Monthly Archives: March 2015
Smite Alpha Launching on Xbox One Next Week
Starting next week, some Xbox One owners can take Hi-Rez Studio's third-person MOBA, Smite, for a test drive. According to a tweet from Hi-Rez eSports manager Scott Lussier, the console version of Smite will enter Alpha on March 11. Lussier says codes will be available at the Hi-Rez booth during PAX East 2015.
Smite originally launched on PC back in March 2014, but an Xbox One release was announced during Gamescom the same year. The PC version of Smite recently added a new character in the form of Bellona, a Roman Goddess of War, as part of the game's Battle Frost patch.
Don’t Starve Coming to Wii U with Exclusive Features
A "definitive version" of survival-adventure game Don't Starve: Giant Edition is coming to Wii U with exclusive features this spring.
The GamePad will be used to display the in-game map, which was a "much-requested fan feature," Nintendo announced. The GamePad can also be used for off-TV play, as with many other Wii U games.
The Wii U port is split into two purchases — you'll be able to buy the regular console edition of Don't Starve and have the option to get the Reign of Giants DLC after — but for now there's no price point announced. Don't Starve: Giant Edition was first ported to PS Vita last September.
Bruce Willis Broadway-Bound for Misery
Action icon Bruce Willis is poised to make his Broadway debut in a stage version of the Stephen King tale Misery.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures is behind the Broadway adaptation, which will see Willis take on the role of hostage-author Paul Sheldon (played in the 1990 movie by James Caan).
Obie winner Elizabeth Marvel will play Annie Wilkes, Sheldon's self-proclaimed biggest fan who captures him after he's in a car accident and forces him to rewrite his new book so it's more to her liking. Kathy Bates won an Oscar for her performance as Annie in the original movie.
Final Fantasy Creator Hates Sequels
Under the direction of Hironobu Sakaguchi, Final Fantasy games never had a direct sequel. Now we know why.
“I don’t like sequels,” he told IGN during a recent sit-down interview. “I hate them.”
That’s because Sakaguchi -- who’s in San Francisco this week to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, believes a game should be a complete experience. "That’s why every single Final Fantasy had a new cast of characters, a brand new story,
a different system.”
It was a philosophy he held dear during his time at Squaresoft, and one his team at Mistwalker still believes in. “Our promise to ourselves is that for every single game that we make, we are going to give it our all, and then we finish it, we’ll end it in such a way that there is no to be continued checklist."
Madden NFL 15 Added to EA Access Vault
Starting right now, EA Access subscribers can play Madden NFL 15 on Xbox One, according to the EA Access Twitter account. The football franchise is the latest game to join EA's growing library in the Access Vault.
Other games available via the subscription service include Battlefield 4, Need for Speed Rivals, Peggle 2, and Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Edition. Last month, EA added NBA Live 15 to the game roster.
EA Access allows subscribers to pay $5 USD a month, or $30 USD a year, to play games from the Vault. Additionally, subscribers receive discounts off the purchase of downloadable EA games and access to exclusive game demos.
Dylan O’Brien Plays Down Spidey Casting Rumors
The Maze Runner and Teen Wolf actor Dylan O'Brien has weighed in on all those rumors about him being up for the role of Spider-Man in the Marvel/Sony reboot.
“Professionally, I haven’t heard anything about it,” O'Brien told BuzzFeed. “I’ve only heard from, like,
online.”
The actor knows that he's "disappointing a big chunk of fans" by telling them "it’s not true.” Other reports have claimed Marvel and Sony want a high school age actor to play their new shared universe wall-crawler.
Xenoblade Chronicles X May Come Out This Summer
Xenoblade Chronicles X might see a western release this summer, according to a new retailer listing.
Amazon Italy has the Monolith Software-developed RPG coming out June 26, which is a Friday. We've reached out to Nintendo regarding the retailer listing and whether Xenoblade Chronicles X is slated to come to the west this summer.
If the listing is accurate for Xenoblade Chronicles X, it wouldn't be the first time Amazon Italy has spilled the beans on an announcement. Previous leaks include Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, the Mirror's Edge reboot as well as the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One editions of Rocksmith 2014.
The Hobbit’s Luke Evans Eyed for Gaston
Disney has reportedly found their Gaston (again).
The studio's developing a live-action retelling of their 1991 animated blockbuster Beauty and the Beast, which will star Emma Watson as Belle. Now Variety reports that The Hobbit and Dracula Untold's Luke Evans is in negotiations to play Gaston in the Bill Condon-directed film.
In the original animated film, the handsome Gaston went after the Beast after Belle rejected him.
Production begins later this year. No release date has been announced yet.
GDC 2015: Hands-on with Nvidia’s Shield Console
My living-room entertainment center would be a crowded place if companies had their way. Between streaming sticks, Android set-top boxes, consoles like the Xbox One and PS4, and home-theater PCs, I’ve got a lot of choices for relatively little real estate. Particularly because no one item hits every point I could ever want—there’s just enough overlap to have overwhelming redundancy in some areas (Netflix streaming) but very little in others (being able to pick up and play my games on multiple devices in the same ecosystem).
The Walking Dead Leads Saturn Awards Noms
The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films has announced its television nominations for its 41st Annual Saturn Awards. The Saturn Awards recognize TV series and films that are often overlooked by mainstream awards.
This year's nominations are led by AMC's The Walking Dead and NBC's Hannibal, which earned seven and six nominations, respectively. Game of Thrones, Person of Interest, Bates Motel, The 100, and 12 Monkeys all earned nominations, as well.
This year's awards also introduces Best Superhero Adaptation Television Series, a new category honoring television series based on comic book superheroes. The Saturn Awards winners will be announced June 25.