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All Articles: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
It’s Official… PS4 Slim to be released next week and PS4 Pro in November
I’m not sure Sony was ever trying to keep the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro a secret, but today the consolemaker announced full technical specs, price, and release date for the new models.
The PS4 Slim will arrive first, and it’ll actually be available on store shelves beginning September 15. Priced at $299, the PS4 Slim will include a 500GB Hard Drive and a considerably lighter profile:
The internal architecture of the new PS4 system has been revamped, reducing its volume by more than 30% compared to the previous models and reducing its weight by 25% and 16% compared to the first (CUH-1000 series) and current (CUH-1200 series) models respectively. Also, the new PS4 system is more energy efficient, as the power consumption has been cut by more than 34% and 28% compared to the very first and current models.
But the real star of the show was the PS4 Pro, which will launch on November 10. Priced at $399, the PS4 Pro will deliver an “enhanced experience” with a 1TB Hard Drive, support for High Dynamic Range (HDR) image processing (the PS4 Slim will also include HDR support), and 4K image resolution:
By boosting the performance and capability of the system architecture including the CPU and GPU, PS4 Pro allows games to deliver graphics with far more detail and unprecedented visual precision. Users with 4K TVs will be able to enjoy all PS4 titles in higher quality, such as 4K quality resolution and faster or more stable frame rates. In addition, PS4 Pro supports 4K video playback to deliver 4K streaming video services such as Netflix and YouTube.
The PS4 Pro will upconvert all PS4 games to 1080p, and according to the PlayStation Blog, some high-profile games will be further enhanced for the PS4 Pro including Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Mass Effect: Andromeda, and Days Gone. But Sony was quick to reiterate that they have no plans to release any PS4 Pro-exclusive titles.
However, unlike the Xbox One S, the PS4 Pro won’t include a 4K UHD Drive for playback 4K UHD movies.
But the PS4 Pro is still an impressive package and it’ll be interesting to see if these higher-end mid-generation systems will be embraced by the gaming community.
Posted in News, PS4
Tagged Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Days Gone, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Mass Effect: Andromeda, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Review: Enjoying My Final Hurrah With Drake
I won’t lie: I wanted to dislike Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End before the game even came out. My favorite game in the series, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, was followed by a third installment that was a huge disappointment to me. But I found myself not just liking Uncharted 4. By the end of the game, I was impressed, satisfied, and just a little bit smitten. (more…)
Posted in PS4, Reviews, Top Story
Tagged Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Overwatch climbs to the top of the NPD’s list of best-selling games for June 2016
June is typically a slow period for new game releases, but The NPD Group’s look at last month’s best-selling games proves just how slow it was. According to tracking firm, consumer spending on games was down 20% from last year, when Batman: Arkham Knight launched to strong reviews and even stronger sales.
To make matters worse, the only new release to crack the top ten were Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens (#3) and Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst (#5). But that means the path to the top of the list was clear for Overwatch, which rode a wave of support from fans to become June 2016’s best-selling game. Grand Theft Auto V (#2) and Doom (#4) rounded out the top five.
But it wasn’t all doom and gloom in June, as NPD Analyst Liam Callahan told GamesIndustry.biz: “After 32 months since the launches of the PS4 and Xbox One, the combined cumulative hardware sales for these two consoles exceed the sales of [the PS3 and Xbox 360] by 40% at the same point in their lifecycles.”
However, the biggest news this month might be the new way that the NPD reports their monthly sales data. Provided a publisher supplies the numbers, the company has agreed to begin integrating digital sales into their monthly tally. Most publishers have already signed on, though Bethesda, Sony, and Mojang remain holdouts, and Blizzard has decided not to share sales data from Battle.net.
A complete look at last months top ten best-selling titles can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Destiny, Doom (2016), Grand Theft Auto V, Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Minecraft, Mirror's Edge: Catalyst, NBA 2K16, NPD, Overwatch, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Uncharted 4 discovers the top spot on the NPD’s list of best-selling games for May 2016
The NPD Group has revealed their tally of the best-selling games from May 2016, and four new titles were battling it out for the top spot. But ultimately, Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End bested them all for the #1 spot on the list.
The three shooters that made the month of May a very crowded time for fans of the genre slotted in just behind Uncharted 4, and id Software’s Doom claimed the silver medal as the runner-up. And in the duel for the “Hero Shooter” crown, Blizzard took the first round as strong sales for Overwatch ensured a finish in the #3 spot. That means Gearbox had to settle for a bit less of the market thanks to Battleborn‘s fourth place debut.
Overall, the retail side of the industry did very well in May, which NPD’s Liam Callahan explained to GamesIndustry.biz: “Overall trends across new physical software, hardware, and accessories in May 2016 rose by 4%, or $19.3 million, due to 18% growth of new physical software, which offset the 10% decline of hardware, and the 2% decline in accessories”.
A complete look at last month’s best-selling retail games (which also includes Grand Theft Auto V, Minecraft, Dark Souls III, and others) can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Battleborn, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Dark Souls III, Doom (2016), Grand Theft Auto V, Minecraft, MLB The Show 16, NBA 2K16, NPD, Overwatch, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End sells 2.7 million copies in its first week
Back in March, Sony delayed Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End one final time to ensure they’d have enough copies of the game available for its worldwide launch. After today’s announcement, it’s clear the consolemaker needed as many copies as they could manufacture.
According to a post on the PlayStation Blog, more than 2.7 million copies of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End were sold during the game’s first week of availability. That number includes retail copies of the game on Blu-ray disc, as well as digital copies through the PlayStation Store. As you might have guessed, these monumental figures made Uncharted 4 the fastest-selling PS4 first party title in North America.
Naughty Dog hasn’t announced their next project yet, but there’s a very real possibility that it could be The Last of Us 2.
Posted in News, PS4
Tagged Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
New video highlights the accessibility features of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
There has been a big push over the last few years to make more games accessible to people with disabilities. That can include everything from the creation of custom controllers, all the way down to specialized in-game options to give more players the opportunity to play a game.
In a new video posted yesterday, Naughty Dog has revealed some of the ways they tried to make Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End more accessible to everyone.
“What developers need to realize is that these games do more than just entertain the disabled,” said Josh Straub, a fan who pushed Naughty Dog to include more accessibility features in Uncharted 4. “First of all, they provide an escape from sort of the doldrums of being disabled. And second of all, they provide a social space where, instead of being judged for physical appearance, we’re judged by the actions that we do and things we produce in the game.”
Straub met with UI Designer Alexandra Neonakis, and he explained how important accessibility features can be for gamers who happen to be disabled. After their meeting, Neonakis presented this conversation to the rest of the development team, which lead to a number of new options within the game.
Andres Ortiz, a UI Scripter with the multiplayer team, also saw a need for better accessibility after earlier games in the series used red and green to denote the teams in multiplayer. But by switching the colors to red and blue, Ortiz made Uncharted 4 much more accessible for people who are color-blind.
You can watch the full video above, and congratulations to Naughty Dog for making Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End available to as many players as possible.
Posted in News, PS4
Tagged Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Uncharted 4, Doom, MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune Vs Zombies, more added to PS Store
Nathan Drake is a man of action, and he doesn’t have time to go to the mall or wait for the postman… so it’s a good thing that Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (PS4) is now available to download through the PlayStation Store. At the start of A Thief’s End, the fortune hunter is retired and living a life of marital bliss with Elena Fisher, but all that changes when he’s “forced back into the world of thieves” by his brothers. A Thief’s End will be the final Uncharted game from Naughty Dog, so let’s hope Drake can make it out alive.
Also available this week is Doom, the latest resurrection of id Software’s seminal shooter series. Designed as a “challenging modern-day shooter experience” by id Software, while also existing as an homage to the developer’s past, Doom will be available to download on Friday, May 13.
Finally this week, Vita owners will get the chance to download MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune Vs Zombies, yet another spinoff for the HyperDimension Neptunia series, and MOP: Operation Cleanup, a puzzle platformer starring a “curious and unique” cleaning robot.
More information about all of these games can be found after the break. And a complete rundown of this week’s new add-ons and discounts is available at the PlayStation Blog. (more…)
Posted in News, PS4, Vita
Tagged Doom (2016), Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
New Retail Releases: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Doom, Disney Art Academy, More
We’ve waited and waited, but what might be Nathan Drake’s last adventure will finally arrive on the PlayStation 4 this week. Developer Naughty Dog is stepping away from the franchise after Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, but they want to test Drake like never before. These challenges include brand new dialogue options, and the return of his presumed-dead brother. And if you still haven’t upgraded to a PS4 yet, Sony will also begin selling an ultra-slick 500 GB PS4 + Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Bundle on Tuesday as well.
Another game that has been long time coming is id Software’s Doom, and it’ll be available for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One this Friday, May 13. Players will return to Mars and do battle with Imps, Cacodemons, and Barons of Hell in a first person shooter that emulates the classic Doom way of doing things.
Also available this week is Disney Art Academy, a drawing tool for the 3DS that lets players create artwork featuring Disney and Pixar characters on their handheld.
Finally, Battle Worlds: Kronos is a turn-based strategy game for the PS4 and Xbox One that “stays true to its hexagonal-roots.”
That’s it for now, but we’ll be back later this week with a look at the new downloadable titles coming to the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Doom (2016), Uncharted 4: A Thief's End