Monthly Archives: July 2015
Oculus Acquires Hand-Tracking Company Pebbles Interfaces
Oculus is adding to its list of employees familiar with hand-tracking technology. It announced on its blog Israel-based Pebbles Interfaces is joining its hardware engineering and computer vision departments.
Pebbles Interfaces brings with it over five years of experience working with "custom optics, sensor systems and algorithms" that detect and track hand movements.
Very little about the actual deal between the two companies was discussed, or what, exactly, Pebbles will be working on when it moves to Oculus' HQ. Oculus did provide a video showing off Pebbles' previous work, however, which offers a brief look at what the Israeli company has done in the past with 3D hand movements.
Star Wars: Aftermath Excerpt Reveals What Happens After Return of the Jedi
A new excerpt from the upcoming Star Wars: Aftermath novel provides details on the state of the Star Wars galaxy after Return of the Jedi, including a peek at former Red Leader Wedge Antilles. The excerpt first appeared on publisher Penguin Random House's website. The sample has since been removed, but EW has collected the material revealing Wedge not at the helm of his signature X-Wing starfighter, but rather behind the controls of a beaten-up Starhopper spacecraft. The former Rogue Squadron member is searching the Outer Rim territories for evidence of Imperial factions still active months after the Battle of Endor.
Attack on Titan: Part I Live Action Trailer
Today, Funimation released the first official subtitled trailer for Attack on Titan: Part I, the first live action film of the popular anime series. Watch the trailer below!
Few recent anime have caught the attention of the masses like Attack on Titan, so it's no wonder the movie got a live action adaptation in Japan. The first part of the film releases there August 1st and will arrive in American theaters later this fall.
Attack on Titan follows Eren Jaeger, a boy whose family was ripped apart when titans invaded their city. Eren and his two friends join the military as he seeks his revenge against the titans. The live action film is an adaption of the original anime and manga, but does feature significant changes. For instance, characters like Levi have been replaced with seven new characters.
7 Things the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Needs
Square-Enix made a major impact during Sony's E3 2015 press conference by officially revealing Final Fantasy 7 Remake, a game RPG fans have been asking for for the better part of two decades. The teaser shown showcased a gorgeous depiction of Midgar, confirmed that a handful of the original development leads are returning, and closed with a glimpse of Cloud and Barret. Square's Shinji Hashimoto told IGN that this isn't a simple remaster, but rather a full-on remake, which got us thinking about what changes we'd love to see made to the PS1 classic.
App Store Update: July 16
Every day hundreds of new apps make their debut on the App Store, and hundreds more are updated or reduced in price. We have sifted through the noise and highlighted those select few that might be worth your attention.
Note: The prices and deals compiled below are accurate at the time we published this story, but all are subject to change.
Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle – (Freemium)
Dragon Ball's popularity never really waned, but it's powering up again right now thanks to the fact that the new Dragon Ball Super series has started airing in Japan. If you're finding yourself back in that Goku frame of mind, check out Bandai Namco's latest game release featuring the best Saiyan ever! (Because Vegeta's also in it.)
Game Scoop!: Batman Arkham Knight Drives Us Crazy
Welcome back to Game Scoop!, IGN's weekly video game talk show. This week we're discussing Batman: Arkham Knight, the PlayStation PLAY lineup, and (of course) we'll play some video game 20 questions. Watch the video above or download the podcast below.
Download Game Scoop! Episode 351
Or subscribe in iTunes and never miss an episode.
Please to enjoy,
Daemon
Fallout Shelter Earns $5.1 Million in First Two Weeks
Fallout Shelter has reportedly raked in $5.1 million during the mobile game's first two weeks on the App Store.
SuperData, a provider of market information on digital gaming, reports that Bethesda has made over $5 million on Fallout Shelter. "By emphasizing unobtrusive monetization and offline playability, Bethesda managed to earn the respect of a consumer group that is otherwise highly critical of free-to-play monetization," the SuperData report states.
It's also worth noting that Fallout Shelter is only available on iOS devices, with an Android launch planned for next month. Still, even only on Apple devices, the mobile management sim surpassed 70 million daily play sessions during the game's launch week.
HBO Now Arrives on Android Devices
HBO Now is now compatible with Android devices after spending a few months post-launch as a timed Apple exclusive.
The standalone streaming service gives you access to ongoing HBO shows like True Detective, Game of Thones, and Silicon Valley, plus a library of older ones like The Sopranos.
It costs $15 a month and requires no cable subscription – just an iOS or Android device.
Next in line for HBO Now support is Chromecast, which Google says will be available soon, and Fire TV, which Amazon says we can expect in the coming weeks.
Check out what's new to HBO Now for July 2015.
Furious 4 ‘Not a Thing Anymore’, Became Battleborn Instead
Long-missing Gearbox Software title Furious 4 eventually became the game we now know as Battleborn.
That's according to president Randy Pitchford, who spoke to IGN at Develop: Brighton about the state of the one-time Brothers in Arms title and why its character Montana can now be found in Battleborn.
"So the thing about that… Furious 4 is not a thing anymore, right?" Pitchford says. "Creative development is a trip. The idea that something that started as a Brothers in Arms game through some absurd convolution ended up as Battleborn is evidence of what’s possible."
Shenmue 3 May Never Come to Store Shelves
Unless you are a Kickstarter backer of Shenmue III who shelled out at least $60 in support of the project, you aren't guaranteed a physical copy of the game when it eventually is released.
While the game will be available for purchase digitally on both PC and PS4, Ys Net can't confirm it will be available at retailers as a disc-based product. "Whether Shenmue 3 will be available for retail or not is currently unconfirmed," the company told VG247 via email.
Yu Suzuki's upcoming Shenmue II followup has found a lot of success through crowdfunding, solidifying its place as one of Kickstarter's top 10 successes. If this third installment does end up being a massive hit, there's a good chance we'll see a fourth entry.