Hitman series update details next iteration, promises no magic pockets

Fans of IO Interactive's Hitman series, rejoice: the developer has detailed in brief the next iteration in the series, which is destined for the next-generation consoles and PC. In an open letter posted on the franchise's website today, IO Interactive details what it has been up to and what gamers can expect, saying it is building the next release "using the best parts" and such from what it has already accomplished to "fulfil the core Hitman fantasy".

Work on the next game in the series has been underway, aiming to bring a version that shows "Agent 47 at the prime of his career", doing so with the ICA's support and that of his handler, Diana Burnwood. In this particular iteration, gamers will be presented with a concentrated focus on "the core Hitman fantasy", revolving around exotic locations and the elimination of targets using various tools.

The next version will feature the largest levels yet, and with them will come "an extreme level of detail", with both a non-linear and open design to let gamers play across what it calls huge checkpoint-free sandbox levels. The game is being built upon the Glacier 2 engine, and the artificial intelligence promises to offer opportunities for getting creative within the giant levels.

Building upon that idea is the return of Contracts Mode, as well. Under Contracts Mode, gamers can both build and experiment with different challenges and, if desired, share them with other gamers. Rounding it all out is a simple, "we have removed 47's magic pockets. We believe that's all we need to say about that subject."






SOURCE: Hitman

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Nintendo 3DS game sales jumped 45% in 2013 as hardware hit record numbers

Nintendo has reported its 2013 3DS sales for the year, with the maker hitting a sweet-spot record leading into what it anticipates to be a strong 2014. Last year, Nintendo had the highest ever 3DS sales in the United States, with game sales jumping a huge 45-percent, as well. The company had detailed its game release plans for this year, starting with the full game launch of Bravely Default on February 7.

Nintendo 3DS sales, which includes the 2DS and the 3DS XL, exceeded 11.5 million sales in the United States, breaking the thus-far lifetime record for the company. Game sales were nearly as equally phenomenal for the company, with in excess of 16 million combined physical and digital games for the aforementioned hardware being sold over the course of last year -- a 45-percent jump over 2012's sales for the same hardware.

In addition to Bravely Default, which has been available as a demo in the Nintendo eShop, Nintendo will be launching Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy, followed by Yoshi's New Island on March 14. Also slated is Disney Magical World, a Disney-centric game that will be familiar to those who enjoy common social network games, that will be launching on April 11.

Said Nintendo America's Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing Scott Moffitt: "Nintendo 3DS is a powerhouse with games and experiences that appeal to all kinds of players. We're not slowing down in 2014. With more games featuring fan-favorite franchises on the way, the best days of Nintendo 3DS are still come."





SOURCE: Business Wire

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Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas hits Android and Amazon Kindle devices

Fans of the Rockstar Grand Theft Auto series were excited last month when the game landed on the iOS platform. That meant that the game was available for iPhone and iPad gamers. The announcement that the game was available for the Apple devices left Android users in the cold. The Android version was originally expected to launch alongside the iOS version.

Good news has surfaced today with Rockstar Games announcing that Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is now available for select devices on the Android platform. The game is also available for gamers on the Amazon Kindle tablet line.

GTA: San Andreas has a large open world with three cities for gamers to explore. The cities include Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas. The mobile game has improved graphics and promises over 70 hours of game play. Rockstar also tuned the mobile version of the game specifically to run well on portable gadgets.

The graphics are re-mastered with new lighting enhancements, an improved color pallet, and improved character models. The game also offers mobile gamers aiming options including auto-aim, free-aim, and touch targeting. Physical controllers are also supported. San Andreas is available on Google Play and the Amazon Appstore for $6.99. Rockstar also notes that the game will come soon to Windows mobile devices.





SOURCE: Rockstar

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Sega Announces Alien: Isolation for launch in late 2014

Back in October 2013, the first grumblings that a new game in the classic horror/sci-fi Alien franchise was in the works surfaced. The game had a working title at the time called Alien: Isolation. That working title has been confirmed this week by Sega and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer products to be the official title for the game.

Alien: Isolation promises to take survival horror back to its roots. The game is expected to launch in late 2014. As you know with any video game still in development, that date could easily change. Sega says that the game will capture the tension and horror from the original 1970 flick Alien that made the film a classic.

The game is expected to launch for the PS4, Xbox One, PS3, and Xbox 360 along with PCs. The game is set on a decommissioned trading station on the fringes of space. The player will face a xenomorph as they scavenge the resources they need to stay alive.

Sega isn’t offering much more in the way of detail on the game at this time. They have offered up some screen shots and a few trailers on YouTube for us to check out. This year is the 35th anniversary of the film, it's still creepy and futuristic looking despite its age.




SOURCE: Alien: Isolation

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Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy cast filled out: Vin Diesel joins as Groot

This week the final member of the Guardians of the Galaxy has been announced, bringing Marvel Comics’ high-flying space-bound superhero movie forward for 2014 with Vin Diesel as lead character Groot. This character is the largest in the bunch, existing as a sentient tree, and one of five members of the diverse alien group. Also here - in order - are Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Star-Lord (aka Peter Quill), and Rocket Raccoon.

Actors involved in this picture - in these lead roles - are as follows: Drax the Destroyer will be played by Dave Bautista. Bautista is better known for his role with the WWE as wrestler “Batista” and his parts in both Riddick (with co-star Vin Diesel) and The Man with the Iron Fists. Gamora will be plead by Zoe Saldana, known for her roles in Avatar, Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness, and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Star-Lord will be played by Chris Pratt. This fellow is best known for his part as Andy Dwyer in the television comedy series Parks and Recreation. He’s also done over a dozen other smaller films and long runs in TV series Everwood and The O.C.. Finally you’ll find no less than Bradley Cooper playing the littlest member of the group, Rocket Raccoon. Cooper is known most recently for his roles in The Hangover series, Limitless, and Silver Linings Playbook.

Below this sentence you’ll see somewhat of a spoiler if you’ve not seen the bonus scene at the end of Thor: The Dark World, so keep that in mind. Benicio Del Toro will be reprising his role of The Collector here, aiming to continue gathering his set of five Infinity Gems more than likely.

You’ll also find actor Djimon Hounsou returning to the big screen after a couple of years away from the film circuit other than the movie Baggage Claim. The public knows him best for his roles in Gladiator, Blood Diamond, Constantine, and The Island. In Guardians of the Galaxy he’ll be playing Korath the Pursuer.

BONUS: Above you’ll see the first leaked teaser-trailer for the film, complete with off-set comic-con filming action. You’ll also see John C. Reilly as Rhomann Dey and you might catch a moment of Glenn Close as Nova Prime, but good luck!

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Plantronics RIG headset offers a wired mixer for gaming and mobile blend

Plantronics has unveiled its new RIG line of products, the first of which – the RIG headset - allows gamers to stay connected to their smartphone while playing, offering a wired mixer and the ability to toggle without issue between a video game console and “the real world.” The headset is slated for launch sometime later this fall, though a specific date hasn’t yet been provided, with the price set at $129 USD/EUR.

The Plantronics RIG headset includes 40mm speaker drivers, offering audio quality that the company says is often found only in “professional-grade products.” The mixer is wired and allows users to toggle between a video game console and tablet or smartphone by hitting the paddle – one can receive a call, for example, without having to pause the game they’re on and without having to remove the headset.

There are both boom and inline mics, with the boom microphone being a noise-cancelling bit that can be swapped for the less obvious inline microphone. The inline mic includes controls for muting and calls. Three EQ profiles are available: Pure, Intensify, and Seismic, with users being able to experience “epic bass.” Finally, compatibility includes Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC and Mac, and mobile devices.


As far as design goes, Plantronics says they used a street-style industrial design that aims to be as stylish on the street (or anywhere outside the gaming setup) as it does plugged into the console. The ear cushions and headband are designed for long-duration gaming without discomfort on the head or the ears.

Plantronics’ head of gaming Chuck Frizelle said: “The RIG headset marks the start of the next generation of gaming audio solutions, crafted for demanding gamers and their dynamic lifestyle. Building on our expertise in acoustics, industrial design, and communications, RIG delivers unique benefits for gamers. RIG immerses gamers in their virtual world while keeping them seamlessly connected to the real one.”

SOURCE: BusinessWire, Plantronics

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NVIDIA SHIELD officially arriving last day of July

After receiving a delay past its initial launch date (June 27), NVIDIA’s SHIELD handheld gaming device will officially begin shipping on July 31, barely meeting its delayed launch window of this month and arriving on the last possible day inside of that window. That makes it just over a week until gamers will be able to purchase the new handheld.

The SHIELD was initially initially expected to ship late last month, but due to mechanical issues with a third-party component, NVIDIA ended up having to delay the handheld gaming system for over a month. However, it seems that everything is straightened out now, and the only thing in NVIDIA’s way is hoping the SHIELD has a flawless launch.

The SHIELD is a handheld gaming system that can play Android games, as well as stream PC games from Steam. It’s essentially a game controller with a flip-out display that measures 5 inches diagonally with a 720p HD resolution. The device was first announced at CES 2013 back in January during NVIDIA’s press conference.

Since the announcement, we’ve gotten to know the SHIELD quite a bit in the last few months. We’ve given it a test spin a couple times already, using it to fly around an AR Drone in the backyard, and even getting to do a hands-on session with the final hardware version of the SHIELD last month.

The SHIELD will cost $299 when it launches on July 31, and this is even after a price drop from $349 after the company received feedback from potential buyers at E3 last month. The device is still up for pre-order, and units will begin shipping out starting on July 31. Happy gaming!

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