 | GTA Online microtransactions confirmed Sep 25th 2013, 19:26 Rockstar Games confirms players will be able to spend real-world money on "GTA$" through an in-game store, warns of "growing pains" at launch. 
Rockstar Games today confirmed that Grand Theft Auto V's multiplayer mode--GTA Online--will support microtransactions. The confirmation comes after various leaks about the subject earlier this week. The developer explained that cash can be accumulated through knocking over armored cars, winning street races, and doing stick-ups, but also by spending real-world money. Players will have the option to purchase GTA$ through an in-game store in various denominations. Rockstar said the game and its economy have been designed and balanced with the expectation that the "vast majority" of players will not purchase extra cash. "There is no in-game paywall and nothing that should disrupt the balance of the game. You don’t have to spend real money to attain the cars, guns, clothes, flash, and style of a high-roller in Los Santos, but can if you wish to get them a little quicker," Rockstar Game said. The GTA Online economy is balanced differently than the single-player economy, Rockstar Games said. Cash earned in one mode cannot be taken over to the over. In addition, the developer said most players will earn cash "much faster" in GTA Online than in the main game. When GTA Online launches on October 1, gamers should expect various "growing pains," Rockstar Games said. This includes, but is not limited to, crashes, glitches, "crazy bugs," and gameplay modes and mechanics that need re-balancing, the developer explained. "This sort of thing is inevitable in a massive open-world game and there'll surely be lots more unexpected oddities like this in the Online world next week," Rockstar Games said. "Rest assured we'll be monitoring and actively doing all we can to smooth such things out as they happen, but we need your help to find them, as well as your feedback to help fine tune all of the game's systems so everything is perfectly balanced." Rockstar Games also outlined currently planned GTA Online content updates, which will roll out in the "first few weeks" after launch. Some of these updates include the Content Creator, which players can use to create their own customized deathmatches and races; and the Beach Bum Pack, which features four new vehicles, 300 items of leisure clothing, and two new weapons. Also coming to GTA Online through future updates is a Capture the Flag mode and Heist missions, where players can work together to perform a number of jobs. These updates will be free, Rockstar Games said. Overall, Rockstar Games said GTA Online is "something brand new for us," a world that will grow and take shape over time. The ultimate shape of GTA Online will be determined as much by players as Rockstar Games, the developer said. "What you like and don’t like, what you play and what you want will determine how the game develops and what it turns into." To that end, Rockstar Games said it is "vital" that players provide feedback on GTA Online from the moment it goes live next week. "The first few months of Grand Theft Auto Online will be critical as everyone enters this dynamic new world for the first time," the developer said. Rockstar Games said it is "working around the clock" to buy and add more servers to support the pressure of millions of players logging into the game. The developer admitted that this "increased scale" may lead to the first few days of GTA Online being "even more temperamental than such things usually are." "We apologize in advance for this and thank you for your patience in this area," Rockstar Games said. Players can send feedback to Rockstar Games at GTAOnline@rockstargames.com from launch day. In addition, the developer plans to launch GTA Online-specific forums through the Social Club sometime this fall after the online mode's release. GTAV launched last Tuesday for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, generating a record-setting $800 million on launch day alone and $1 billion in three days. Versions of the game for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are likely to be released in 2014, according to one analyst. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | GTAV PC petition passes 500,000 signatures Sep 25th 2013, 18:09 More than half-a-million people sign online petition calling on Rockstar Games to release open-world game on PC. 
The Change.org petition calling on Rockstar Games to release Grand Theft Auto V on PC has surpased 500,000 signatures. At press time, more than 540,000 people had signed the online petition, up by nearly 100,000 in under a week. According to a Change.org representative, the petition is the largest gaming petition ever launched through the site and is the 10th largest global campaign the site has ever hosted. Rockstar Games cofounder Dan Houser said in November that a PC version of the open-world game is "up for consideration," though that's all the company has said on the matter. The petition says it is a "big shame" that GTAV is not announced for the PC, specifically calling out the modding community being a "huge part" of PC gaming. "Modded GTA is some of the most insanely fun times you can have," a line from the petition reads. A since-removed Rockstar Leeds job advertisement sought a programmer to help bring the company's "latest titles" to PC. This would potentially include GTAV. The PC iteration of Grand Theft Auto IV launched about eight months after the console versions shipped in April 2008. GTAV launched last Tuesday for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, generating a record-setting $800 million on launch day alone and $1 billion in three days. Versions of the game for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are likely to be released in 2014, according to one analyst. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Wii U has "real potential and power" says Ubisoft Sep 25th 2013, 18:09 Executive director Alain Corre says "a machine works when you have great content on it." 
The Wii U may be struggling at retail, but Assassin's Creed and Far Cry publisher Ubisoft has not lost faith in the console. Speaking with CVG, Ubisoft executive director Alain Corre said the machine can thrive if enough compelling content becomes available. "We believe the Wii U has real potential and power. A machine works when you have great content on it; we feel [Rayman Legends] was one, Just Dance is another one coming, with Donkey Kong and Mario from Nintendo also," Corre said. The Wii U was released in November 2012 and has sold 3.61 million units across the world to date, below internal expectations. Nintendo implemented a price cut last week, dropping the MSRP for the 32GB model from $350 to $300. The 8GB model will be phased out. Nintendo has a number of marquee Wii U titles in the pipeline, including Super Mario 3D World (November 22) and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (December 6). On top of those, Mario Kart 8 and a new Super Smash Bros. game will be released in 2014. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | South Park: Stick of Truth launching December 10 Sep 25th 2013, 18:08 Obsidian Entertainment's RPG coming to consoles and PC this winter; $80 Grand Wizard Edition revealed. 
South Park: The Stick of Truth will launch for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC on December 10, Ubisoft announced today. The Obsidian Entertainment-developed game was originally pegged to launch in March 2013 before being delayed. Ubisoft also announced today that all consumers who preorder South Park: The Stick of Truth will receive the Ultimate Fellowship Pack. This includes four "exclusive" costumes that feature special abilities. The Necromancer Sorcerer increases fire damage, while the Rogue Assassin outfit will yield extra gold. The Ranger Elf costume will allow players to deal extra weapon damage, while the Holy Defender outfit boosts player defense ratings. A premium South Park: The Stick of Truth bundle was also announced today in the form of the Grand Wizard Edition. The $80 bundle includes the full game, a six-inch Grand Wizard Kidrobot Cartman Figure, a Kingdom of South Park Map, and the Ultimate Fellowship Pack mentioned above. Ubisoft purchased South Park: The Stick of Truth for $3.2 million in January as part of the THQ bankruptcy auction. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Valve reveals Steam Machines Sep 25th 2013, 17:10 Half-Life studio confirms hardware plans and heralds a "powerful new category of living room hardware is on the horizon;" several boxes from multiple manufacturers will be available in 2014. 
Half-Life studio Valve today confirmed it is working on a new hardware initiative, revealing Steam Machines, described as a "powerful new category of living room hardware." The announcement comes two days after Valve revealed SteamOS, its own operating system. Multiple models from several manufacturers will be available in 2014. Gamers can apply for a beta test today through Valve's website. "Entertainment is not a one-size-fits-all world," Valve said. "We want you to be able to choose the hardware that makes sense for you, so we are working with multiple partners to bring a variety of Steam gaming machines to market during 2014, all of them running SteamOS." Valve said it has designed a "high-performance" Steam Machine prototype that is optimized for gaming, the living room, and for Steam. It is upgradeable and open, Valve said. "While these products are still in development, we need your help. As always, we believe the best way to ensure that the right products are getting made is to let people try them out and then make changes as we go," Valve said. To that end, Valve said it will ship 300 of these Steam Machines to Steam users, free of charge, for the purposes of testing. Users can make themselves eligible for participation in the Steam Machines beta program by completing an Eligibility Quest on Steam. To do so, users must log into Steam before October 25 and perform the following actions. 1. Join the Steam Universe community group
2. Agree to the Steam Hardware Beta Terms and Conditions
3. Make 10 Steam friends (if you haven't already)
4. Create a public Steam Community profile (if you haven't already)
5. Play a game using a gamepad in Big Picture mode
Users can complete the steps in any order they wish. Once all steps are completed, users will be awarded a special badge that will grant them placement in a pool of people that Valve will choose participants from. The list will be finalized on October 25. A small pool of 30 or fewer will be chosen based on their past community contributions and beta participation, while the remained will be selected at random. "Your help is critical to our design process," Valve said. "Your feedback will shape both the new OS version of Steam and the new category of gaming machines that will run it." Valve did not provide specifics regarding the specifications of its own Steam Machine, but said its rig is designed for "users who want the most control possible over their hardware." Other boxes, from other manufacturers, will be optimized for size, price, quietness, or other factors, Valve said. Gamers can use a mouse and keyboard for Steam Machines, but Valve pointed out that Steam and SteamOS "work well with gamepads, too." The developer also teased an imminent controller announcement, saying, "We have some more to say very soon on the topic of input." Valve's third announcement this week will be made on Friday, September 27. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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