| US government recognizes League of Legends players as pro athletes Jul 12th 2013, 17:37 After lengthy discussions between Riot Games and US government, League of Legends players now deemed professional athletes, can be awarded visas. 
The United States government now recognizes League of Legends players as professional athletes and awards visas for them to come to the country to play. Riot Games eSports manager Nick Allen told GameSpot in a new video interview (below) that the "groundbreaking" decision came about after much back-and-forth between the developer and the government. "So the United States government recognizes League of Legends pro players as professional athletes and award visas to essentially work in the United States under that title," Allen said. "This is groundbreaking for eSports; now we can start looking at international players when they come over. It's a much easier process because they're actually recognized by the government. This is a huge thing." "This was a lengthy process; we had a lot of people fighting for this. It wasn't something that happened overnight," Allen continued. He further explained that Riot went back and forth with the government multiple times before enough evidence was provided to prove that the game is a legitimate sport. The League of Legends Season 3 Championship Finals will take place October 4 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. More than 10,000 people are expected to attend. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
|  | More details on Far Cry 4 "soon," says Ubisoft Jul 12th 2013, 17:14 "We're clearly going to make another one," says Ubisoft marketing manager. 
Ubisoft has promised to reveal more details about a new Far Cry game soon. Speaking to GameSpot, Ubisoft senior vice president of marketing and sales Tony Key said that the commercial and critical success of Far Cry 3 has ensured a sequel. "We’re totally psyched from [Far Cry 3]. It’s a great brand, and now it’s got the recognition it deserves, so we’re clearly going to make another one: more on that soon." Far Cry 3 launched in late 2012, and was developed primarily by Ubisoft Montreal. The open-world FPS was set on a tropical island and revolved around its protagonist, Jason Brody, becoming increasingly unhinged after his friends are kidnapped by pirates. GameSpot awarded the game a 9.0 in its review. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, a digital, 80s themed spin-off, was released earlier this year to further sales success. And an entry for a Far Cry HD, with Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms specified, popped up in a Brazilian classification listing (spotted by VG Leaks) back in May. Key also spoke about the current appetite for the open-world genre, saying that he believes today's gamers want fewer linear experiences. Many of Ubisoft's current releases incorporate elements of open world into their design, with Key saying that "I think open world can represent the future of, you know, gaming, and that’s where we’re investing huge portions of our resources--because we believe that that is what consumers want." "They don’t want linear; they want open [world]," he continued. While Key did add that "there’s always going to be a place for linear experiences," he said Ubisoft was particularly capable at making large-scale, open-ended games. Finally, Key told anyone hoping for a new Prince of Persia title on consoles to remain patient. "Prince of Persia, it’s got a really strong legacy with Ubisoft and it’s still there. We have nothing to announce, but, you know, we haven’t sold it off or given it away, so be patient. I know that’s hard!" Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Five new Pokemon and new details announced for Pokemon X and Y Jul 12th 2013, 17:12 The Pokemon Company unveils five new Pokemon and various new gameplay details for upcoming 3DS RPG. 
The Pokemon Company has announced five new Pokemon for the upcoming Pokemon X and Y, along with new details about the game's new Kalos region. The new Pokemon are called Pangoro, Inkay, Malamar, Swirlix, and Spritzee, with the latter two exclusive to either Pokemon X or Pokemon Y. Spritzee is a Fairy type Pokemon that can only be caught in Pokemon Y, who emits a fragrance that can enchant other Pokemon. Spritzee can also learn the move Aromatheraphy, which can remove status afflictions from allied Pokemon. Swirlix, on the other hand, can only be caught in Pokemon X and can drain HP from enemy Pokemon as well as ensure that allied Pokemon can't fall asleep during battles. Fighting and Dark type Pangoro, who evolves from Pancham, is also new. Pangoro has a powerful Hammer Arm attack, and chews on a leaf which can predict the moves of its opponents. Inkay is a Dark and Psychic Pokemon who later evolves in Malamar. Alongside the new Pokemon, Pokemon X and Y will also feature a new villainous group called Team Flare, a new Professor--Augustine Sycamore--and a new called called O-Powers. These new powers, which can be shared among players, offer benefits like increased experience or making it easier to catch wild Pokemon. Pokemon X and Y will also feature a tool called Wonder Trade, which allows players to instantly trade one of their Pokemon for a random Pokemon offered on the market by another player. The Pokemon Company also announced that the previously announced Pokemon Clauncher and Skrelp can only be caught in Pokemon X and Y respectively. Pokemon X and Pokemon Y will be released for 3DS on October 12. [ Watch Video ] Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Killzone: Mercenary beta sign-ups go live today Jul 12th 2013, 17:01 Gamers can now sign up for a chance to enter upcoming closed multiplayer beta for this fall's PlayStation Vita shooter. 
Gamers interested in trying out the multiplayer component of PlayStation Vita game Killzone: Mercenary can now sign-up for a chance to be selected for the closed beta. Users have until 2 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, July 17 to sign up for the beta. Those chosen will be notified via email with instructions regarding how to participate. While gamers accepted into the beta will not need to sign a nondisclosure agreement, Sony reminded gamers that the closed beta is confidential and that all beta test materials may be serial numbered for tracking purposes. "Disclosure of any part of the beta test materials to any third party, including but not limited to any trade or consumer press, news agency or any competitor of SCEA, will cause significant and irreparable harm to SCEA, the extent of which may be difficult to ascertain," Sony said. Killzone: Mercenary launches September 17 and uses the same engine as Killzone 3. The single-player campaign to Killzone: Mercenary will feature nine missions that are reportedly each close to an hour long, and the game will include an eight-player multiplayer mode spread across six maps and three gametypes. For more on Killzone: Mercenary, check out GameSpot's previous coverage. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | EA Phenomic shut down - Report Jul 12th 2013, 16:05 Electronic Arts reportedly closes German real-time strategy studio behind BattleForge and Command & Conquer: Tiberium Alliances. 
Electronic Arts has shut down EA Phenomic, the German studio behind real-time strategy games BattleForge and Command & Conquer: Tiberium Alliances, according to a new report from Games Industry International. Multiple sources told the site that the studio had closed, though in a statement, EA would not confirm the developer's status, instead only speaking to the company's ongoing realignment. "As part of EA's realignment in recent weeks, we have announced internally a small adjustment to some development staff to better focus our teams against priority growth areas," EA said. EA will report first quarter earnings on July 23, where more information may be revealed. "The decision to let people go is not something we take lightly and we are working to ensure that impacted employees are treated fairly and with respect for their contributions to EA, and with assistance to find other job opportunities," the statement goes on. "These are hard but essential changes as we focus on delivering great games and showing players around the world why to spend their time with us." EA Phenomic is headquartered in Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany. The studio was founded in 1997 as Phenomic Game Development by Volker Wertich, who helped create the Settlers series. EA acquired the studio in 2006, rebranding it EA Phenomic. The studio was also behind 2010's Lord of Ultima Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Xbox One maker Microsoft facilitated collection of private Skype and email transmissions - Report Jul 12th 2013, 15:40 User data on Skype, Hotmail and SkyDrive reportedly intercepted by the National Security Agency with Microsoft's assistance. 
Microsoft allegedly assisted the National Security Agency (NSA) to intercept user communications, the Guardian has posted. According to reports, Microsoft assisted in the circumvention of its encryption for various communication services, included Oulook.com, Hotmail, Skype, and cloud storage service SkyDrive. The collection of communication data was executed using a program codenamed Prism, which purportedly collects information from Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Apple. According to the report, Microsoft also coordinated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to assist the NSA in its data collection. Microsoft also allegedly coordinated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to assist the NSA in its data collection. An individual warrant is not required by the secret surveillance court to collect these communications, so long as the NSA holds a 51 percent belief a target is not a US citizen and is not on US soil at the time of collection. Earlier this year Microsoft revealed Skype would be integrated into their next-gen Xbox One console. The console will support Skype video calling using Kinect voice and gesture controls to execute onscreen actions. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Rovio teases new Angry Birds Star Wars game Jul 12th 2013, 15:21 Developer hints at prequel with imagery from The Phantom Menace; game will be revealed July 15. 
Rovio Entertainment has teased a new Angry Birds Star Wars game that appears to be a prequel, based on an image the company tweeted along with the announcement today. "Big new game announcement coming on Monday!" the tweet reads. The image is based on the iconic Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace teaser poster that depicts an adolescent Anakin Skywalker accompanied by his Darth Vader shadow. According to a post on the official Angry Birds Tumblr, the new project will have "biggest lineup of playable characters ever." Angry Birds: Star Wars (2012) is based on the original Star Wars trilogy, casting the Birds at the Rebels and the Piggies as the Empire. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Texas teen jailed after League of Legends argument out on bail Jul 12th 2013, 14:49 "Anonymous good samaritan" posts $500,000 bail to release Justin Carter from jail after referencing school shooting on Facebook. 
A Texas teenager jailed for comments made on Facebook after a match of League of Legends in February is out of jail this week after an "anonymous good samaritan" posted his $500,000 bail. Texas new outlet KEYE TV reports the anonymous person came through with the funds after learning Carter's family could not afford the payment. Carter, a 19-year-old from Austin, was arrested in March after he said on Facebook that he was going to "shoot up" a school and "eat their still, beating hearts," according to his father. He reportedly followed up these comments with "LOL and "JK." A woman in Canada saw his comments and informed the police, who arrested Carter for making a terrorist threat. Carter's comments came just months after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut, where 20 children and six adults were killed. Carter spoke with CNN about his case last evening, telling the news outlet that ’I just think that it got taken out of context and it’s been blown out of proportion." If he could go back in time, Carter said he would have given more thought to his comments before posting them on Facebook. He also warned people that anything said on the Internet is more public than they may believe. "I certainly would have thought a lot more about what I said and how permanent my writing is’. I just want to make it clear that people should be very, very careful of what they say and it's being recorded all the time if you say it on any website, anywhere. And you can get in trouble for something that's not something you should get in trouble for. And I just want people to be warned." Carter faces up to ten years in prison if convicted. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Sony: PS4 has potential to "alter the landscape of gaming" Jul 12th 2013, 14:16 Lead system architect Mark Cerny says upcoming next-generation platform will be a "renaissance of gaming." 
Sony has high hopes for the PlayStation 4. So high that lead system architect Mark Cerny believes the next-generation console has the potential to change the landscape of gaming. "We have the opportunity with PlayStation 4 to fundamentally alter the landscape of gaming. We can have the highest richness and variety of content," Cerny told VG247 in a new interview. "It really will be a renaissance of gaming." For its part, Microsoft has also touted the potential of its next-generation machine, the Xbox One. "For us, the future comes in the form of Xbox One, a system designed to be the best place to play games this year and for many years to come," the company said in June. Gamers can decide for themselves this holiday season, when both platforms arrive on store shelves. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Epic: Fortnite is "Minecraft meets Left 4 Dead" Jul 12th 2013, 14:13 Founder Tim Sweeney says PC game is blend of genres with Pixar art style, confirms studio also working on unannounced AAA shooter. 
Epic Games founder Tim Sweeney has described upcoming PC online game Fortnite as "Minecraft meets Left 4 Dead." Speaking at Develop this week, reported by Eurogamer, Sweeney explained that Epic has morphed from a studio that focuses on one major title at a time to an outfit with its eyes on multiple projects of varying scale. "Now we're building several games at different scales. We're building Fortnite, a PC online game which is a fun, sort of Minecraft meets Left 4 Dead," Sweeney said. "It's a 35-person team. It's not aiming to beat Call of Duty in terms of graphics. It's more of a Pixar art style and a limited project in scope, just aimed at fun as opposed to massive breakthroughs in scale." Overall, Sweeney explained that by branching out and working on smaller projects alongside major ones, Epic Games' vision is to "master development at every scale." "We're building a bigger, triple-A shooter project that hasn't been announced yet," he said. "And we've also internally started developing really tiny projects with two or three guys working together as a team for a few months in small scale game development." "It's really cool. We're testing our development at all scales and learning it as we go. We're trying to master development at every scale." Fortnite is due out later this year only on PC, though Epic Games has not provided an update on the game in some time after it had no presence at E3 last month. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Sega files trademark application for "Go Dance" Jul 12th 2013, 13:23 Publisher's application with United States Patent & Trademark Office covers game software, including mobile and cellphone. 
Sonic the Hedgehog and Company of Heroes 2 publisher Sega may be breaking out into the dancing game genre. The publisher has filed a trademark application with the United States Patent & Trademark Office for "Go Dance" along with the associated image below. The government filing covers various versions of "computer game software," including software for use on mobile and cellular phones. A Sega representative was not immediately available to comment. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Arma and DayZ developer Bohemia Interactive's website hacked Jul 12th 2013, 12:57 Bohemia Interactive's forums have been temporarily shut down in response to a hacking attempt that saw some registered users' information compromised. 
Personal information of users stored on the servers of Arma III and DayZ developer Bohemia Interactive has been obtained by hackers, the studio has announced. In a statement published on the Bohemia Interactive website, the developer confirms that it has temporarily shut down access to its forums in response to an "illegal attempt" to access users' information. "We have unfortunately discovered that an illegal attempt has been made to access certain of our online websites, leading to the download of a database containing usernames, email addresses and encrypted passwords," writes the developer. "Please note due to the encryption of the passwords it is very unlikely that anything nefarious can be done with this information," adds Bohemia. "We would like to reassure everyone that no other information such as credit card details is stored by us and thus was not at any risk from this illegal breach." In response to the hacking attempt, Bohemia has reset the passwords of its registered users "as a precaution." Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Petition calling on Microsoft to reinstate Xbox One policies gaining steam Jul 12th 2013, 12:52 New Change.org petition asking Microsoft to revisit controversial next-gen policies reaches 18,000 signatures in under a week. A Change.org petition calling on Microsoft to reinstate its controversial Xbox One policies is gaining steam. The online petition currently has more than 18,000 supporters, up from just over 1,000 only two days ago. The petition is boosting traffic for Change.org, a representative for the site told GameSpot. The campaign is the "most active" petition on the site right now, with a full 4 percent of all people visiting Change.org viewing the petition, the representative said. "This was to be the future of entertainment. A new wave of gaming where you could buy games digitally, then trade, share or sell those digital licenses," the petition reads. "Essentially, it was Steam for Xbox. But consumers were uninformed, and railed [sic] against it, and it was taken away because Sony took advantage of consumers [sic] uncertainty." Under the terms of Microsoft's original Xbox One policies, users were required to connect to the Internet once per day. In addition, secondhand sales saw various limitations. Microsoft has yet to publicly acknowledge the petition. When Microsoft reversed these policies last month, the company also ditched the Xbox One's family sharing plan--which was to allow users to share their games library with up to 10 family members on any Xbox One. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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