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World Video Game Hall of Fame announces finalists for Class of 2018
Curators at the International Center for the History of Electronic Games and the Strong Museum have announced the finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018. Eight games will get their first chance to be inducted into gaming’s inner circle, including Asteroids, Call of Duty, Dance Dance Revolution, Half-Life, King’s Quest, Metroid, Ms. Pac-Man, and Spacewar!.
Two other games, Final Fantasy VII and Tomb Raider, were previously in the finalist pool for the Class of 2017. They’ll get another chance this year alongside John Madden Football and Minecraft, which were previously on the ballot in 2016.
The World Video Game Hall of Fame will announce the inductees for the Class of 2018 on Thursday, May 3, at 10:30 AM. But this year, fans will get a vote in the first-ever Player’s Choice ballot. According to the rules, “the three games that receive the most public votes will form one “Player’s Choice” ballot, which will join the 27 other ballots submitted by members of the International Selection Advisory Committee, a supporting group composed of journalists, scholars, and other individuals familiar with the history of video games and their role in society.” Fans can make their voice heard through the Player’s Choice ballot once a day until April 4th. So vote early and vote often!
And if, for some reason, you’re unfamiliar with this year’s finalists, the World Video Game Hall of Fame has put together a helpful cheat sheet that can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, Mobile, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Retro, Switch, Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Final Fantasy VII, Minecraft, Ms. Pac-Man, Tomb Raider (1996), World Video Game Hall of Fame
Prepare yourself… to not be shocked in the slightest… Zelda: Breath of the Wild won “Game of the Year” at 2018 GDC Awards
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild continues its sweep of this year’s “Game of the Year” awards, as it won the top honor at last night’s Game Developers Choice Awards. Developers for the adventure game also strode on stage to collect awards for “Best Audio” and “Best Design” during the ceremony.
The unique visual stylings of Jason Roberts’s Gorogoa were honored with the “Innovation Award,” and the puzzle game’s portability were also honored as “Best Mobile/Handheld Game.” Studio MDHR also carried home multiple trophies during last night’s GDC Awards ceremony for Cuphead, including “Best Debut” and “Best Visual Art,”
“Every year sees countless amazing games worthy of recognition, but this year in particular has seen some of the strongest titles to arrive this generation. The GDCAs give us an opportunity to reflect on and honor the games that provided us with endless joy,” said Katie Stern, the General Manager of the Game Developers Conference. “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild helped us rediscover a childlike sense of adventure and discovery. Titles like Gorogoa and What Remains of Edith Finch offered us distinct creative visions that can only be experienced in games, and games like Cuphead and Horizon: Zero Dawn crafted worlds we could lose ourselves in. Congratulations to all of tonight’s nominees and winners and thank you for your creativity and dedication.”
A replay of the 2018 GDC Awards ceremony can be viewed at the Twitch channel for the Game Developers Conference. And a complete list of the winners can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS4, Switch, Wii U, Xbox One
Tagged Cuphead, GDC 2018, Gorogoa, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Nier: Automata, Night in the Woods, Superhot, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Night in the Woods wins the Seumas McNally Grand Prize at the 2018 IGF Awards
Indie developers from around the world got dressed up last night to fit in with the pomp and circumstance of the the Independent Games Festival’s 2018 IGF Awards ceremony. But it was Infinite Fall’s Night in the Woods that took home the top prize, the Seumas McNally Grand Prize, as well as the IGF Award for “Excellence In Narrative.”
Night in the Woods had plenty of company on the big stage, as Amanita Design’s Chuchel (“Excellence In Visual Art”), Hempuli’s Baba Is You (“Excellence In Design” and “Best Student Game”), Nifflas Game’s Uurnog Uurnlimited (“Excellence In Audio”), and Bennett Foddy’s Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy (the “Nuovo Award”) all took home at least one IGF Award of their own.
A replay of the 2018 IGF Awards ceremony can be viewed at the Twitch channel for the Game Developers Conference.
Congratulations to all the winners, and don’t forget, GDC attendees will be able to try out all the winner and nominees at the IGF Pavilion on the expo floor through Friday, March 23. A complete list is available after the break. (more…)
Home Run Derby VR will launch for PS VR, Vive this Spring; 2018 update for MLB Home Run Derby Mobile coming March 27
With RBI Baseball 18 now available for the PS4 and Xbox One, MLB Advanced Media is turning their attention to their next two game releases.
With Opening Day fast approaching, Major League Baseball’s interactive arm has announced that MLB Home Run Derby Mobile‘s 2018 update will step up to the plate first on March 27:
MLB Home Run Derby will continue to be available as a free download on the App Store and Google Play and this year includes more than 20 iconic MLB ballparks, highlighted by its HD re-creation of Nationals Park, host of the 2018 T-Mobile Home Run Derby and MLB All-Star Game presented by MasterCard. Fans may play in both single player and multiplayer modes for a chance to capture the Home Run Derby crown, reach the top of the worldwide leaderboards, compete against more than 11.5 million game players in daily tournaments and earn valuable upgrades. This year’s version also includes hi-res renderings of more than 50 participants from the 2010-17 competitions.
The developer also revealed that Home Run Derby VR will make its way to the PC and PS4 later this Spring. Supporting the HTC Vive and PlayStation VR headsets, Home Run Derby VR will let players swing for the fences like never before:
MLB’s first console virtual reality video game, Home Run Derby VR, will be available commercially for the first time – coming to Sony PlayStation VR and HTC Vive (available at launch via Steam) – and will feature three All-Star ballparks from 2017-19. Fans will be able to step into the batter’s boxes at Marlins Park (Miami), Nationals Park (Washington, DC) and Progressive Field (Cleveland) to score as many points as possible in the timed home run competition.
More details about Home Run Derby VR’s upcoming launch will be announced at a later date.
Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS4
Tagged Home Run Derby VR
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile is now available to download on iOS, Android devices
After a few months of testing, Tencent and PUBG Corporation have announced that PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile is now available as a free download for iOS and Android devices in many regions around the world (including the United States and Canada).
PUBG Mobile is a faithful adaptation of the PC version for mobile devices that will change the way people perceive and think about mobile gaming. The developers are set on satisfying the high expectations of players and influencers who have been looking forward to the game coming to the world’s most accessible platform.
“We are very excited to launch PUBG Mobile on iOS and Android internationally,” said Chen Jerry, the Corporate Vice President of Tencent. “We are working hard to create an authentic PUBG mobile experience that players new and old will love. A lot of went into controls and optimization to give players a smooth and intuitive experience.”
Tencent and PUBG Corporation will make PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile available to download in more regions at a later date.
Posted in Mobile, News
Tagged PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Telltale’s latest Batman: The Enemy Within trailer offers a season recap ahead of the final episode’s March 27 launch
Telltale Games will close the book on Batman: The Enemy Within in a few weeks, but first they wanted to give their fans a look back at the season so far in a new trailer. Naturally, this trailer is chock full of spoilers, so don’t watch it if you’re not completely caught up with Batman: The Enemy Within.
Since the complete second season will soon be available for download, we’re excited to share the official full season trailer for Batman: The Enemy Within, the five-part episodic game series that continues Telltale’s unique take on the World’s Greatest Detective. This trailer recaps the events of the entire season but focuses primarily on the relationship players built with former Arkham Asylum inmate John Doe, a relationship that will soon culminate in the birth of The Joker.
Batman: The Enemy Within – Episode 5: Same Stitch will be available to download for the PC, PS4, Xbox One, and mobile devices on March 27.
UK-developed Hellblade leads the way at 2018 BAFTA Games Awards with 9 nominations
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was developed in the United Kingdom at Ninja Theory, and this hometown advantage helped it lead the way with nine nominations at the 2018 BAFTA Games Awards.
With so many nominations, it’s no surprise that Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is up for “Best Game,” and it’ll be competing against Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Origins, Guerrilla’s Horizon: Zero Dawn, Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Nintendo’s Super Mario Odyssey, and Giant Sparrow’s What Remains of Edith Finch.
The BAFTA Games Awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, April 12, and hosting duties will once again be handled by comedian Dara O’Briain. If you weren’t able to score a ticket to the big show, you’ll still be able to livestream the entire ceremony through BAFTA.org and several other streaming platforms.
The complete list of nominees in all categories can be found after the break. (more…)
Complete The Joker’s origin story in Batman: The Enemy Within’s finale on March 27
“Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes another… if I’m going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!”
— The Joker, The Killing Joke
Batman fans will get the chance to rewrite The Joker’s origin story in the finale of Telltale’s Batman: The Enemy Within on March 27. Read no further if you’re not caught up, but Episode 5: Same Stitch will take the character of “John Doe” closer to his destiny or in a completely new direction (barring an Elseworlds adventure or two):
“What would you choose: a friend whose unhinged approach to justice turns your allies against you, or a sworn enemy who will stop at nothing to see you suffer as your city burns? Based on the relationship you’ve built with John Doe, you’ll see one of two very different stories play out. So what’ll it be, Bruce: friend… or foe?”
As the description indicates, the choices players have made over the course of the season will determine which story — and which version of The Joker — they’ll see in the finale. Same Stitch features two totally separate takes on the fully evolved John Doe: one a ruthless villain that hews closer to the classic Clown Prince of Crime and the other an unpredictable vigilante that’s unlike any other portrayal of DC’s iconic character.
According to Telltale, Episode 5: Same Stitch is the “branchiest” episode they’ve ever created. By taking earlier choices into account, the epiosde includes more than 4,500 possible lines of dialogue divided among 38 characters.
“Without exaggeration, Same Stitch is the most ambitious piece of content Telltale has ever produced,” said James Windeler, the Lead Writer of Batman: The Enemy Within. “We had to adjust our usual development process to accommodate the added scope, but it was super important to us to honor players’ choices, whether they chose to befriend John or not. We had to deliver on the season’s central promise of allowing players to craft their own Joker.”
Batman: The Enemy Within – Episode 5: Same Stitch will be available for the PC, PS4, Xbox One, and mobile devices. You can spy a handful of new screenshots from the finale at Telltale’s official website.