Writers Guild nominates CoD Infinite Warfare, Far Cry Primal, Uncharted 4, Mr. Robot mobile app for 2017 WGA Award in Game Writing

Posted on January 12, 2017 by John Scalzo

The Writers Guild of America has announced the nominees for this year’s Writers Guild Award for “Outstanding Achievement in Videogame Writing.”

Once again, Naughty Dog has collected a nomination for their work on Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. The prolific developer is a popular choice for the nominating committee at the WGA, previously receiving nominations (and later winning) in 2012 (Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception), 2013 (The Last of Us), and 2014 (The Last of Us: Left Behind).

Other nominees for “Outstanding Achievement in Videogame Writing” in 2017 include Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Far Cry: Primal, and Mr. Robot: 1.51exfiltratiOn, a mobile app developed by Night School Studio.

The winner of this year’s Writers Guild Award for “Outstanding Achievement in Videogame Writing” will be announced on Sunday, February 19. The complete list of nominated writers can be found after the break.

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Daily Scoop: January 12, 2017 – Dirt Showdown free for a limited time

Posted on January 12, 2017 by Nicole Kline

I was going to play some video games last night after our meeting, but it got done late and I had to run some late-night errands, so I ended up passing out when we got home! But tonight I for sure am going to play at least one game, because all I have on my schedule is homework. And there can’t be that much for the first week, right? Ha ha, right???

Anyway, let’s talk about video game deals! There are some great sales happening over at the Humble Store. Try Dirt Showdown free for a limited time! And also grab Dishonored 2 for $39.99, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided for $19.79, Rocket League for $15.99, and Stardew Valley for $11.99, among many others!

The Weekend Deal over at Steam is Watch Dogs 2. Get the game for $40.19, the Deluxe Edition for $46.89, or the Gold Edition for $66.99. The Daily Deal is Undertale, which you can get alone for $4.99 or with the soundtrack for $8.99.

There are tons of shirts today. Hit the jump to see them all!

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Nintendo Download: F-Zero X, Shift DX

Posted on January 12, 2017 by John Scalzo

We’re just six hours from the unveiling of the Nintendo Switch, but the consolemaker still found the time to update the Nintendo eShop today.

Wii U owners will get the chance to get behind the wheel of a supersonic hover racer this week in F-Zero X. Originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998, many fans consider it the best game in the series. Over on the 3DS eShop, players can purchase Shift DX, a puzzle game where you need to shift the playing field to move forward.

Additional details for both games can be found right here… and we’ll see you tonight for the Switch Presentation:

Wii U eShop

F-Zero X – In this high-octane Nintendo 64 racer, choose from 30 different hover-car racers, including updated versions of the Blue Falcon and other vehicles from the original F-Zero game. With five separate play modes, hidden vehicles and courses, and an excellent soundtrack, F-Zero X is an all-time classic Nintendo racing experience.

3DS eShop

Shift DX – Many have tried to emulate the gameplay of Shift since its first release in 2008, but none have managed to capture the frantic, mind-bending nature of the series. Players are tasked with making their way through a series of perplexing rooms, equipped with nothing more than their ability to “shift” the playing field. Is a wall blocking you from progressing? Flip that level upside down and turn that wall into a pit!

Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U |

2017 DICE Awards nominations announced and Uncharted 4 leads the way with ten

Posted on January 12, 2017 by John Scalzo

The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences has announced their nominees for the 2017 DICE Awards.

A Naughty Dog leads this year’s pack, as Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End scored ten nominations including one for “Game of the Year.” The developer’s swan song for Nathan Drake will be competing against Battlefield 1, Inside, Overwatch, and Pokemon Go for the coveted honor. We’ll hear from all of this year’s “Game of the Year” contenders throughout the ceremony as each earned multiple nominations including Inside with nine, Battlefield 1 with eight, Overwatch with six, and Pokemon Go with two.

The AIAS will hand out two new DICE Awards this year for “Immersive Reality Game of the Year” and “Immersive Reality Technical Achievement.” The nominees for both will be announced at a later date.

A total of 56 games received at least one nomination, and hosts Greg Miller and Jessica Chobot will announce the winners on Thursday, February 23, at 10:30 PM (Eastern Time). Viewers at home will be able to livestream the entire ceremony through the AIAS’s official website.

A complete list of this year’s nominees can be found after the break.

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Lego City Undercover’s re-release on the Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One gets a new trailer

Posted on January 12, 2017 by John Scalzo

Lego City Undercover, the Lego-ized homage to Grand Theft Auto, and cop movie classics like Dirty Harry and Lethal Weapon was originally released for the Wii U in 2013, and has remained exclusive to Nintendo’s console ever since. But the rest of the gaming world will soon get to see what all the fuss is about because WB Games will re-release it for the PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch this Spring.

Today, the publisher unveiled the first trailer for the game’s 2017 reappearance, and it features all the goofy humor and family-friendly action you expect from the Lego series:

Lego City Undercover introduces Chase McCain, a police officer who goes undercover and dons multiple disguises to hunt down the notorious – and recently escaped – criminal, Rex Fury, to put an end to his city-wide crime wave.

This open-world Lego adventure allows fans and newcomers to explore the sprawling metropolis that is Lego City, with more than 20 unique districts to investigate, filled with car thieves to bust, vehicles to navigate, mischievous aliens to capture, hilarious movie references to discover, lost pigs to rescue and of course, hundreds of collectibles. Bringing together witty, original storytelling with signature Lego humor, this open-world Lego adventure creates a fun-filled experience for players of all ages.

Lego City Undercover is in development at TT Games, and we’ll probably hear more about it during tonight’s Nintendo Switch Presentation.

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Shovel Knight is officially coming to Nintendo Switch; Yacht Club also plans to re-release the expansions as standalone games

Posted on January 11, 2017 by John Scalzo

Followers of the Code of Shovelry have quite a bit to celebrate today as Yacht Club Games uncovered a massive amount of new information about Shovel Knight on the game’s official site… including confirmation that it’ll be released for the Nintendo Switch.

Yes, the side-scrolling masterpiece will make its way to the Nintendo Switch sometime this year, along with each expansion and all the bonus content like Body Swap Mode and Co-Op Mode. Oh, speaking of Body Swap Mode, it’s finished and will be released alongside the Specter Knight expansion this Spring. And in the spirit of sharing, Co-Op Mode will no longer be exclusive to the Wii U (and the Shovel Knight Amiibo). According to the developer, it will soon be available for all consoles and the PC (but not the 3DS or the Vita) as a free update.

Here’s where it gets interesting.

Shovel Knight’s release structure will soon be undergoing some changes, though Kickstarter backers and other current owners won’t notice anything different. Yacht Club has decided to upgrade the game for current owners to the Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove on all platforms. Available this Spring, the Treasure Trove will include free access to all updates and expansions. But because the expansions have grown beyond being simple character swaps, Yacht Club has decided to raise the price of the Treasure Trove for newcomers once its available. The game’s new price has yet to be announced, but the current $14.99 price (and its promise of free updates and expansions) will remain in place until the Treasure Trove is released.

For everyone who has yet to purchase Shovel Knight (or for those who might want to rebuy the game on a new platform), Yacht Club has decided to split each of the expansions off into its own standalone game. So the original Shovel Knight campaign will receive a new subtitle (Shovel of Hope), and the expansions (Plague of Shadows, Specter of Torment, the King Knight campaign, and Battle Mode) will all be available as individual downloads (and for a lower price) on the PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch.

Finally, Yacht Club has begun to think about life after Shovel Knight, and will soon begin work on their “second” game (depending on how you count the Shovel Knight expansions). Writing in a new Q&A, the developer said, “[I]f you want something new outside of Shovel Knight… we have vowed to begin work on a new project this year!”

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Daily Scoop: January 11, 2017 – Check out the Humble Assassin’s Creed Bundle

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Nicole Kline

I have a Game Makers Guild meeting tonight, which means I get to play lots of board games, and also work on some of my own! I have a few we’ve been working on that need tweaking, so here’s hoping some progress is made tonight. Other than that, I’m hoping to play some video games when I get home, but I’ll likely either do laundry and/or pass out instead. Being an adult is a super fun game!

There are some great deals today! Over at Humble, there’s the Assassin’s Creed Bundle. Pay what you want for Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia, and Assassin’s Creed. Beat the average to unlock Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD, Assassin’s Creed III (with Tyranny of King Washington: The Infamy DLC), and Assassin’s Creed II: Deluxe Edition. Pay $15 or more to unlock Assassin’s Creed Unity and Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood.

Over at Steam, the Midweek Madness is early access to The Forest for $10.04. The Daily Deal is Pandora: First Contact, which is on sale for $7.49.

Just a few shirts today, but they’re good ones! Hit the jump to see them all.

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Xbox Store Today: Nevermind, Acorn Assault: Rodent Revolution

Posted on January 11, 2017 by John Scalzo

Welcome to the first Xbox Games Store update of 2017. Microsoft is easing their way into the new year with two new releases… an “adventure thriller” from Flying Mollusk and a furry turned-based strategy game from High Tale Studios.

In Nevermind, players will “explore strange worlds and solve puzzles” as they try to solve the mystery lurking within the inner psyche of psychological trauma survivors. Just like in The Cell, this task involves entering the minds of comatose patients and helping them cope. Thankfully, players won’t have to deal with a nearly-naked Vincent D’Onofrio. Nevermind is now available to download for the Xbox One.

Also launching for the Xbox One today is Acorn Assault: Rodent Revolution, a turned-based strategy game where players must overthrow King Louis the Umpteenth with a squirrel army. Oh, and it’s also somehow a retelling of the French Revolution.

More information on both Nevermind and Acorn Assault: Rodent Revolution can be found after the break.

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