NBA 2K14 soundtrack handpicked by Lebron James… listen to it now!

Posted on July 27, 2013 by John Scalzo

nba2k14-boxIn a first, cover athlete Lebron James has been tapped by 2K Sports to select the songs that will appear on NBA 2K14‘s soundtrack. The soundtrack to last year’s game, NBA 2K13, was handpicked by Jay-Z, that title’s honorary “Executive Producer.” The world’s most famous sports agent also raps occasionally, and James has included Jay-Z’s “The Ruler’s Back” amongst this year’s selections.

“2K is letting me take control of some important elements in NBA 2K14, including this year’s soundtrack,” James said. “I love that I’m the first NBA 2K cover athlete to choose the soundtrack.”

So what other songs did King James choose? You can listen for yourself at Spotify or you can check out the complete soundtrack listing after the break. Actually, feel free to do both.

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Posted in News, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged

Mario Kart Arcade GP DX is now available in Japan

Posted on July 26, 2013 by John Scalzo

It was a sad, sad day when Nintendo announced that Mario Kart 8, the first game in the series scheduled for release on the Wii U, wouldn’t be available until Spring 2014. But, did you know that Nintendo had another Mario Kart game in development?

Say hello to Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, the latest arcade edition of the franchise from Namco Bandai.

Available exclusively in Japan, Mario Kart Arcade GP DX adds an interesting twist to the Mario Kart formula: two players can team up and form a tank that shoots Green Shells. The gliders from Mario Kart 7 have also been incorporated into GP DX. It’s unknown if the game will receive an official American release (I’m pretty sure it’s unlikely) and it’s definitely not coming to the Wii U anytime soon.

Which is a travesty, because Mario Kart Arcade GP DX looks awesome. Did I mention that two players can team up and transform into a tank that shoots Green Shells? Because you can totally do that!

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XBLA Today: Zeno Clash II, Mars: War Logs

Posted on July 26, 2013 by John Scalzo

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Microsoft skipped their usual Xbox Live Arcade update on Wednesday this week. But they’ve decided to make up for it with two new additions in a special Friday update. First up is Zeno Clash II, a first person brawler from Atlus and ACE Team:

Ghat’s story is far from over: Zeno Clash II picks up where the deliciously brazen first game left off. After 4 years of waiting, the sequel to ACE Team’s surreal first-person brawler brings more variety in combat and levels, stunning upgraded visuals, and even more bizarre storytelling into the beguiling stonepunk world of Zenozoik.

Zeno Clash II welcomes new players to the Zeno Clash universe with a new game that will introduce them to the world and fill them in on the backstory. Returning players will delight in the connections between the Ghat’s and Rimat’s new quest and their past adventures. All players will thoroughly enjoy playing a first-person brawler that provides a rarity in modern gaming: a truly unique experience.

And then there’s Mars: War Logs, a “cyberpunk action RPG” developed by Spiders:

An intense cyberpunk RPG on the red planet! Mars War Logs takes you to Mars, nearly a century after the cataclysm that threw the planet and its colonists into chaos. Water has become the most precious resource on the arid red planet, with a few companies fighting a perpetual war for its control. In the middle of this struggle, play as Roy, a renegade with multiple talents who finds himself dragged in an epic story where every choice counts.

Develop your character and your combat style by choosing among many skills and perks: melee, ranged combat, stealth, or the devastating Technomants powers. Craft armors and weapons, recruit companions to help you in your quest, and plunge in a thrilling adventure offering a huge variety of quests. In dynamic, real-time combat, face formidable opponents and the most fearsome creatures of Mars. The fate of all colonies of Mars now lies in your hands…

Both games have been priced at 1200 Microsoft Points ($15).

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Activision goes “independent” as CEO Bobby Kotick buys company from Vivendi

Posted on July 26, 2013 by John Scalzo

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Activision Blizzard is one of the biggest behemoths in all of gaming, so it’s easy to forget that the company is actually just a small piece of Vivendi, a French conglomerate that is five times as large. That was yesterday. Today, an investment group (lead by CEO Bobby Kotick and Co-Chairman Brian Kelly) has announced they’re going to purchase Activision Blizzard and that, going forward, the game publisher will operate as an independent company.

In addition to the 172 million shares (valued at $2.34 billion or $13.60 per share) purchased by Kotick and Kelly, Activision itself will purchase 429 million shares from Vivendi for $5.83 billion. When taken together, these two transactions will make Activision a majority publicly-owned company. The sale should be completed by September and Vivendi will still own about 12% of the outstanding shares.

“These transactions together represent a tremendous opportunity for Activision Blizzard and all its shareholders, including Vivendi. We should emerge even stronger—an independent company with a best-in-class franchise portfolio and the focus and flexibility to drive long-term shareholder value and expand our leadership position as one of the world’s most important entertainment companies. The transactions announced today will allow us to take advantage of attractive financing markets while still retaining more than $3 billion cash on hand to preserve financial stability,” Kotick said.

As of 8:30 AM, pre-market trading saw Activision’s stock rise $2.74 (18%) to $17.92. Their shareholders must be very pleased.

Posted in News |

Mortal Kombat 10 is in development and will be released alongside next film adaptation

Posted on July 25, 2013 by John Scalzo

Lance Sloane, a producer at Warner Bros., was working the Comic-Con show floor this year to promote the second season of Mortal Kombat: Legacy. GamerHub.TV talked with Sloane during the convention and the conversation eventually drifted to the next Mortal Kombat film adaptation and the heavily rumored Mortal Kombat 10. Sloane didn’t have any specific information about either project, but he was able to confirm that NetherRealm Studios is hard at work on the next game in the series and that Warner Bros. wants to release it alongside the third Mortal Kombat movie (emphasis mine):

GamerHub.TV: What is the current status when it comes to a Mortal Kombat movie?

Lance Sloane: Well, we’ve been in greenlight committee for a while at the studio. We’ve got a great script. And we’ve got a great director with Kevin Tancharoen. Who is on board. It’s just figuring out the business side of it and when we would do it and when we would launch it and how do we sync up with the launch of the game they’re working on now. It’s not 100% yet, but we’re getting closer every day.

A sequel to the Mortal Kombat reboot was a certainty after its very successful launch in 2011. Ed Boon even admitted as much at the time. So while Sloane’s statement doesn’t give us any new information, it’s nice to know that forward progress is being made on the next Mortal Kombat game.

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Neil Gaiman will bring Wayward Manor to PC, tablets this Fall

Posted on July 25, 2013 by John Scalzo

Few names carry more cred in geek circles than Neil Gaiman (maybe Joss Whedon, as long as you ignore Season 6 of Buffy). Because of his reputation, there was much rejoicing in geek circles today as Gaiman announced that he plans to take his first step into the video game industry this Fall. The fantasy author has contributed the story to Wayward Manor, a PC/Mac/tablet game in development at The Odd Gentlemen (who also worked on The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom).

Wayward Manor, which shares a similar art style with the film adaptation of Gaiman’s Coraline, stars a ghost who just wants to enjoy his death in peace:

Set in a 1920s Victorian Gothic pastoral estate, Wayward Manor focuses on the plight of a ghost whose hope of a peaceful after-life is interrupted by a remarkable cast of intruders. Awoken from his post-mortem slumbers, our ghost must find ever-more inventive and brilliant ways to scare them away. As the ghost learns more about the living characters, he also learns more about his own death and after-life, and the danger they are all facing.

Players can pre-order the game, as well as a huge stash of Wayward Manor-stamped swag, at WhoHauntsNeil.com.

Posted in Mobile, News, PC |

Daily Scoop: July 25, 2013 – 3DS games

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Nicole Kline

It’s a beautiful day here in Philadelphia! I hope it’s beautiful where you are, too, dear reader. I can’t wait to go home and play video games all night – that is, after my book club, and dev night down at Cipher Prime. Thursdays are always so busy, but so full of fun!

There aren’t really any new game deals going on today, but I will admit that I’ve heard a lot of people saying that this is the best time to own a 3DS. It seems that Amazon must have overheard people saying that, because they’re featuring a few in their 3DS Summer of Games promotion. They’ve got Animal Crossing: New Leaf for $31.49, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D for $28.72, Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins for $22.82, and Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon for $30.85. If you still need to pick up the handheld, might I recommend purple?

And now, time for the t-shirts!

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Posted in Daily Scoop, Etcetera, News |

Call of Duty: Ghosts officially announced for Wii U… for real this time

Posted on July 25, 2013 by John Scalzo

callofdutyghosts-rumor-boxIn case you were worried, Activision has confirmed that Call of Duty: Ghosts will be released for the Wii U on November 5, the same day as the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 editions. I’m unsure why it took Activision so long to put out an official announcement (the Wii U boxart was leaked by retailers back in April), but Wii U owners can breathe a certified sigh of relief now.

“As we have said before, we’re committed to doing everything we can to support the Wii U, which is why we’re excited to be bringing some of the most popular entertainment franchises in the world to the platform this year,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing.

The Wii U version of Call of Duty: Ghosts is being developed by Treyarch and will include second-screen features on the Wii U GamePad and Wii Remote support, if you’re so inclined. Additional Wii U-exclusive features will be announced at a later date.

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