 | Halo writer joins Amazon Aug 16th 2013, 17:02 Prolific novelist and 13-year Microsoft veteran Eric Nylund now director of narrative design at Amazon Game Studios. 
Halo novelist Eric Nylund has joined Amazon Game Studios as its director of narrative design, according to his updated LinkedIn profile page. Nylund spent 13 years at Microsoft Game Studios as its director of narrative design. At that post, he led a team of producers and designers in creating stories for the company's stable of franchises. He is also the author of numerous Halo novels, including Halo: The Fall of Reach and Halo: First Strike, among others. It is not clear what Nylund is working on at Amazon. A Facebook post captured by CouchCampus quotes Nylund as saying, "I can't talk about specifics, but I wouldn't be there unless something cool was brewing." Sources told Game Informer last week that Amazon is working on an Android-powered console, aiming to release the device by the end of 2013. An Amazon representative was not immediately available to comment. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Castle of Illusion HD out September 3 Aug 16th 2013, 16:06 Sega's downloadable remake releasing early next month on PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, and PC for $15; North America preorders on PS3 will receive copy of original Genesis version. 
Castle of Illusion HD, the downloadable remake of Disney's 1990 Sega Genesis game, will be released through digital platforms next month. The game will arrive on September 3 for PlayStation Network, followed by a September 4 release for Xbox Live and PC. All versions of the game will sell for $15. Publisher Sega also announced today that North America preorders for Castle of Illusion HD on PlayStation Network will receive a downloadable version of the original Sega Genesis game. The download code will be redeemable immediately after preordering. The offer is good for preorders placed August 20 through September 2 and is not supported for the Xbox 360 or PC versions of the game. The promotion also includes a dynamic theme and three avatars. Castle of Illusion HD was announced in April. The game is in development at Sega Studios Australia. The developer said its aim is to make sure the game maintains the "Disney magic" of the decades-old original. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Windows 8.1 rolling out in October Aug 16th 2013, 15:14 First major update to Microsoft's latest operating system will be released worldwide beginning October 18. 
Windows 8.1, the first major update to Microsoft's latest operating system, will be released in October, Microsoft has announced. The rollout will begin at 12:00 a.m. on October 18 in New Zealand, spreading to other markets as a free download thereafter. Windows 8.1 "continues the vision" of Windows 8 and includes updates in areas like personalization, Internet Explorer 11, Bing-powered search, built-in apps, and cloud connectivity through Skydrive. In addition, Microsoft's video calling service Skype will be included with Windows 8.1, replacing the Windows 8 Messaging application. Windows 8.1 will also feature a Start button, but not a Start menu. A Boot to Desktop option is also included, for those who wish to skip the Start screen altogether. Windows 8 launched in October 2012 and has sold more than 100 million licenses to date. CNET found that the operating system "embraces the future wholeheartedly," but said the learning curve was "steep" and in-app navigation can be difficult. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Preorder Saints Row IV to play as Bush, Obama Aug 16th 2013, 14:42 Deep Silver reveals new preorder promotion for GameStop, EB Games that unlocks Presidential Pack, allowing gamers to play as Bush, Obama, and Lincoln. 
Those who preorder Saints Row IV at GameStop or EB Games will receive the Presidential Pack, allowing gamers to play as former presidents Abraham Lincoln and George W. Bush, as well as current commander in chief Barack Obama. The offer is only valid for gamers who preorder Saints Row IV and pick up their copy by August 22. Supplies are reportedly "limited." In Saints Row IV, gamers play as a user-created president of the United States. The game launches August 20 in North America and August 23 internationally. All preorders for the game are automatically upgraded to the Commander in Chief Edition, which features an Uncle Sam suit, the Screaming Eagle jet, and the 'Merica weapon. For more on Saints Row IV, check out GameSpot's review. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | PopCap CEO defends free-to-play Aug 16th 2013, 14:38 Dave Roberts acknowledges that business model "can be flawed," but doesn't think users will have issues with Plants vs. Zombies 2. 
PopCap CEO Dave Roberts has spoken out to defend the free-to-play business model employed in his studio's latest game Plants vs. Zombies 2. Speaking with Geekwire, Roberts said he does not agree with the notion that free-to-play games are inherently out to take advantage of gamers. Instead, he said the free-to-play model allows games to reach more people. "We've gotten a lot of flak in the games industry for going free-to-play," Roberts said. "Everyone is: 'free-to-play is so evil.' But, part of it is, look, we can now talk to a million people in a day or two million people in a day or five million people, or whatever it is going to end up with today. That's a huge deal. People forget that freemium can really be a great thing because we are really showing a lot of people the game, and they are excited about it." Roberts acknowledged that, like any other business model, the free-to-play business "can be flawed, or it can be great." The difference lies in execution, he said. "With PVZ, we have a pretty important brand here and we are trying to protect it," Roberts said. "Even the old game, the PVZ game, here years later, has millions of active daily users. It is a game that people love to play over and over." Ultimately, Roberts said Plants vs. Zombies 2 uses its free-to-play model in a way that "preserves what we believe is the great game experience and customer experience." It's not only PopCap that believes in the free-to-play model. Roberts pointed out that paid games are not often found near the top of the highest-grossing charts on iTunes or Google Play. "That's the sad truth," Roberts said. "People have decided that free-to-play is a better way for them to monetize. And some of the purists would argue that the industry has made them do that." Plants vs. Zombies 2 launched for iOS yesterday in North America after a soft launch in Australia and New Zealand last month. The game will be available for additional platforms later. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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