Gamer's Outpost Press (archived)

by Michael McWhertor

by Matt Weinberger

We hear a lot about The New Microsoft, where cloud computing, mobile apps, and holographic computing are driving the company to record profits.

But at the same time, Microsoft’s traditional Windows and Office businesses are shrinking as the company moves to new software models where customers pay for monthly subscriptions, not boxed software.

At today’s Microsoft Build developer conference in San Francisco, it was abundantly clear that Microsoft is embracing and even driving this change. The company that’s basically synonymous with personal computing has moved past the personal computer.

It was two announcements that really show where Microsoft sees computing (and itself) going: The ability to use a Windows Phone running Windows 10 as a PC, and HoloLens, the holographic computer.

There was one particularly telling HoloLens demo on stage today. A Microsoft employee showed off a tiny, wheeled robot whose software was based on Windows 10.

When that employee put on her HoloLens, the robot came to life with a holographic avatar over its head. She was able to direct the robot around by pointing, and change its color by opening a virtual control panel over it.

It’s easy to extrapolate what this could mean. Any Windows 10 device in the real world could have a holographic bit associated with it. You don’t need a screen or a keyboard for a computer that’s the size of a credit card, if all of that interface is projected onto a table with something only you can see.

So why would anybody need a full computer at all?

A Windows 10 phone with an associated holographic interface could be all the machine you’ll ever need. Similarly, any other interface anywhere else could have the same deal. A totally nondescript desk could be an interactive collaboration space, if only it has an embedded Windows computer and you’re wearing your HoloLens.

This is all years off. Demand for personal computers may be shrinking, but they’ll still be around for a while.

But Microsoft is teasing a future where all you need to get through your day, at work and at home, is a phone and a hologram, and it wants its developers to help us get there as soon as possible.

If that means that the traditional PC market has to fall by the wayside, including its traditional software business, so be it.

by Ryan Martinez

Transgender game developer Rachel Bryk was told by cyber bullies to jump off a bridge, in the end that’s what she decided to do.

It’s a sad time for the gaming industry as it loses a creative young game developer to suicide. Rachel Bryk, 23, was a prominent transgender developer who was best known for her work on Gamecube and Wii emulators. Years before she dived into development work and joined all the communities involved in it, however, she had suffered from low self esteem and chronic pain. Those problems only grew worse after joining the only game development community where she was subject to constant harassment.

As many people know being gay or transgender in the gaming community can make you a major target for trolls and cyber bullies. Rachel Bryk was no exception, for months now cyber bullies told the young developer that she should jump from a bridge. On April 23, after months of this severe bullying Bryk jumped from the Washington Bridge in New York. Only weeks after posting on a 4chan VG that she would be leaving a number of online communities because of their treatment.

That post was also met with a wall of hateful message telling Bryk that she should commit suicide. Now as news of her death spreads scores of other game communities, like the one centered around the Dolphin emulator, mourn her loss. Memorials have appeared all across the internet to remember Bryk and the contributions she made to the emulators she loved.That outpouring of sadness at her loss has sparked a new discussion in the gaming world about homophobia and transphobia.

The strongest voices in that new conversation are the people she worked with on the Dolphin emulator. Rachel Bryk was an important name to anyone who closely follows Dolphin and her presence is already being sorely missed there:

“She was a very kind and helpful person, one of many to help guide me through the project when I first started to contribute to the program. Her contributions to both the TAS and Dolphin Emulator community were vast, adding multiple helpful and sorely needed tools to make Dolphin easier to TAS. Although I did not know her as long as the others, I know she will surely be missed by all of those who knew her.”

In memory of Rachel, here she is playing the hell out of her favorite game: Pucca’s Kisses Game.

Source: Dolphin Emulator Blog

“This was in no way intended to misrepresent the title on Xbox One.”

by Eddie Makuch

Earlier today, the official Microsoft Xbox YouTube channel published an impressive new video for CD Projekt Red’s upcoming role-playing game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Since the video was published to the Xbox channel, some might have thought the gameplay was captured on the Xbox One edition of the game.

However, it’s now been discovered by Kotaku that the footage of the game shown in the video is from the PC edition, not the Xbox One version, despite the Xbox logo being featured prominently. Microsoft has since apologized for the confusion (more on that later).

Microsoft never explicitly stated that the footage was not captured on Xbox One, but–just a few hours after the video went up–the company added a disclaimer to the video to say the footage was “captured on a PC.”

One major giveaway that the footage was captured on PC and not Xbox One is that the gameplay video plays at 1080p/60fps. The Xbox One version of The Witcher 3, however, outputs at 900p/30fps, which raised some red flags–the video’s comments are overflowing with people pointing out the difference.

In a statement sent to GameSpot this afternoon, a Microsoft representative said it never intended to misrepresent the visual fidelity of the Xbox One version of The Witcher 3, and apologized for any confusion caused by the video.

“This morning we posted a new trailer for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt to our YouTube channels featuring footage provided by CD Projekt Red that was captured from the PC version of the game and may not be reflective of final Xbox One gameplay,” the spokesperson said. “This was in no way intended to misrepresent the title on Xbox One. We have updated the description of the asset to make clear the source and platform of this footage. We apologize for any confusion and look forward to the game arriving on both Xbox One and PC on May 19, 2015.”

Whatever the case, The Witcher 3 looks quite nice across all platforms: PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. But the PC version, like so many other games, is likely to look the best, as it will run at 60fps (if your computer can run it).

The Witcher 3 launches on May 19th.

by Chris Reed

If you like massive games you can play for dozens of hours, your needs will be well served in next week’s video game releases. Two franchises that have been big names for decades are set to launch games, including the PC version of Grand Theft Auto V, which has been available on other platforms for nearly a year-and-a-half.

Even though only four major games are launching next week, you’ll probably find something worth playing. That’s because we’ve got a fighting game, a strategy game, an open world game, and a unique indie title heading our way. Read on for details about what’s coming to all systems during the week of April 13, 2015.

1. Grand Theft Auto V

Finally coming to PC on April 14

Console owners have been painting the neighborhood red for 17 months now, with GTA V available on two generations of Xbox and PlayStation hardware. Finally, after seemingly endless delays, developer Rockstar is bringing one of the best games in recent years to the PC, where it will serve up simulated criminal activity to a sizable group of dedicated gamers. And since top-end PCs are powerhouse machines, the game will look better than ever — assuming you have a super-powered rig.

The story, for those who haven’t played it yet, follows three criminals with very different backgrounds who come together to work on a number of big scores. The storytelling is cinematic and the action set pieces are some of the most memorable ones in the series’ history.

There are two minor consolations for PC gamers who have waited patiently these 17 months to play the game:

1. They get the first-person mode from the get-go, and

2. They won’t have to wait to play the GTA Online heist missions that seemed like they’d never come out.

And now that GTA V is available on all the major current platforms (sorry, Wii U!) maybe Rockstar can get started on GTA VI.

2. Mortal Kombat X

Coming April 14 to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC

The year’s biggest fighting game is launching after months of slow reveals, character trailers, and roster updates. All signs indicate that this game is going to be well worth playing if you have even an inkling of an interest in fighting games. It has a huge cast of characters, heavy-hitting fighting mechanics, and some of the grossest, goriest fatalities ever to grace the series. Is that really a major selling point? You betcha.

3. Titan Souls

Coming April 14 to PlayStation 4 and PS Vita

Although it’s a very different game in practice, Titan Souls is built on the same principle as the PS2 classic Shadow of the Colossus: Every battle is a boss battle. You play as a small hero with a single arrow you can shoot and then retrieve.

Twenty bosses wait in 20 lairs for you to enter and take them on. The bosses are usually huge, and they each require a different approach to defeat them. But here’s the bad news: Your character dies in a single hit. That makes for some tense battles as you observe how the bosses behave and try to figure out what you need to do to kill them. Titan Souls is a puzzle-solving action game that looks like a whole lot of fun.

4. Age of Wonders III

Coming April 14 to Mac and Linux

This strategy game puts you in charge of a kingdom set in a fantasy world and has you oversee how it’s run. You’ll choose a race (human, high elf, dwarf, etc.) and direct your subjects to gather resources while you expand your kingdom by making alliances with neighbors or marching to war against them. The game has already been released on Windows to positive reviews, so if you’re a fan of strategy games with RPG elements, be sure to check it out.

by Michael McWhertor

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 will once again send the first-person shooter franchise into the future, where “cutting-edge military robotics define warfare,” according to an official description of the game on the Call of Duty website. It will also see the return of Treyarch’s signature Zombies mode.

While Activision and Treyarch didn’t say much about Black Ops 3 when they teased the game earlier today, the official website offers a detailed description about the game’s setting in its source code:

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is the first title for next-gen hardware in the critically acclaimed Black Ops series. Developed by Treyarch, the award-winning creator of the two most-played games in Call of Duty history. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 deploys players into a dark, twisted future where a new breed of Black Ops soldier emerges and the lines are blurred between our own humanity and the technology we created to stay ahead, in a world where cutting-edge military robotics define warfare. With three unique game modes: Campaign, Multiplayer and Zombies, providing fans with the deepest and most ambitious Call of Duty ever.

On Treyarch’s Facebook, the Black Ops developer recently posted about embeddable implants and “biohacking,” potential clues about where Black Ops 3 might be headed.

The first Black Ops took place during the 1960s and played out as a series of flashbacks during the interrogation of SOG operative Alex Mason. The sequel, Black Ops 2, took place in the 1980s and in 2025, when Mason is retired.

In addition to the official description, Twitter user ThaTiemsz posted what they called “official Black Ops 3 art” that was supposedly pulled from the game’s website. That’s posted above, and we’re checking with Activision on its authenticity, but it looks inline with previous Call of Duty: Black Ops artwork.

A full official reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is planned for April 26.

by Eddie Makuch

Why did Nintendo finally announce plans to enter the smartphone market after years of holding out? It wasn’t because the company felt “cornered,” according to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. The English translation of a Q&A session with analysts from last week’s presentation in Japan has been published, and in it, Iwata offers an in-depth explanation for why the company chose to make the dramatic move.

“A variety of media have written that Nintendo is cornered a number of times, but I do not think we were cornered at all,” he said. “Needless to say, we are also aware that unless a company can deal with the rapidly changing world, it will face decline. But I would like to emphasize here that our alliance [with DeNA] is not the result of a lack of better options for a cornered company.”

As for why Nintendo chose DeNA specifically as a partner for the new mobile venture, Iwata said, as discussions with the company progressed, it became clear that “DeNA knew so many things that Nintendo did not.” Partnering with DeNA allows Nintendo to tap into the company’s expertise in the mobile field and also develop games more rapidly than it could on its own, he explained.

“This is why I just said that this is not a decision made out of a lack of options,” Iwata said. “In fact, Nintendo has received a number of proposals from a variety of companies. Among them, Nintendo has proactively chosen DeNA.”

Iwata also responded to one analyst’s concern that Nintendo entrance into the smartphone market (the company expects to launch its first mobile game this year) is too late. The executive doesn’t agree.

“I think that whether it is late or not will be decided by what we produce in the coming years, and it could rather be described as the best timing,” Iwata responded. “My personal view is that the time is ripe as many factors like various encounters with people, the ways our internal discussions have progressed and the ideas we have generated through that process occurred simultaneously. We will do our best to prove that our decision was made at the right time.”

Nintendo has not announced any smartphone games so far, but has pledged it won’t simply port its console games to smartdevices. The company is also considering a range of business models, including free-to-play, which Iwata actually calls free-to-start.

Nintendo’s big move into the smartphone market has been received positively by investors, as shares of the company skyrocketed by more than 30 percent. The company also announced that it had started work on a new system, known internally as the “NX.” This system, which Nintendo says it won’t start talking about officially until 2016, aims to surprise and innovate.

by Eddie Makuch

In a new interview with Japanese business publication Nikkei, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata spoke–albeit briefly and in vague terms–about the company’s mysterious new platform, codenamed “NX.”

Although he did not offer specifics, Iwata suggested that the NX aims to catch gamers by surprise and offer meaningful innovation.

“If you only expand upon existing hardware, it’s dull,” Iwata said in the report, as translated by Kotaku. “In some shape or form, we’re always thinking about how we want to surprise players as well as our desire to change each person’s video gaming life.”

Iwata officially announced the NX during a presentation in Japan last week, where the company also revealed plans to finally enter the smartphone market. Revealing the NX project was a means to demonstrate that Nintendo remains committed to gaming hardware.

“As proof that Nintendo maintains strong enthusiasm for the dedicated game system business, let me confirm that Nintendo is currently developing a dedicated game platform with a brand-new concept under the development codename ‘NX,'” Iwata said at the time.

More details about NX are set to be revealed in 2016. And though concrete information about Nintendo’s NX is extremely light at the moment, one retailer is already accepting preorders for the device.

by Khurram Imtiaz

God of War 3 Remastered was officially announced by Sony last week during an event celebrating the 10th anniversary of the series.

This announcement came as a surprise as earlier rumors had suggested a God of War: Ascension Remaster for the PS4, but that rumor has yet to be confirmed.

Industry Insider Shinobi602, clarified that God of War: Ascension is still happening for the PS4, and that he was not aware that Sony was planning to remaster God of War 3 as well.

The person I spoke to about that works at a Sony studio, however I no longer have contact with him unfortunately. In a metrics listing, “GOW: A – PS4″ was listed, so I was a bit surprised GOW3 was remastered first. I spoke to another individual earlier today after the announcement to do some fact checking and it turns out Ascension remaster is supposedly still a thing but coming separately later.

Shinobi added that the Remaster took more work than anticipated, and as a result, they couldn’t do both at the same time.

Yea no problem, and I agree as I said the same thing. Apparently remastering them was a bit more intensive than initially planned so couldn’t do them at the same time.

Now, such a remaster shouldn’t be surprising, given the track record of Sony remastering PS3 games for the PS4. We’ll have more on this topic as it develops over the next few weeks.

by Rashid Sayed

Xbox One boss, Phil Spencer has once again taken to to his Twitter account to reveal and tease some interesting information regarding their strategies and development for games on the Xbox One. When asked whether a Gears of War collection or a remastered version is in the works for the Xbox One, Spencer teased that he ‘will have more to say coming up’ and he ‘can’t talk more about the plans yet.’

This is rather interesting since Rod Fergusson from Black Tusk Studios, the team that is working on the new Gears of War for the Xbox One, outright denied that such a remaster is in development for the Xbox One. He also assured that the Phantom Dust reboot has not been canceled and that they are adding new features in the game. “Game dev isn’t that cut and dry. Things will be used, new stuff will be created, it will be a mix,” he stated on Twitter.

He also teased there might be more than one major announcement for the Xbox One in the future. “I hope we have more than just one but you have strong minds so we’ll have to see how we do”, he teased when asked by a fan on how they plan to blow everyone’s mind off. He also further stated that developing first party games is critical for the Xbox One so a game like Sunet Overdrive is great to have on the console.

He also clarified that Microsoft are not lying about the advantages of DirectX 12 on the Xbox One and it will provide speed improvements over DX11 but ultimately it depends on how developers update their code. If this is the case, then Microsoft should probably share some benchmark results soon for the Xbox One.