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Xbox

Next Xbox To Be Revealed in May

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We have been patiently waiting to hear details about Microsoft’s answer to the Playstation 4 and it looks like we will finally  get some details in May. The next-gen Xbox was supposed to be seen by the masses in April but instead it will be May 21st according to The Verge.

We actually know very little about the next-gen Xbox, codenamed Durango, but we do have an idea what’s in store for Xbox fans. It is likely that the software in the new Xbox will be very similar to Windows 8 and it’s possible that the console will require an “Always On” connection to the internet. That last bit has some gamers a bit on edge and even has them considering other consoles if Microsoft actually employs this strategy.

As always we will keep you in the loop when more details emerge about the next Xbox.

Unreal Engine 4 Shows Off Infiltrator Demo

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The latest version of the Unreal Engine is showing off some of it’s capabilities in a new “Infiltrator” Demo that is being rendered in real-time.  The demo was unveiled at GDC 2013 earlier and it looks absolutely stunning.

Unreal Engine 4 will be running on the next-gen PlayStation 4 and most likely the next Xbox. Unreal Engine 4 seems to actually have a “wow factor” to it and it helps to remind us that although at times it feels like games can’t get any better looking, they can and will continue to evolve.  The final verdict on the this next-gen technology will only come into play once we see this stuff on our own TV screens. Until then, we have to keeps watching demos of what’s to come. You can see the official announcement at Unreal.

Possible Battlefield 4 Reveal

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Battlefield 3

EA is creating a lot of buzz, some of it not so good, like the major issues plaguing the launch of SimCity. On the other hand EA seems to be getting ready to announce Battlefield 4 at the Game Developer’s Conference (GDC).

Invitations were sent out asking to “Save the Date”, which was marked as March 26, 2013 – 7 PM. The invitations were recently sent to IGN. We currently no nothing about Battlefield 4 or if EA has anything else it would like to share but the timing feels right for the announcement.

The New Tomb Raider is Here

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We have adventured with Lara Croft many times before but this game just looks like a completely different animal. The developers have really changed the look and feel of the game and not to mention Lara herself. It looks dark and gritty and personally I love it.

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Tomb Raider: Square Enix

The team at Crystal Dynamics haven’t just made visual changes to the game but have also fundamentally changed up the gameplay. They really tried to convey the struggle that Lara is going through during her perilous journey and by the looks of it, it has paid off. Your not marching around the game with some bullet proof character, Lara is human after all and her reactions to the world around her are in line with what you would expect to see from someone in real life.

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Tomb Raider: Square Enix
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Tomb Raider : Square Enix

 

Armed with only the raw instincts and physical ability to push beyond the limits of human endurance, TOMB RAIDER promises to deliver an intense and gritty story into the origins of Lara Croft and her ascent from a frightened young woman to a hardened survivor.

Lara Croft is a video game legend and changing up her appearance is risky and some purists may disagree, but I feel that they have made the right call and went with a good character design. Tomb Raider will be available on March 5th 2013 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC. For complete details head to the official Tomb Raider page.

 

 

Playstation 4 Will Stick To Blu-Ray

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As the popularity of digital downloads has increased over the years many of us were wondering if the next-gen consoles will focus less on actual discs. We keep seeing more and more content available for download and some games aren’t even shipping manuals anymore, instead they are available in a digital format.

However, the Playstation 4 will still rely on Blu-Ray as it primary game delivery medium. In a recent interview with IGN, Sony’s Jim Ryan mentions this about the format.

Clearly, and this applies not just to games but to pretty much every form of entertainment, there is a trend to increased digital consumption, and that is happening now on PS3 and will continue and will probably accelerate on PS4, but the primary delivery mechanism for the big games on the PS4 platform will continue to be Blu-Ray discs, for the foreseeable future.

I’m not surprised by this at all and actually I’m quite thrilled to hear that they are sticking with Blu-Ray. First of all, our broadband still lacks the bandwidth that’s necessary to make digital downloads attractive. With some games possibly being as large as 40 gigabytes and up, something Jim Ryan says he’s encouraging developers to do, there’s no way you can download that in a reasonable amount of time. The Blu-Ray disc is still reaching it’s peak potential and has plenty of years ahead of it.

I’m still quite fond of having the case and actual game disc. I never feel like I should have to pay full price for a digital download, it feels like I’m not getting the whole game. It’s a strange thought to imagine that one day we may not be using discs at all. Let’s not forget to mention that if we go all digital that will also be the death of the used game business.

At least for now we will be living in a hybrid world of both digital and physical content for not just our games, but movies and music as well. One thing I am wondering about now is whether or not Microsoft will be using Blu-Ray or some other type of proprietary media.