GamePump will bring classic games to Steam starting in January 2017

Posted on November 17, 2016 by John Scalzo

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Are you in the market for another monthly blind subscription service for games? While IndieBox and Humble Monthly are already familiar names to many gamers, GamePump will soon enter the crowded space with a unique gimmick that just might help them stand out.

According to the service’s official website, GamePump will team up with veteran developers to bring “gaming artifacts” to Steam for the first time. This includes classic PC games from a bygone era, as well as games that were only released for consoles during their original run. GamePump also plans to publish original games and work with developers who are interested in creating spiritual successors to their retro hits.

How GamePump Works
We partner with video game veterans of today and yesteryear to reclaim lost gaming artifacts.

Which is a really fancy way of saying, we revive classic game libraries from the proverbial basements of some of the top video game publishers in the world and help bring them to modern hardware.

How Can We Make This Promise?
We only publish games that have never been on Steam. This includes bringing classic console exclusives to the PC for the first time ever by partnering with the premiere indie developers. In addition, some games are developed exclusively for GamePump as spiritual successors to your favorite game franchises of the past.

Because GamePump is a blind subscription service, the company doesn’t want to pre-announce any of the titles they’ve got lined up for their first year. However, IndieDB recently sat down with founder Robert Bowling (that’s right… the Call of Duty guy), and he revealed that WayForward is developing one of GamePump’s first offerings.

GamePump currently offers three subscription tiers on their website including 12 Months ($20), 3 Months ($15), and 1 Month ($5). The company’s first game will be available in January 2017.

Posted in News, PC |

Microsoft is repackaging backwards compatible Xbox 360 games in Xbox One cases

Posted on November 17, 2016 by John Scalzo

xbox360xboxone-backwardscompatibleMore and more Xbox 360 games are added to the Xbox One Backwards Compatibility list every week, and now Microsoft has figured out a way to extend the retail life of some of their previous console’s biggest hits.

Recently spotted by NeoGAF user “Xyrmellon,” Xbox 360 games that are also playable on the Xbox One are now being sold in Xbox One cases with a banner that reads “Plays On Xbox One & Xbox 360.”

It’s an ingenious bit of marketing and I hope more Xbox 360 games from yesteryear stay in print this way.

Posted in News, Xbox 360, Xbox One |

Xbox Store Today: Watch Dogs 2, Assassin’s Creed Ezio Collection, more

Posted on November 16, 2016 by John Scalzo

Two big new releases are now available from Ubisoft, and both are available to download through the Xbox Games Store.

Leading things off is Watch Dogs 2 for the Xbox One, Ubisoft’s second open world game starring the “hacktivists” attempting to take down the invasive ctOS operating system. “Brilliant young hacker” Marcus Holloway will try to save San Francisco from this criminal organization that wants to “monitor and manipulate citizens on a massive scale.”

Also available today is Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection, a remastered collection for the Xbox One featuring Assassin’s Creed II, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, and Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. Sharpers graphics and more detailed textures await players who want to dive into the intrigue and subterfuge found in Renaissance-era Italy… and the eternal battle between the Assassins and the Templars.

You can find the rest of today’s new additions to the Xbox Games Store after the break.

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Posted in News, Xbox One | Tagged , , ,

Persona 5 pushed back to April 4; Dual Japanese/English audio announced

Posted on November 16, 2016 by John Scalzo

Today has been a big day for fans of the Persona franchise… and not all of it has been good news. That’s because Atlus announced today that Persona 5 will miss its previously-scheduled February 14 launch date. Instead, the game will now be available for the PS4 and PS3 on April 4, 2017.

However, it’s not all bad news. Atlus also announced that everyone who purchases Persona 5 will have the option to download a Japanese voiceover for the game. And whether you buy Persona 5 at launch, or years from now, Atlus will offer the Japanese voiceover as a free download.

But wait, there’s more. The publisher also unveiled a new trailer for Persona 5, “Learn How the Phantom Thieves Live Dual Lives,” which has been embedded above. And if you want to outfit your PS4 in Persona 5’s rather distinctive red and black color scheme, a free Theme is available to download today only from the PlayStation Store.

Finally, Atlus is hosting a Persona 5 livestream on Twitch, so tune in now or catch up with the replay later. And if you’re planning to attend next PlayStation Experience event in Anaheim, be sure to head down to the Atlus Booth to try out a playable demo of Persona 5.

Posted in News, PS3, PS4 | Tagged ,

Daily Scoop: November 16, 2016 – Birthday Sale at Humble

Posted on November 16, 2016 by Nicole Kline

It finally happened: everything caught up to me and I got an upper respiratory infection! It’s been sucky, but I’m feeling much better today. And I’m here to bring you some super dope deals!

Humble is having a big Birthday Sale! Get Earth Defense Force 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair for $34.99, Rocket League for $15.99, Space Hulk: Deathwing for $33.99, The Jackbox Party Pack 3 for $21.24, and many more!

The Midweek Madness at Steam is the Worms 21st Anniversary sale! Get the entire Worms Collection for $48.22 (which includes 22 items!), or, if you’re just missing a few games here and there, get each individual piece at a discounted price. The Daily Deal is Distant Worlds: Universe, which is on sale for $23.99.

Hit the jump to see all the amazing t-shirts for sale today!

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Posted in Daily Scoop |

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End leads the way at 2016 Game Awards with eight nominations

Posted on November 16, 2016 by John Scalzo

gameawards-statueWe’re rapidly approaching the end of the year, and that means the 2016 Game Awards are right around the corner. The Game Awards will once again be produced and hosted by Geoff Keighley, who will honor this year’s best games and look to the future with a number of huge World Premieres, including the first gameplay footage from BioWare’s Mass Effect: Andromeda.

Before we blast off to a far away galaxy, let’s stop and recognize Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, which received eight nominations this year from the Game Awards Advisory Board. In addition to “Game of the Year,” Nathan Drake’s final adventure is also up for “Best Game Direction,” “Best Art Direction,” “Best Narrative,” and “Best Action/Adventure Game,” along with a “Best Performance” nomination for all three of the game’s main performers.

Uncharted 4 will compete with some of 2016’s biggest titles for “Game of the Year” at the 2016 Game Awards including Doom, Inside, Overwatch, and Titanfall 2.

“The Game Awards is all about celebrating the state of video game art,” said Keighley. “In just a few short weeks we will recognize the most outstanding games of 2016 in unexpected ways, and preview the most anticipated games of 2017 and beyond with the longest, most in-depth world premieres we’ve ever attempted… including surprises and new game announcements.”

The Game Awards will be held on December 1 at 9:00 PM (Eastern Time), and fans can watch the show through their favorite video streaming service or at TheGameAwards.com. The full list of nominees can be found after the break.

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Posted in 3DS, Mobile, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged , , , , , ,

Nintendo is taking a Legend of Zelda Escape Room on tour in 2017

Posted on November 16, 2016 by John Scalzo

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It looks like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild won’t be the only new Hyrulian adventure that Nintendo has planned for 2017. The consolemaker has teamed up with Scrap, the winner of USA Today’s “Best Escape Room of 2016” award, to create a Zelda-themed live puzzle experience known as Defenders of the Triforce:

While the words “escape room” might come to mind when describing this new experience, Defenders of the Triforce is so much more than that. Instead of escaping from a locked room, participants work in teams of six to solve a mystery in a huge area, all within a set time limit. The experience will let guests interact with classic items and characters seen in The Legend of Zelda series like the Goron, Zora, and Kokiri tribes. Discovered items can be used to solve puzzles and move forward into other areas, just like in The Legend of Zelda games.

The Defenders of the Triforce Puzzle Tour is currently scheduled to hit eight cities next year, and tickets can be purchased at ScrapZelda.com:

Defenders of the Triforce Puzzle Tour

  • San Francisco: January 31 – February 5
  • Los Angeles: February 10-12
  • San Diego: February 24-25
  • Seattle: TBA
  • Phoenix: TBA
  • Houston: TBA
  • Chicago: TBA
  • New York: TBA

Hopefully, more dates will be added to the Defenders of the Triforce Puzzle Tour soon.

Posted in Etcetera, News, Switch, Wii U | Tagged

Watch Dogs 2, Killing Floor 2, Assassin’s Creed: Ezio Collection, more added to PS Store

Posted on November 16, 2016 by John Scalzo

Three very different action games lead the way as part of this week’s PlayStation Store update.

Like its predecessor, Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs 2 is an urban adventure for the PS4 where “hacktivists” attempt to disrupt the corrupt ctOS system while also fighting against a larger conspiracy. This time, the action shifts to San Francisco, and players follow “brilliant young hacker” Marcus Holloway in his quest to stop the unnecessary surveillance.

Ubisoft will also launch another set of open world games for the PS4 this week, but their setting is worlds away from San Francisco’s technological utopia. In Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection, players will get the chance to explore Renaissance-era Italy as they replay Assassin’s Creed II, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, and Assassin’s Creed: Revelations . Available for first time on the PS4, the trilogy features enhanced graphics and redone textures to create a more realistic open world.

Finally this week, Tripwire Interactive will unleash Killing Floor 2, their zombie-blasting first person shooter, on the PS4 on Friday. Picking up right where the first game left off, the sequel descends into continental Europe as players attempt to clear “zed-laden hot zones.”

A full rundown of this week’s additions to the PlayStation Store can be found after the break. And you can find information about all of this week’s new add-ons and discounts at the PlayStation Blog.

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