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Lindsay Lohan loses appeal in her lawsuit against GTA5 and Rockstar Games

Posted on March 30, 2018 by John Scalzo

grandtheftautov-bikiniThe beancounters at Rockstar Games can rest easy, the Court of Appeals in New York has firmly shot down Lindsay Lohan’s lawsuit against the publisher.

If you recall, the actress originally sued Rockstar in 2014 over her belief that a character from Grand Theft Auto V named Lacey Jonas was based on her “portrait and voice.” The character was regularly depicted in the game’s advertising as a blonde woman in a red bikini, and she also appeared in an optional in-game mission. After lengthy legal proceedings, Lohan’s lawsuit was dismissed in 2016, but she vowed to appeal.

Yesterday, that appeal came up short as New York’s Court of Appeals affirmed the ruling in the earlier case. Judge Fahey wrote that even if Lacey Jonas had been inspired by Lohan’s “portrait,” Rockstar cannot be held liable because she’s a fictional character that’s never identified as Lohan in the game:

We conclude that the amended complaint was properly dismissed because the artistic renderings are indistinct, satirical representations of the style, look, and persona of a modern, beach-going young woman that are not reasonably identifiable as plaintiff.

In addition to shooting down her lawsuit, the Court of Appeals also ordered Lohan to pay Rockstar’s court costs.

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Call of Duty: WWII’s The War Machine DLC Pack will launch for PS4 on April 10

Posted on March 29, 2018 by John Scalzo

Activision and Sledgehammer Games recently announced the first details of Call of Duty: WWII‘s second downloadable expansion.

The War Machine DLC Pack will launch for the PS4 on April 10 with three new multiplayer maps, a new War Mode mission, and the next cooperative chapter in the Nazi Zombies saga. PC and Xbox One players will be able to download the expansion sometime in May, but here’s what everyone can expect from the new content:

Multiplayer Maps
Egypt: For the first time in Call of Duty: WWII, we’re bringing players to the battlefields of Northern Africa and the Egyptia pyramids. Players fight in and around the ancient ruins at Giza with landmarks that you’re sure to recognize. The map features an interior temple in the center that heats up during intense Domination matches with more open exterior lanes to either side. There’s something for everyone, as all ranges and playstyles have a place to call home here.

Dunkirk: Players face off on the sands and beachfront boardwalk of the French sea-side city of Dunkirk. This map features a lage, open and dangerous beach area flanked by tight interiors through the buildings lining the beach-front. Sniping can be effective here, though aggressive running and gunning can also pay off, so keep sharp and watch your angles and surroundings to win the day.

V2: Welcome to V2… a rocket development and test site located in rural Germany. V2 is a tight, ultra-fast paced map that neve lets up for a moment. The launch tower sits at the map center, providing a focal point and an opportunity to grab an elevated sightline on unsuspecting opponents. Short-to mid-range engagements are dominant here, with fast and furious gameplay throughout… don’t blink!

War Mode
Operation Husky: Operation Husky, whose namesake referred to the Allied invasion of Sicily, is centered on an Allied action to etrieve intelligence on the locations of sensitive German targets in the ports of Palermo and Naples. In this exciting new War mode offering, players will gather intel, transmit it to HQ, and then take to the skies to clear the area of enemy fighter planes in order to make way for Allied bombers.

Nazi Zombies
The Shadowed Throne: The Shadowed Throne brings our heroes into the heart of Nazi Germany to confront a desperate and evil regie. Berlin is burning, and Doktor Straub’s monstrous army is hellbent on purging his city of the Allied invaders. Join Marie, Drostan, Olivia, and Jefferson on their descent into madness in a city warped with terror, blood, and war, as Nazi Zombies steps out from the shadows of history.

A few screenshots from Call of Duty: WWII’s War Machine DLC Pack can be found at CallofDuty.com.

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No Man’s Sky will be released for the Xbox One this Summer

Posted on March 29, 2018 by John Scalzo

Hello Games will bring No Man’s Sky to the Xbox One this Summer. Sean Murray sauntered over to the Xbox Wire to deliver the news today, where he also revealed “Next,” the next major update to the game:

Which brings us to Next, our “next step” on a longer journey for us and the No Man’s Sky community. This is our biggest update so far, and something we’ve been working ridiculously hard on. And after its release, we’ll continue to support No Man’s Sky with significant and free content updates on Xbox One. Next has a lot we’re going to surprise people with and I can’t wait until we can share more.

Hello’s space simulation got off to a rocky start after its initial launch for the PC and PS4 in 2016. But a series of free updates has brought No Man’s Sky closer to the developer’s original vision, and reinvigorated the game’s community. PC and PS4 owners of No Man’s Sky will also receive the “Next” update as a free download this Summer.

No Man’s Sky will be available as a retail release (thanks to 505 Games) and as a digital download through the Xbox Games Store. And Xbox One X owners will be able to play an enhanced version of the game with support for HDR, 4K resolution, and more.

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WB Games officially announces Lego The Incredibles

Posted on March 28, 2018 by John Scalzo

After a leak earlier this month, it looks like WB Games and TT Games are ready to officially announce Lego The Incredibles.

The action-adventure game will include scenes from both The Incredibles and the upcoming Incredibles 2, and according to WB Games, “players [will] work together by combining the Parr family’s abilities and unique powers to conquer crime and family life.” Like all Lego games, Lego The Incredible will also include drop-in/drop-out multiplayer for up to two players.

“The Incredibles franchise, full of super-powered characters, adventures and teamwork, combined with all of the humor, puzzle-solving elements and unexpected surprises of LEGO games makes for the perfect combination for players,” said Tom Stone, the Managing Director of TT Games. “With Lego The Incredibles, fans can experience the non-stop action from both movies while fighting crime together as a super hero family.”

Lego The Incredibles will be released for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on June 15 (the same day the movie opens in theaters). The “Announce Trailer” has been embedded above.

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Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age will be released in North America for PC and PS4 on September 4

Posted on March 28, 2018 by John Scalzo

Dragon Quest fans have been patiently waiting for any information about the North American launch of the eleventh game in the series since its release in Japan last year. This morning, Square Enix finally gave us an official release date to add to our calendars.

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age will be released for the PC and PS4 on September 4. Sadly, the 3DS version of the game won’t be released in North America, and the Switch version still has a long way to go. The publisher clarified the business reasons behind this decision in a statement made to IGN:

In a statement, Square Enix told IGN: “Our aim with Dragon Quest XI and the Dragon Quest brand is to grow the audience in the West. From a business point of view, it made strategic sense to release the 3DS version in Japan in 2017. For the West in 2018, it made the most sense to focus on the PlayStation 4 and PC (Steam) platforms.”

As for the Switch version, things are slightly less clear. “We are also developing the Switch version for Europe and North America,” reads Square Enix’s statement, “but development is expected to take a long time from a technological standpoint as well, so we still have a long way to go until its release”.

But on a happier note, we received a new gameplay trailer this morning (which has been embedded above), and the Dragon Quest franchise’s creative team (Series Creator Yuji Horii, Character Designer Akira Toriyama, and Composer Koichi Sugiyama) all returned for Dragon Quest XI. And Square Enix also confirmed the turn-based RPG will include several new features exclusive to North America/Europe:

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age – North American Features

  • English Voiceover
  • Draconian Quest – A hard mode that offers additional challenges for more experienced players.
  • Overhauled Menus & UI – With graphical enhancements and more intuitive navigation.
  • Camera Mode – Allowing players to take in views of the beautiful landscape, character renders and ferocious monsters in detail.
  • A New Dash Function and many other system enhancements such as improved character and camera movement

Finally, you can get a look at the Opening Movie for Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age, which can be found after the break. (more…)

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World Video Game Hall of Fame announces finalists for Class of 2018

Posted on March 27, 2018 by John Scalzo

Curators at the International Center for the History of Electronic Games and the Strong Museum have announced the finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018. Eight games will get their first chance to be inducted into gaming’s inner circle, including Asteroids, Call of Duty, Dance Dance Revolution, Half-Life, King’s Quest, Metroid, Ms. Pac-Man, and Spacewar!.

Two other games, Final Fantasy VII and Tomb Raider, were previously in the finalist pool for the Class of 2017. They’ll get another chance this year alongside John Madden Football and Minecraft, which were previously on the ballot in 2016.

The World Video Game Hall of Fame will announce the inductees for the Class of 2018 on Thursday, May 3, at 10:30 AM. But this year, fans will get a vote in the first-ever Player’s Choice ballot. According to the rules, “the three games that receive the most public votes will form one “Player’s Choice” ballot, which will join the 27 other ballots submitted by members of the International Selection Advisory Committee, a supporting group composed of journalists, scholars, and other individuals familiar with the history of video games and their role in society.” Fans can make their voice heard through the Player’s Choice ballot once a day until April 4th. So vote early and vote often!

And if, for some reason, you’re unfamiliar with this year’s finalists, the World Video Game Hall of Fame has put together a helpful cheat sheet that can be found after the break. (more…)

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New Retail Releases: Far Cry 5, MLB The Show 18, The Alliance Alive, More

Posted on March 26, 2018 by John Scalzo

A nonet of new releases will be available to purchase from your favorite gaming establishment this week…

Ubisoft is leading the way this week with the launch of Far Cry 5, the latest game in their open-world shooter franchise. This time, players will have to infiltrate a doomsday cult and rescue the citizens of Hope County, Montana from the violent followers of “The Father.” As you might expect, Far Cry 5 will be available for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Far Cry 5 includes a nice variety of vehicles, and racing fans will get to explore an even bigger garage in THQ Nordic’s MX Vs ATV: All Out for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One. MX Vs ATV: All Out will include several different race types (Supercross, Nationals, Opencross, Waypoint, Tag, and more), as well as stunt tracks, and online multiplayer.

Baseball fans will also get the chance to play ball this week with Sony’s annual entry in the MLB The Show series, MLB The Show 18, for the PS4.

If you’re looking for something a little off the beaten path, a big batch of JRPGs will also make their way to North America this week. Atlus will launch The Alliance Alive for the 3DS; Koei Tecmo’s Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings closes out the “Mysterious” saga on the PS4 and Switch; NIS America will release The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 for the PS4; and Aksys will pull double duty with Code Realize: Bouquet of Flowers for the PS4 and Code Realize: Future Blessings for the Vita.

Finally this week, WB Games and NetherRealm Studios will launch the Injustice 2: Legendary Edition for the PS4 and Xbox One. The Legendary Edition will package together the original game, as well as every extra character from the Fighter Packs, and exclusive new content.

That’s it for this week’s New Retail Releases report, but we’ll be back in a few days with a look at all the upcoming additions to the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.

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Prepare yourself… to not be shocked in the slightest… Zelda: Breath of the Wild won “Game of the Year” at 2018 GDC Awards

Posted on March 22, 2018 by John Scalzo

gdcawardsThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild continues its sweep of this year’s “Game of the Year” awards, as it won the top honor at last night’s Game Developers Choice Awards. Developers for the adventure game also strode on stage to collect awards for “Best Audio” and “Best Design” during the ceremony.

The unique visual stylings of Jason Roberts’s Gorogoa were honored with the “Innovation Award,” and the puzzle game’s portability were also honored as “Best Mobile/Handheld Game.” Studio MDHR also carried home multiple trophies during last night’s GDC Awards ceremony for Cuphead, including “Best Debut” and “Best Visual Art,”

“Every year sees countless amazing games worthy of recognition, but this year in particular has seen some of the strongest titles to arrive this generation. The GDCAs give us an opportunity to reflect on and honor the games that provided us with endless joy,” said Katie Stern, the General Manager of the Game Developers Conference. “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild helped us rediscover a childlike sense of adventure and discovery. Titles like Gorogoa and What Remains of Edith Finch offered us distinct creative visions that can only be experienced in games, and games like Cuphead and Horizon: Zero Dawn crafted worlds we could lose ourselves in. Congratulations to all of tonight’s nominees and winners and thank you for your creativity and dedication.”

A replay of the 2018 GDC Awards ceremony can be viewed at the Twitch channel for the Game Developers Conference. And a complete list of the winners can be found after the break. (more…)

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