with sunshine, rainbows, cupcakes and unicorns replacing the raging Hell Bovines.

Whimsyshire is much more difficult to access, and to get in, you have to collect a ton of random objects strewn and dropped throughout the game. But it’s all worth it to show a new player the majesty of whimsy.

The place is strewn with killer unicorns who are hellbent on feasting on your bones, all the while presented in one of the happiest places on earth.

Bright colors, joyous clouds and even power-up cupcakes fill the area, making one of the most hilarious Easter eggs of all time.

The level can actually be pretty big, too, but it’s a finite zone just like the Cow Level so the fun won’t last forever.

Fallout: New Vegas – Indiana Jones’ Skeleton

Remember when Indy jumped inside of the refrigerator to survive the atomic blast in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? The intrepid adventurer went unscathed during the explosion thanks to the fridge’s lead lining.

But the devs of Fallout: New Vegas disagree, and you can find poor Indy’s bones and trademark within the famed refrigerator, an obvious nod to the outrageous impossible scene. The completely ridiculous premise was just another one of the reasons why this little find is so special, and represents a good bit of humor from the dev team.

You can find this easter egg by going just a bit north from Goods Spring Source, and northwest from Jean Sky Diving.

Star Wars Rebel Assault II – Mystery Science Theater 3K Mode

This mid-90’s rail shooter saw a release on PC and the early PlayStation console, and features one of the most amazing Easter eggs of all time.

If you put in the code “OVRES” (that’s SERVO spelled backwards, as in Tom Servo) during the Theater mode to activate a secret Mystery Science Theater 3000 overlay mode.

The egg features R2D2, Darth Vader and C3PO taking the places of the iconic mover-goers to dish out some hilarious commentary over Rebel Assault II‘s cutscenes.

Halo 4 – Andy Richter and Conan O’Brian Bicker

Andy Richter and Conan O’Brian are actually in Halo 4. Who knew?

They two comedians lend their voices to a duo of soldiers onboard the UNSC Infinity, and deliver about 10 seconds of bickering commentary. They can be found during the sixth campaign mission entitled Shutdown, and are pretty easy to find.

It’s a nice little nod that surprised me when I first played the game, and added a nice touch of hilarity to an otherwise serious and somber game.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II – Playing Atari Games in Nuketown

In Nuketown 2025, Call of Duty: Black Ops II‘s retro 50’s style “home of the future” map, you can actually play old-school Activision games from the Atari days.

What you need to do is headshot all of the mannequins in the map in less than 1 minute 30 seconds, and walk over to the terminal and voila–you can fire up some old games like Pitfall, Hero, River Raid and Kaboom!

Oh and don’t worry about getting shot up while you enjoy some classic gaming–you’re actually invincible while you play.

Dead Island – Jason Vorhees

Everyone knows Jason Vorhees: he’s the brutal hockey-mask wearing maniac who practically built the campy 80’s style slasher genre.

We’ve seen the Friday the 13th murderer re-created in iconic game form on the NES, but Techland resurrected the machete-slicing baddy for their zombie game Dead Island.

Vorhees is a higher-level boss within a secret area, and he’s complete with his trademark hockey mask and machete. It’s great to see a horror movie nod from Techland, and given Dead Island perfectly fits the woodsy theme of Camp Crystal Lake, this cross-over is a no-brainer!

Dying Light – Easter Eggs Galore

Techland’s zombie survival sim Dying Light has a ton of Easter eggs.

Rather than showcasing and chronicling every single hidden secret, I’ve picked a few of my personal favorites that can be found below:

Super Mario Parkour

There’s a hidden pipe within the game that actually transports you to World 1-1 straight out of a Mario Bros. platformer, but rather than going 2-D, you’re left to traverse the colorful environment in first-person.

The level is complete with Goombas, coinboxes and a flagpole at the end, and you can even find a blueprint schematic for an item that lets you glide around the map like Mario in his Tanooki suit!

Excalibur, The Sword in the…Zombie?

King Arthur’s mystical blade is one of the many secret items peppered throughout the game, and was one of the first Easter eggs to be unearthed.

The EXPcalibur is stuck in a zombie’s corpse rather than a stone, and you’ll have to press the activate button repeatedly for a good minute or so to pull it free. Once you snag it be sure to wait around for the Blueprint, as the sword actually breaks pretty fast since it’s so powerful.

Silence of the Lambs

Remember Buffalo Bill? Of course you do. No one will ever forget that creepy bastard, or the iconic well prison he kept his victims in.

Dying Light pays homage to the iconic Silence of the Lambs film by recreating that very dry stone well. The Easter egg is actually revealed during the “Where’s My Mother?” side mission, and once you find the key to the basement, you discover a woman trapped in the macabre prison and free her.

Battlefield Hardline – Couch Kills and Secret Reloads

Haven’t you always wanted to drive a couch in a game and run people over?

Thanks to Battlefield: Hardline‘s excessively awesome Easter eggs, you can do just that. The couch is called the “American Dream” and can be found in the Dust Bowl multiplayer map.

You’ll have to be playing the Hotwire Mode in order to jump on the couch and start running down enemies. Plus every time you score a kill onboard the couch, it registers as a ‘Murica kill.

If a drive-able couch wasn’t enough, Hardline also has a host of rare reload animations that are pretty damn hilarious.

These range from reloading your gun with a third arm, a stylish rocket launcher flip reload, a comically huge clip reload, and more. Check below to see them all!

Half-Life – Room of Gaben

Just about every PC player has a special spot in their hearts for Valve creator Gabe Newell.

Affectionately known as “Gaben” by Steam aficionados (that is to say most of everyone who owns a PC) and the games industry, Newell was immortalized in a vary peculiar Easter egg featured in the first Half-Life game.

The “Gaben Room” is a square room that’s painted rather creepily in small pictures of Newell’s face, making a rather bizarre nod to the “cult of Gaben”…or maybe it was a joke about the Valve’s bosses’ supposed narcissism?

We don’t know why it was made, but we do know that it’s awesome…in a very uncomfortable way.

Chrono Trigger – Secret Developer Room

Chrono Trigger is known as one of the best games of all time, and harks back to the golden-age of JRPG mastery. It also houses one of the most creative Easter eggs in gaming.

The secret is actually one of the many endings of the game, and can be accessed by unlocking the “Dream Project” ending.

After you beat the game and unlock the ending, you actually get to interact with in-game NPC’s of all of Chrono Trigger‘s developers. This remains one of the most memorable Easter eggs I’ve ever experienced, and I had no idea how I unlocked it back in the day.

According to the Chronopendium website, there are two ways of obtaining this ending:

“Firstly, on a New Game +, go straight to the Telepod before even going to 600 A.D. Use the sparkle on the right Telepod to fight Lavos. Otherwise, this ending can be found by defeating Lavos during the Ocean Palace Incident.”

Chatting to each of the developers in their SNES pixellated forms was enchanting. It was a kind of metaphysical experience, something I hadn’t experienced before, and it was a kind of magical bridge between creator and player.

And I’ll never forget Eiji Nakamura’s character telling me to “get a life!”…ahh nostalgia.

Wrap-Up

With so many games released over the last few decades, there are probably millions and millions of Easter eggs out there, with many more that have yet to be discovered.

Secrets and glitches are and will continue to be an integral part of the gaming world, with a distinct cult following that’s determined to shed light on every little mystery that video games have to offer.

We know we’ve missed a ton of secrets, and we’d love to hear some of your favorite video game Easter eggs that you’ve found over the years!

The post My Favorite Video Game Easter Eggs appeared first on VR World.

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has announced that it has halted production of the second-generation PC-compatible Kinect sensors, with the Xbox One variants taking their place.

In a recent post on the Kinect for Windows blog the Redmond-based tech giant has cited “unprecedented demand from the developer community for Kinect sensors” as the main reason for the decision.

The Kinect for Windows v2 model has essentially been folded into the existing Xbox One variant.

The cutoff doesn’t affect developers who already own Windows-compatible v2 Kinects. Microsoft has made it clear that “support for the Kinect for Windows v2 sensor [will] remain unchanged, and [owners] can continue to use their sensors.”

Since it was unable to meet soaring demand, Microsoft utilized a brilliant business tactic by simply nixing a product it couldn’t keep supplying and producing an adapter that effectively makes the Xbox One Kinect equal to the second-gen Kinect for Windows model.

The new adapter allows an Xbox One Kinect to be hooked up to any Windows 8.0 PC or tablet.

The Kinect for Windows adapter retails at $49.99 and allows any Xbox One Kinect to be hooked up to a PC or tablet running Windows 8.0 or 8.1. The USB 3.0 adapter basically acts as an intermediary that bridges the compatibility gap between the Xbox One sensor and PC’s.

Both Kinects are “functionally identical” so the Kinect for Windows SDK 2.0 development suite will be exactly the same.

All that’s really changed is that you now have to shell out an extra $49.99 for the adapter, plus $150 for the sensor itself.

This is a smart move considering Microsoft now has a way to move its stock of unsold Xbox One Kinects. Most gamers have been buying the $349 Kinect-less console option, leading to a surge in supply of the peripheral, and this way the company will be able to funnel that supply over to the demand for PC sensors.

In tandem with the Oculus Rift, NASA used the Kinect v2 to control a robot arm, which could revolutionize off-planet exploration.

Although the Kinect sensor is largely seen as a gimmick in the video games industry, the peripheral has been used by researchers to study asteroids and glaciers, collect forensic crime-scene data, and NASA has even used it to control robots with body movement.

The Kinect can also guide your exercise routine by tracking your heart rate, track your burned calories, and so much more. It can even bring physical therapy to patient’s homes and make PT more rewarding and entertaining.

Since the sensor has a huge potential of practical and theoretical uses, scientists and researchers across the globe are interested in trying it out for themselves.

The Kinect v2 for PC isn’t gone, it’s just been consolidated, and developers will still be able to push the boundaries even further with new techniques.

The post Microsoft Will Stop Producing Kinect For Windows appeared first on VR World.

It’s not so surprising that the beleaguered online game-streaming service OnLive is officially shutting down later this month. What is a bit surprising is how Sony (NYSE: SNE) swooped in to pick its bones clean by purchasing OnLive’s patent rights, presumably to bolster its own game-streaming service PlayStation Now.

It is with great sadness that we must bring the OnLive Game Service to a close. Sony is acquiring… Read More: http://t.co/WGaO1IsrmY

— OnLive (@OnLive) April 2, 2015

Starting April 30 all of the databanks that powered OnLive subscriptions will be wiped.

That means all your PlayPass games, saved files, achievements and account information will be deleted and all game-streaming hardware (and the controllers) will be rendered useless.

“After April 30, 2015, our data centers will shut down and the service will be offline,” the company’s support page wrote in a recent FAQ.

“All accounts will be closed, and all data deleted including game save data, achievements, and credit card data will be deleted. If you purchased a Steam game from OnLive, that game will still be available on Steam.

“No refunds will be available for any game purchases, hardware purchases, or subscriptions.”

Although the service is being axed, there is one way you’ll be able to keep your save files and achievements. If you happened to use CloudLift, a feature that let you stream-play games from your Steam library, your data will still be intact.

While OnLive has been in trouble for a while, it bridged an accessibility gap by letting Mac users play PC games on their machines.

Essentially the service was used as a sort of intermediary between the two system types, and soon gamers will be left with a Steam library filled with games they might not be able to play.

Plus, as the FAQ notes, you won’t be getting any refunds from Steam games you purchased through OnLive. Plus those exclusive OnLive controllers are so exclusive that they aren’t compatible with any other devices or hardware.

OnLive’s patents were a big acquisition by Sony, and could be used to completely turn around their flagging PlayStation Now game steaming service.

While this is as big disappointment for many, Sony has won out big here. The Japanese gaming titan has acquired an extensive patent portfolio specifically targeting cloud-based game-streaming.

Thus armed with OnLive’s array of patents, Sony stands to enhance and fortify its currently underwhelming and unpopular PlayStation Now game-streaming service.

Harnessing the raw power of Gaikai, which Sony purchased and absorbed into its own cloud framework, these patents could very well swing a huge blow towards the Japanese console-maker’s competitors.

“These strategic purchases open up great opportunities for our gamers, and gives Sony a formidable patent portfolio in cloud gaming,” said Philip Rosenberg, a Sony Computer Entertainment exec.

It is yet another proof point that demonstrates our commitment to changing the way gamers experience the world of PlayStation.”

But are OnLive’s strategies enough? The company did fail, after all, and the service is being nixed, so there will indefinite hurdles ahead of Sony copies their path.

All in all the big problem with PlayStation Now is how it’s marketed. Sony has experimented with offering a rental-fee structure when PS Now launched, and now the company offers monthly subscription plans at $19.99/month or $44.99 for 3 months.

Even still gamers still aren’t buying and are reticent to adopt the new platform. Considering how much games cost these days, and the current exploitative trends of the industry, I’m not surprised.

Investing in cloud gaming hasn’t come cheap for Sony. Back in 2012 it shelled out $380 million for Gaikai, the framework that would power the present-day PS Now.

We still don’t know how much the company paid for OnLive’s filed patents, but so far the cloud-gaming business hasn’t been very profitable for the PlayStation creators.

The post Sony Buys Up OnLive’s Patents Amid Service Shutdown appeared first on VR World.

The shadowy merchant Xur is back again with a fresh batch of exotic wares to peddle in Destiny‘s Tower of Guardians, and he really doesn’t have anything too exciting this time around.

Notable selections from the Agent of the Nine’s weekly inventory include a decent Defender Titan helm, a body armor exotic engram that could drop a Heart of the Praxic Fire for your Sunsinger, and a fantastic Achlyophage Symbiote upgrade with 127 max Discipline.

Xur’s inventory selection for Week 30 lasting from April 3 – 4, 2015.

Other goodies include a decent Crest of Alpha Lupi Titan variant, as well as a ton of weapon upgrade repeats like impressive combo Bad Juju pulse rifle and the Arc-infused Thunderlord machine gun.

As far as location, for Week 30 the interstellar tradesman can be found in one of his usual haunts outside of the Speaker’s quarter.

This week Xur is in the western quadrant of the Tower, outside of the Speaker’s quarters next to the railing.

It looks like Heavy Ammo Synthesis are here to stay, priced at their usual exchange rate of 1SC per stack of five. As far as Telemetry models go, Xur has Pulse Rifle, Fusion Rifle and Rocket Launcher EXP boosters up for grabs for 1SC per five-stack.

Without further adieu let’s jump right into our analysis of Xur’s exotic wares for April 3 (Week 30) and find out if his wares are worth your hard-earned strange coins or not.

“Everything is luminous.”

The Glasshouse – 13 Strange Coins

• Class: Titan (Defender)
• Upgrade Mats: Helium Fragments, Exotic shard (last tier)
• Min Level: 20
• Type: Helmet
• Defense: 407/447
• Intellect: 110/118
• Rain Blows: Increases melee attack speed
• Quintessence Transfer: Replenish Super energy when you kill an enemy with a grenade.
• Bathed in light: Blessing of Light and Weapons of Light last longer.

Should You Buy It?

Yes, if you’re a Defender Titan.

The Glasshouse is a very useful utility-grade exotic that serves a very specific purpose: to boost your Weapons of Light for extra damage. This is particularly useful during raids like the Vault of Glass Aetheron battle or high-level Strikes where high-output damage is key.

The Quintessence Transfer mod is pretty useful too especially if you have the Magnetic Grenade equipped. Basically you’ll get something extra out of kills you’d already be getting thanks to the grenade, and get to use your shield more often.

It’s something that every Defender Titan should have in their arsenal, but it doesn’t replace the Helm of Saint-14 for everyday use. The higher-end Intellect roll is also a nice touch that further boosts your bubble shield recharge.

“Amputated from a creature that stumbled out of a Vex gate. A vestigial defensive reflex still remains.”

Don’t Touch Me – 13 Strange Coins

• Class: Hunter (Any)
• Upgrade Mats: Spinmetal, Exotic shard (last tier)
• Min Level: 20
• Type: Gauntlets
• Defense: 333/366
• Discipline: 77/83
• Special Weapon Loader: Increases reload speed of all Special Weapons.
• Inverse Shadow: Cooldown for Super Ability is reduced by 2.5 seconds per kill of minions of the Darkness.
• Defensive Reflex: Taking damage from a melee attack makes you briefly invisible.

Should You Buy It?

Maybe.

These pair of gauntlets are strictly PVE, so it depends on what kind of character your Hunter is. That being said, this particular exotic is incredibly useful during the first segment of the Crota’s End raid where you’re running blind for the lamps.

Basically every time you get smacked by a Thrall you turn invisible, which pretty much allows you to keep gaining ground without taking too much damage. And considering how many thralls there are to hit you, the part becomes pretty easy to just sneak past.

But Don’t Touch Me aren’t useful as a main item–they’re not going to replace your Mask of the Third Man or Golden Gun-adding Achlyophage Symbiote.

“When one can wield the fire of stars, what use is flesh and bone?”

Sunbreakers – 13 Strange Coins

• Class: Warlock (Sunsinger)
• Upgrade Mats: Helium Filaments Exotic shard (last tier)
• Min Level: 20
• Type: Gauntlets
• Defense: 333/366
• Intellect: 79/85
• Special Weapon Loader: Increases the reload speed of all Special Weapons.
• Serpent’s Tail: Causing damage with a melee reduces your grenade cooldown.
• Helium Cycle: Increase the duration of your Solar Grenade.

Should You Buy It?

Maybe, but there are better Sunsinger class exotics.

The Sunbreakers are good gauntlets for the Sunsinger class, but you have better options like the Heart of The Praxic Fire which makes Radiance incredibly potent. Another better option is the Claws of Dire Ahamkara gauntlets which grant you an extra Scorch charge, meaning you’ll get two opportunities to trigger your Flame Shield.

The Sunbreakers are pretty much a tier three item, and they’re okay, plus the stat roll is in the middle so if you don’t have anything else, go for it. Otherwise keep on the look out for those other items and stick with what you have for now.

“Burn the world. Burn it all.”

Dragon’s Breath – 17 Strange Coins

• Upgrade Mats: Spirit Bloom, Exotic shard (last tier)
• Min Level: 20
• Type: Rocket Launcher
• Damage: 302 (Solar Elemental Damage)
• • Smart Drift Control: Predictable and controllable recoil. Penalty to Velocity.
    • Linear Compensator: More predictable recoil. Slight boost to Velocity and Blast Radius. More recoil.
    • Confined Launch: Greatly reduced recoil. Significant penalty to Velocity.
  • Tripod: This launcher’s tube can hold three shells.
  • Upgrade Damage: Increases Attack Power, allowing this weapon to cause more damage.
  • Quickdraw: This weapon can be drawn unbelievably fast.
    • Javelin: Increases warhead velocity.
    • Heavy Payload: Increases warhead blast radius.
  • Pyromancer :Rounds fired from this weapon leave a Solar Flare upon detonation.

Should You Buy It?

No, save your coin.

The real downside with Dragon’s Breath is that it takes up your exotic weapon slot for a very conditional type of weapon. This rocket launcher is primarily used as a “area denial” solution by leaving a Solar Flare (just like the Warlock’s ability) which delivers damage over time in a specific area.

In PVP you can use it to shoot at an area you want enemies to stay away from, as the explosion leaves behind that damage-dealing flare, pretty much cutting off that particular pathway.

This rocket launcher is curious, and is more for strategic use rather than total annihilation, but it does have a huge blast radius.

Exotic Shard – 7 Strange Coins

Body Armor Exotic Item Engram – 23 Motes of Light

Armor Upgrades

Achlyophage Symbiote (Helmet)

Stellar upgrade here, buy this one if you’re in the market for an upgrade. Achlyophage Symbiote is amazing for all Gunslingers, as that extra Golden Gun shot helps in every single game mode, from PVP to PVE. The extra shot is a constant source of recurring value.

• Cost: 7177 G, 1 Exotic Shard
• Class: Hunter (Gunslinger)
• Light: 30/36
• Discipline: 119/127
• Defense: 407/447

Lucky Raspberry (Chestpiece)

Lower Intellect stat roll, so pass it up. The Lucky Raspberry is a very useful tool that arms you with more rocket and fusion rifle ammo (works with Vex Mythoclast) for PVE raids. Plus you instantly spawn with full grenade energy in PVP. And your Arc-infused grenade’s chain lightning effect stretches further outward, making it a good PVP finisher.

• Cost: 7393 G, 1 Exotic Shard
• Class: Hunter (Bladedancer)
• Light: 30/36
• Intellect: 121/130
• Defense: 444/488

Crest of Alpha Lupi (Chestpiece)

Proper high Intellect stat roll, so upgrade it if you have the extra shard laying around. The item’s worth is conditional, but spawning extra orbs can help out in boss fights as well as taking down Crota on Hard difficulty.

• Cost: 7547 G, 1 Exotic Shard
• Class: Titan (Any)
• Light: 30/36
• Intellect: 148/159
• Defense: 444/488

No Backup Plans (Gauntlets)

Middle tier Strength roll here, so pass it up for now. You don’t want to invest the Exotic Shard and Glimmer cost until you see a fantastic Strength buff. No Backup Plans are pretty useful for Defender Titans, and stack with defense melee skills to make the Force Barrier overshield a powerful extra line of defense.

• Cost: 7759 G, 1 Exotic Shard
• Class: Titan (Defender)
• Light: 30/36
• Strength: 80/86
• Defense: 333/366

Apotheosis Veil (Helmet)

The stat roll here is decent, but with a registered max of 128 Discipline, this particular RNG helmet isn’t anything amazing. The Apotheosis Veil is another conditionally useful item that is best equipped during Raids or other high-stakes activities. It allows the wearer to regenerate health from various triggers.

• Cost: 7013 G, 1 Exotic Shard
• Class: Warlock (Any)
• Light: 30/36
• Discipline: 93/100
• Defense: 407/447

Sunbreakers (Gauntlets)

Another “meh” roll here, so save your Glimmer and shards. We’ve already weighed the value of the Sunbreakers above, and the extra defense boost isn’t worth the cost.

• Cost: 7549 G, 1 Exotic Shard
• Class: Warlock (Sunsinger)
• Light: 30/36
• Intellect: 80/86
• Defense: 333/366

Weapon Upgrades

Bad Juju (Pulse Rifle)

Bungie has just buffed up Pulse Rifles quite a bit in 1.1.1 so now’s a good time as any to upgrade. Bad Juju on its own is pretty damn effective and is a great go-to weapon for Voidwalker Warlocks when used in tandem with the Obsidian Mind helmet. With this combo you’ll get instant reloads and build up your super after kills, and gain more energy from killing Hive enemies thanks to the Obsidian Mind.

You can also use Bad Juju effectively with the Skull of Dire Ahamkara to build some serious super energy.

• Cost: 7019 G, 1 Exotic Shard
• Attack: 302/331 (Kinetic damage)
• Magazine: 24

MIDA Multi-Tool (Scout Rifle)

Upgrade this one. The MIDA Multi-Tool is already amazing, and with extra damage it becomes even more amazing. Essentially it’s a fast-shooting, fast-reloading mid to long-range rifle that empowers you with extra speed when equipped. And the best part is that it gives you a Third Eye that lets you see your radar when you’re scoping down the sights.

• Cost: 7459 G, 1 Exotic Shard
• Attack: 302/331 (Kinetic damage)
• Magazine: 21

Thorn (Handcanon)

Pick this upgrade up. Even when it’s not upgraded Thorn is a very powerful weapon. Sure it’s not as good as the all-star Hawkmoon, but it does the job quite well thanks to its lingering damage and Send It perks. The extra damage is well worth restarting all over again.

Plus there’s even word that Thorn might somehow combo with the Hunter’s Tripmine-boosting Young Ahamkara’s Spine gauntlets

• Cost: 7673 G, 1 Exotic Shard
• Attack: 302/331 (Kinetic damage)
• Magazine: 9

Patience and Time (Sniper Rifle)

Upgrading this one depends on how much you like it. That extra damage boost will come in handy to be sure, and thanks to the active camoflage, the gun is pretty flexible in a variety of situations. Basically it’s the ultimate sniper rifle for stealthy assassins.

• Cost: 7561 G, 1 Exotic Shard
• Attack: 302 / 331 (Arc damage)
• Magazine: 4

Thunderlord (Machine Gun)

Great opportunity to get that extra damage buff on an already amazing machine gun. The Thunderlord is a great go-to weapon in PvP or during Weeklies when Arc Burn is up, and is one of the best heavy machine guns in the game because it packs a powerful punch as well as retains accuracy.

Essentially it combines everything you’d want to see in this type of weapon: power, speedy reloads, and amazing stability. Plus the Lightning Rounds perk makes the gun become more accurate the longer you fire it. Win-win.

• Cost: 7681G, 1 Exotic Shard
• Attack: 302 / 331 (Arc damage)
• Magazine: 38

Super Good Advice (Machine Gun)

Apart from the Arc-infused Thunderlord, Super Good Advice is Destiny‘s other badass machine gun. It returns missed shots to its clip with the Super Good Advice perk, deals bonus damage every time you kill an enemy, packs a Solar-powered wallop, and can reload amazingly fast.

• Cost: 7817 G, 1 Exotic Shard
• Attack: 302 / 331 (Solar damage)
• Magazine: 58

Curios

• Pulse Rifle Telemetry - Stack of 5x per 1 Strange Coin

• Fusion Rifle Telemetry - Stack of 5x per 1 Strange Coin

• Rocket Launcher Telemetry - Stack of 5x per 1 Strange Coin

• Heavy Ammo Synthesis - Stack of 5x per 1 Strange Coin

• Plasma Drive Vehicle Upgrade - 23 Strange Coins

• “Emerald Coil” Vehicle Upgrade - 23 Strange Coins

The post Destiny: Analysis Of Xur’s Exotic Wares For April 3 (Week 30) appeared first on VR World.

As promised, Rockstar today released a trailer for the PC version of GTA V.

For those eagerly awaiting the game’s release — which will be in two weeks time on April 14 — this trailer is a real treat. It shows a world that’s alive at 60 fps and at 4K resolution.

GTA V PC trailer

GTA V was first released for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 in September 2013. In November 2014 it was released for the Playstation 4 and Xbox One. Across all systems the game has sold a total of 45 million copies.

GTA V was originally due out for PC in the fall of 2014 but was delayed to March and then April. Rockstar said that it needed extra time to further optimize the game for the PC. Given that the average high-end gaming PC is miles ahead of the Playstation 4 or Xbox One in processing power, GTA V should be a much more immersive experience on the PC than on consoles. The added processing power allows for things such as increased draw distances and more crowded environments.

Rockstar recommends that you have a 3.2 GHz Intel Core i5 3470 / AMD X8 FX-8350 CPU and a Nvidia GTX 660 2GB / AMD HD7870 2GB to play the game in all its glory.

The post Check out GTA V in Glorious 4K at 60 FPS appeared first on VR World.

April 1st’s new Nintendo Direct is pretty hefty, and Nintendo has made some pretty sizable announcements throughout the showcase.

Join us as we take a look at the most exciting reveals and highlights from the coverage, including Nintendo 64 and DS games coming to Wii U’s Virtual Console (finally!) along with new Amiibo waves, a standalone NFC scanner for 3DS and 2DS handhelds, a brand new Animal Crossing and footage from the Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem crossover.

Other goodies include a confirmed Mario Maker release date, a poll for future Super Smash Bros. characters, a Splatoon Amiibo three-pack, new portable “Amiibo cards”, an amazing new trailer for the 3DS Fire Emblem game, and more.

Without further adieu, let’s jump right in starting with the Wii U Virtual Console news.

The Wii U’s Virtual Console presence is getting a much needed expansion with N64 and Nintendo DS games.

Wii U Virtual Console News

One of the biggest announcements during the showcase was that Nintnedo 64 and DS games are officially coming to the Wii U Virtual Console.

This represents a huge opportunity for the company to expand its beleaguered cross-platform digital service, which is actually quite underwhelming in its current state.

The Wii U will have a variety of different layout options for both N64 and DS games.

But how will Nintendo 64 and DS emulation work with the Wii U Gamepad?

Nintendo will provide a host of dual-screen options for both platforms, so the same screen is mirrored across both the TV and Gamepad. But some games will be different and use your TV as the main screen, allowing the Gamepad or Pro controller to be used as the controller.

Other games will use “both screens as one connected screen”, meaning the Gamepad will be an accessory screen rather than simply mirrored.  As for Nintendo DS emulation, users can flip the Wii U Gamepad vertically to simulate the handheld’s dual-screen layout.

Custom button mapping is supported across N64 Virtual Console games.

Also Nintendo 64 games on the Virtual Console will let you map your own buttons for customized control schemes, which is a great option considering how different the Gamepad is from the original N64 controller.

The first Virtual Console games will be Super Mario 64 and Yoshi’s Island DS both priced at $10 and are available now on the Wii U’s Virtual Console shop.

Nintendo 64 games will be priced at $10-12 whereas Nintendo DS games will cost $7-10. But if you already own the games on the Wii’s Virtual Console and transfer them over to your Wii U, each game will be reduced to $2.

Other Wii U VC games include:

• Yoshi Touch & Go (DS) - April 9 – $9.99

• WarioWare Touched! (DS)- April 9 – $9.9

• Donkey Kong 64 (N64) - April 16 – $9.99

• Mario Kart DS (DS) - April 23 – $9.99

• Paper Mario (DS) - April 30 – $9.99

The post Nintendo Direct Wii U And 3DS Announcement Wrap-Up appeared first on VR World.

It’s not uncommon for big AAA games to have enormous budgets that are often bigger than blockbuster movies. Consider the budgets for Destiny, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and Grand Theft Auto V. Respectively these games have budgets of $500 million, $275 million and $268 million.

With budgets like this these games have to be big hits that appeal to mass audiences. They need to be flashy, action-packed adventures that appeal to anyone. In essence, they need to be the summer blockbuster material.

But games like this do not appeal to everyone. Just as some have tired of the endless supply of Marvel Comics movies that dominate summer release schedules, many want games that appeal that take risks with both the narrative and gameplay. Convincing a big studio to take a risk and fund a game like this isn’t the easiest of tasks — impossible if you don’t already have the right connections — which has given rise to the Kickstarter gaming economy.

Rise of the indies

The perception that big studios are drowning out creativity and leaving the industry with a creative deficit has led to a strong Kickstarter-backed gaming community pushing out indie games. These are games that aren’t pushing to have the cutting-edge graphics, or multi-platform releases. These are games that push the envelope of narrative and interaction creativity.

“Working in independent games right now, it feels like there’s infinite potential in any direction,” indie game designer Robin Arnott is quoted as saying in the trailer to new video game documentary GameLoading: Rise of the Indies.

Kickstarter developers are not constrained by the need for their projects to become massive commercial successes. While some games utilize cutting-edge engines such as the Unreal Engine 4 or the CryTek engine (made possible by the indie-friendly license fees both have), others take a step back and incorporate retro-style 8-bit graphics.

Big studios taking notice

The rise of indie gaming has not gone unnoticed by big game studios. While initially some indie developers were ‘refugees’ from creativity-starved studios, now studios are developing publishing brands to give indies a wider release. In many ways this is like how major studios such as Fox (NASDAQ: FOX) have developed spin-off brands for indie films like Fox Searchlight Pictures.

Consider the case of Valiant Hearts, a 2D-side scroller set in the trenches of the First World War with a strong anti-war message. Neither the First World War nor side scrollers are very marketable when compared to Call of Duty style first-person shooters, but the game’s developers, who work at Ubisoft (EPA: UBI), got the publishing giant to greenlight the game and release it earlier this year.

Yoan Fanise, the game’s Content Director, explained to Kotaku, explained he got the game approved by Ubisoft’s CEO after a successful pitch meeting.

“Our luck was that Yves Guillemot, the CEO of Ubisoft himself, was emotionally touched by the story. He was a constant support for us,” Fanise explained to Kotaku. “The First World War itself is not a theme with a very wide appeal. It’s even less appealing in 2D, and even less again with no gun in your hands, so we had to constantly be knocking on doors to even exist alongside Ubisoft’s blockbusters.”

Fansie believes that eventually the game industry will evolve to incorporate more challenging, indie title as gamers’ tastes mature.

“The movie industry has the exact same problem, but is more mature and is often willing to take bigger risks. I think it’s time for our industry to grew up and be less scary about original ideas, or trying new things,” he explained.

The future of the industry

While examples like Valiant Hearts show that big studios are taking note of the rise of indie games, in many ways the indie game industry is fine without them. It used to be that big publishers played a key role in game development: you needed access to their capital to develop the game, and without their distribution network you couldn’t get your product to customers.

But Kickstarter and digital distribution platforms such as Steam have changed that; they have democratized the industry and leveled the playing field so that merit — not connections — matter when getting an idea for an indie game off the ground.

There will always be cases such a Valiant Hearts where a big studio steps in, but there are too many cases of successful game developers doing just fine without them to say that big studios play a pivotal role in the future of indie gaming. Now, it’s all about artists and developers.

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2015 is shaping up to be a pretty substantial year for console gaming, with each of the three leading consoles–Wii U, Xbox One and PlayStation 4–receiving a nice variety of titles.

While most games on the list are cross-platform, there are a few timed exclusives as well as console exclusives to boot, and we weigh which games look to be solid hits that gamers are anticipating.

Since the gaming industry is in a sort of creative standstill as far as original content goes, most of the hotly anticipated games are sequels and continuations of popular franchises. To start things off, though, we do have an a rather distinctive indie that’s captured our collective imaginations to redefine what a sci-fi game can be.

No Man’s Sky is one of the most anticipated games in recent memory, bringing a true sense of sci-fi and fantasy with a completely randomized universe.

1. No Man’s Sky

Release Date: TBD (2015)
Publisher: TBA
Developer: Hello Games
Platform: PS4 (timed exclusive), PC, Xbox One?
Genre: Space Sim, Procedural Universe

No Man’s Sky is one of the most impressive looking games in recent memory, taking a huge leap forward in sci-fi space sims.

Developed by indie studio Hello Games, No Man’s Sky soon took the gaming world by storm when it was revealed at Spike’s VGX 2013 showcase. The indie itself is a beyond-massive game that maintains randomized, procedurally-generated universes that are so big gamers could spend months at time exploring them.

“It’s a real place, a real planet. You can walk for days and days, or depending on the size of the planet, weeks and weeks. Players can play for months on end and still never meet,” Hello Games founder Sean Murray said.

Every planet, star system, and galaxy are unique, complete with exotic flora, fauna and bizarre sci-fi secrets hidden deep within every asteroid, sun or moon. Explore regions to snag precious materials and build up your ship, or scrap

To keep things action-packed, gamers can engage in interstellar ship-to-ship dogfights throughout the cosmos. There might even be alliances and warring factions throughout the universe, and enemies will likely be just as randomized as the environments.

The Witcher 3 is the last chapter in CD Projekt RED’s open-world RPG saga, infused with dark fantasy, magic, and medieval swordplay.

2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Release Date: May 19, 2015
Publisher: WB Games
Developer: CD Projekt RED
Platform:  PS4, Xbox One, PC
Genre: RPG

The Witcher series has always been the premiere dark fantasy RPG, and CD Projekt RED concludes its epic saga with The Wild Hunt.

Few games of this generation tap the raw power and potential of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, showcasing a new era of console performance in all areas: graphics, smooth and steady frame-rate performance, sound quality, and everything else.

The Witcher 3 harkens back to what made the previous Witcher RPG games successful while also streamlining combat to a tee, adding in a wealth of new features and content that promises to keep even the die-hard Geralt fans busy for weeks on end.

Boasting over 200 hours of content, players will traverse multiple landmasses and explore regions that are rife with beauty–from rolling plains to frosty mountain ranges–and tackle a huge array of sidequests to build nobility and foster alliances that shape the world around you.

With the Witcher 3 there’s a true sense of epic magic throughout every turn, but the game makes it clear right from the get-go that this isn’t your fairtale world where princes ride off into the sunset: this is a gritty, dark and bloody world filled with murder, death and chaos, and you’re doing what you can to save it.

CD Projekt RED also wants to turn exploitative DLC on its head, and that’s why they’ve decided to pack every game with 16 packs of free add-on content. Plus they’ve done what they can to equalize performance on all systems, trying to put an end to the “console fanboy wars”, assuring that The Witcher 3 is the “same build” across PS4, Xbox One and PC.

The next in the Xenoblade line, the upcoming Wii U exclusive blends classic RPG and sci-fi sentiments for a truly unique JPRG experience.

3. Xenoblade Chronicles X

Release Date: TBD
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Monolith Soft
Platform: Wii U (exclusive)
Genre: Open-World RPG

Xenoblade Chronicles X represents the preeminent JRPG experience. It’s the ultimate foray into massive open-world content and stylish, innovative battle mechanics, and marries the worlds of epic fantasy with sci-fi majesty.

Monolith Soft’s indirect sequel remains one of the most anticipated and strong titles the Wii U has to offer this year, culminating in a remarkably vivid experience that’s filled with unique combat, a dazzling array of distinct worlds filled with alien flora and fauna, and a compelling story arc that absorbs players into a new frontier world.

The Wii U exclusive has so much to offer that playtesters have clocked in 300 hours of time with their playthroughs, showing just how huge the game really is.

From extremely dynamic battle sequences to deep character customizations and skill sets, XCX whisks you away to a unique world called Mira where humanity has crash-landed and must begin anew.

It’s up to you as a special BLADE operative to recover lost life force energy for the survivors at New Los Angeles, exploring and charting the strange alien planet and tackling juggernaut enemies along the way. You’re in charge in protecting the last vestige of humanity within this new bizarre frontier world, and when the menacing alien threat returns to finish the species off, it’s your duty to rise up and meet them head on.

Everything about the game looks absolutely enchanting, and it’ll assuredly be one of the strongest JRPG’s released in recent memory.

Halo 5 continues Master Chief’s legendary journey, but splinters off into a cryptic arc that delves into the mystery of the iconic hero.

4. Halo 5

Release Date: October 27, 2015
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Developer: 343 Industries
Platform: Xbox One (exclusive)
Genre: Shooter

Halo 5 represents a bold new direction for the landmark shooter. Developer 343 Industries has spun a new story arc that weaves in a new protagonist, the ONI Spartan operative Agent Locke, who’s conscripted to search out and find Master Chief.

Set in a more cryptic tone shrouded with mystery and possible treachery, the ONI spy searches across the galaxy for the legendary warrior, who’s become a shadow throughout the years. And when Locke finally catches up to Spartan-117, things get even more confusing, as you can see in the dual trailers below.

As far as mechanics go, 343i has totally rebuilt Halo’s framework to make competitive multiplayer feel decidedly more “next-gen”.

The team has added in 7 new Spartan abilities that every player has access to that range from simple sprinting to dodge-thrusts straight out of CoD: Advanced Warfare and even a lethal, but tricky, ground-pound maneuver.

After playing the Halo 5 beta in January, I have to say that the new changes feel decidedly stylish and intuitive. These mechanics add a whole new layer of depth and strategy to the game, allowing players to tactically plan out maneuvers on-the-fly.

Not much is known about the campaign in terms of mechanics though. While the new trailers certainly sparked our interest in terms of the story, we haven’t seen any actual gameplay footage of the singleplayer mode in action, but we’ll likely see it at E3 2015.

Gamers are still dubious about trusting 343i after the travesty that is The Master Chief Collection, but for now they’ve piqued our interest and managed to build hype, and the game certainly does have its own unique and elusive flair.

Be sure to drop by Halo 5‘s new ARG #HuntTheTruth campaign for tidbits on the game’s story arc, as they’ll likely fall into place as time goes by.

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