Feature

This Week’s Top Stories: May 14 – 19, 2012

Welcome to another instalment in our weekly news digest where the team at PSU Towers picks our favourite slices of gaming gossip from the past seven days, before proceeding to offer our two cents on each story for good measure.

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Tomb Raider delayed

Another one of 2012’s big hitters bites the dust, as Crystal Dynamics confirmed this week that the much-anticipated reboot of Tomb Raider has been shoved into Q1 2013. The studio offered the usual PR spin on the delay, citing the need to deliver the best product for its fans come launch day. Still, a disappointment, but if it means the final product will be a right stunner, then we’ll just have to keep ourselves busy with the other batch of triple-A treats due out before the end of the year. The good news is the game will be at E3, and going by how well the game was looking this time last year, we should hopefully be in for a right treat. Tomb Raider has already attracted much press attention for its almost survival-horror approach to Lara Croft’s latest adventure, with our young heroine forced to fight for her life on a mysterious island populated by savage beasts and crazy folk. The concept sounds brilliant, and we’re hoping we can see more of the weapons system in action this time around, as well as an idea of how the narrative will progress. PSU will be at L.A. this year for the show, so we’ll be sure to bring you all the latest details.

Sony America boss against the blocking of used games

The subject of used games is a contentious topic among industry watchers and gamers alike, and it’s been rearing its head quite a lot recently regarding the possibility of next-gen consoles removing the feature to play second-hand titles. This time around, SCEA overlord Jack Tretton has added his two pence on the matter, declaring he sees such a move as ‘anti-consumer.’ Of course, it’s all conjecture at this point as to whether or not PS4 will remove the ability to play used games, but it’s obvious Tretton isn’t keen on the idea. From a developer point of view the move would obviously please folk, given that studios lose god only knows how much dough on used games each year – hence the reason the multiplayer pass was devised to recoup some of the losses. However, there’s no denying that a huge chunk of the buying public fork out for second-hand titles each year, so removing the feature in new hardware would obviously hit a bum note with punters. What side of the fence do you sit on, PSU readers? Let us know in the comments section below.

EA may announce premium program for Battlefield 3

Last year Activision launched its premium subscription service for Call of Duty following months of rumors, and if the latest gossip is anything to go by, publishing giant Electronic Arts looks set to follow in the footsteps of its rival with Battlefield Premium. According to industry sources, the service will give fans a host of unique content drops unavailable elsewhere, such as dog tags, weapon camos, soldier camos and more. E3’s just around the corner; so many people are expecting this program to be announced in L.A. early next month. However, it’s interesting to note that EA previously said that they had no intention of implementing such a feature when Call of Duty Elite was doing the rounds last year. On the flip side, it’s hardly surprising in this day and age, and we suspect the dedicated fan won’t find his as a boundary at all. Providing the price is good, Elite has shown that gamers are more than willing to part with their hard earned cash for the first scoop on content.

PS Vita selling 10m in FY2013 is ‘a stretch,’ says analyst

Depending on who you ask, PlayStation Vita is either dead in the water, or doing just ‘okay.’ Since launching in Japan, the handheld has struggled to stimulate consumer interest after a successful launch period, while over in the west Sony is keeping numbers close to its chest. Still, the company remains optimistic, revealing it expects combined sales of PS Vita and PSP to reach 16 million by the end of FY2013. However, for analyst Colin Sebastian, the chances of Sony’s new pocket brick reaching the 10 million barrier during that period is pretty unlikely unless a price cut is factored into the equation. While we can’t possibly comment on the chances of PS Vita reaching 10 million units sold without Sony cutting costs, we have found that a lot of our own readers are reluctant to plonk down the cash for PS Vita due to the perceived high price point, and this is one of the biggest contributing factors for putting people off buying one. Could Sony announce a shock price drop at E3? We wouldn’t rule it out, but one only has to look at 3DS to see that this could be the right move to give sales a shot in the arm. That, and Monster Hunter, obviously.

Sony reveals top PSN, digital Vita game sellers for April 2012

Sony has taken the wraps off the latest PSN sales chart, revealing punters have been going gaga for Ubisoft’s survival title I Am Alive. Despite getting a mixed critical reception, the game – which was first unveiled as a retail product at E3 2009 – topped the charts last month. Snapping at its heels is thatgamecompany’s mesmerising artsy romp Journey, followed by Skullgirls, The Walking Dead: Episode 1 and The House of the Dead 4. Over on the PSOne chart, it’s all about Square and Capcom, with Final Fantasy and Resident Evil ruling the roost, while PS Vita title Escape Plan and Pinball Arcade prove the most popular among owners of Sony’s new handheld. Overall, it’s quite a diverse list – be sure to hit the link for the full thing.

Saints Row 4 appears on Volition dev’s resume

If you’re at all surprised by the fact Saints Row 4 appears to be in development – at least according to a LinkedIn profile from a Volition dev – then you obviously haven’t been paying attention. Before The Third even shipped publisher THQ had been teasing about the prospect of a follow-up, with the company’s Danny Bilson all but confirming Saints Row 4 was in the works, and what’s more, he had a pretty good idea of how it’d pan out. Sure enough, the game has cropped up on a LinkedIn profile, and most interestingly, it’s listed for current-generation platforms – namely, PS3, PC and 360. A next-gen Saints Row is certainly a must-have for the publisher – afterall, the series is now the company’s biggest-selling IP – but it seems THQ is eager to get another sequel out the door before the current crop of hardware runs out of steam. Quite how they’re going to top the absurdity of The Third remains to be seen, but if means we can batter more unsuspecting members of the public with oversized dildo bats, then count us in. E3 reveal perhaps? It’s not impossible.

South Park: The Game delayed, Devil’s Third dropped by THQ

The delays keep on coming this week, with THQ revealing it’s shoved South Park into early 2013. Like Tomb Raider and BioShock: Infinite, the action-RPG was originally pencilled in for a late 2012 release, though it’ll now turn up between January and March of next year. Disappointingly, the publishing behemoth also announced it has dropped Devil’s Third from its line-up, citing the fact it isn’t likely to turn a profit and therefore doesn’t fit in with the company’s portfolio. A pity, because the Tomonobu Itagaki-fronted actioner was looking pretty meaty, and has obviously fallen from the same creative tree of Bayonetta and Shadows of the Damned for its wonderfully Japanese idiosyncrasies. These days, it seems increasingly evident that unless you’re a triple-A juggernaut you don’t really stand much chance of succeeding, which to our ears is a very depressing state of affairs. There’s talk that Devil’s Third may be picked up by another publisher, so let’s keep our fingers crossed.

New PlayStation Vita brain training game makes you a Smart As

Sony’s got Smash Bros covered, and now appears to be ticking the box when it comes to Nintendo’s multi-million dollar selling Brain Training series too. Enter Smart As, a new PlayStation Vita-exclusive brain training title where you’ll be able to put the Old Grey Matter to the test in a variety of areas, such as observation, language, logic and more. Furthermore, those of you who like showing off your power of your organ, so to speak, can take advantage of Smart As’ social functions, allowing you to compare stats with other players around the globe. Whether or not the game will take off in the same way Dr. Kawashima’s DS phenomenon did remains to be seen, but we think the Japanese especially will take to this like a duck to water. Maybe it’ll be the casual-oriented boost the PS Vita so desparately needs, too? Stay tuned.

Respawn not showcasing its debut title at E3

Eager to have a gander at Respawn’s debut project at E3? Then you’re out of luck. Ex-Call of Duty pioneers Jason West and Vince Zampella confirmed that their studio won’t be lifting the veil off their sci-fi FPS at the Los Angeles-based shindig next month, much to the disappointment of the Internet. The game has been cloaked in mystery since its announcement, with little else known other than publisher Electronic Arts reckons it’ll allow them to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Gears of War and Halo. Still, West and Zampella’s pedigree carries enough clout to make us feel pretty confident about the game, and we doubt it’ll be anything less than the triple-A stuff we’ve come to expect from Infinity Ward, namely a big-budget shooter. With a rumored launch date of March next year however, it shouldn’t be too long until we get our first look at the game – delays notwithstanding, of course.

PS Vita Metal Gear Solid HD Collection officially dated

Konami’s slapped a June 12 release date to its upcoming PlayStation Vita bundle Metal Gear HD Collection. As you probably know by now, the collection features revamped versions of Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3, though curiously, omits the PSP classic Peace Walker seen in the console version. However, aside from throwing in Trophies, the PS Vita release boasts some exclusive touchscreen controls for those looking to take Solid Snake on the go. Those of you who have yet to play these classic games and held out for the PS Vita release are in for a treat for sure, though if you already own the PS3 version then you’ll also be able to take advantage of the save transfer system that’s been put in place. The omission of Peace Walker is lamentable, but you can always pick it up on the cheap for PSP if you fancy it.

PlayStation Network getting pre-loading functionality

Sony’s taken a leaf out of Steam’s book by injecting pre-loading functionality into its PlayStation Network service, the company has confirmed. Beginning with next week’s PS Move-powered Sorcery, users will be able to download their chosen title(s) a few days in advance, allowing you to play them the instant they are release. In other words, no more launch-day downloads; just wait until the game is released, and you’re ready to roll. This is a great addition to PSN in our opinion, and we can’t see why anyone else would disagree. It’s a smart move by Sony and shows the firm is happy to keep up with the times and continue to evolve its flagship service to the convenience of its consumers. Bravo, chaps.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time confirmed for PS Vita

One of the great things about having a handheld as powerful as PS Vita is the ability to bring PS3 titles to the platform with little to no discernible differences in quality. We’ve seen this with the likes of Mortal Kombat, and Sony’s going down the same path with Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, due out on PS3 and PS Vita later this year. We’re promised the same quality in terms of graphics and gameplay, plus the title will also feature cloud saving between both versions. This is a smart move, and something that we’re hoping will be replicated with even greater success with the likes of LittleBigPlanet Karting and PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, which could easily pack some potentially brilliant cross-platform play. Fingers crossed.

The Best of the Rest…

Nippon Ichi’s anniversary game slated for PS Vita

BBC Sports app coming to PS3 this summer

Ubisoft Massive hiring for next-gen project

Square prioritizes making new games over FFVII remake

Battlefield: Bad Company 3, Mirror’s Edge 2 spotted on CV

Sony registers domain for Forsaken Souls, a direct sequel to Demon’s Souls?

Gearbox details Borderlands 2 Collector’s Editions