Giveaway: RIFT collector’s editions! [US only]
Tired of superheroes? Sick of WoW? Considering returning to (gulp) Everquest? Don’t hit that resubscribe button just yet, because your friends at PC Gamer want to help you jump into the brand new fantasy MMO Rift, which just launched last night! Read on for details on how you can enter to win one of the collector’s editions we’re giving away!
PC Gamer US Podcast #261: Fresh from the beak
This week Logan, Evan, Dan, Chris and intern Lucas discuss Lego Universe switching hands, the latest Skyrim trailer, Assassin Creed: Brotherhood, realism in games, another round of truthiness and falsity and much more!
Have a question, comment, complaint or observation? Leave a voicemail: 1-877-404-1337 ext 724. Remember, the next 7 questions we discuss on the podcast will receive a code to get a game on GoodOldGames.com for free.
And in other PC gaming news…
It’s Friday! Well done everyone, we made it. Now’s as good a time as any to look back at all the exciting announcements we’ve seen this week. We got to see the first clips of both Battlefield 3 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and today we even got a glimpse of Thief 4. Then at the last minute another giant clock appeared, this time counting down to a massive Call of Duty related announcement next week.
If you think this week has been good for PC gaming news, next week is going to be spectacular. GDC is about to kick off, and Tim’s out there right now, limbering up using special games journalist preparation techniques (make coffee – pour coffee – drink coffee – repeat) to prepare himself for the storm of news that’s about to hit San Francisco. Be sure to keep checking PCGamer.com as the week unfolds, we’ll be covering all the latest announcements right here.
Right now, though, we have this huge list of PC gaming news from around the world hanging around, and thought we’d share it with you. Read on for words on Robot Entertainment’s new game, a Dr Who MMO and what Florence and the Machine have to do with Dragon Age 2.
Study suggests gamers aren’t desensitised by violent games
The results of a psychological study has suggested that people who play violent games aren’t any more desensitised to violent images than those who don’t play games. The research, published in the Applied Cognitive Psychology journal, tested participants’ ability to remember violent images, and found that there was no difference in results between those who do and don’t play.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 countdown begins
A new website called Find Makarov has appeared, containing a great big clock counting down to the middle of next week, right in the middle of GDC. On loading the sight, you’ll see a flash of Makarov, the villain of Modern Warfare 2. It seems likely that this must be the countdown to the reveal of Modern Warfare 3.
It’s rumoured that the game is being developed by three studios, Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer and Raven. We’ll get to know more when the game’s finally revealed. Stay tuned, we’ll be bringing you the very latest from GDC all next week.
[via That Videogame Blog]
New Guild Wars 2 trailer and screenshots show off Norn homeland
Norn week continues on the Guild Wars 2 website with the release of a new video showing off the Norn’s icy homeland, the Shiverpeaks, and their evergreen hunting hunting grounds. ArenaNet have also thrown up some new screenshots of the shapeshifters, showing a glimpse at what looks to be the Norn bear form.
Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand maps announced
Battlefield 3 pre-orders will come with the Back to Karkand map pack when the game’s released later this year. DICE have announced the four maps that will be included in the bonus DLC. Writing on the EA forums, Battlefield Community Manager Zh1nt0 said that Wake Island, Strike at Karkand, Gulf of Oman and Sharqi Peninsula will all feature, saying that “together, these maps have over 25.000 years of playtime.”
The maps have all been rebuilt in the Frostbite 2 engine, and will feature Battlefield 3′s selection of weapons and vehicles. Pre-orders are available now from the Battlefield 3 site. For a glimpse of the Frostbite 2 engine in action, check out the recent Battlefield 3 trailer.
First Thief 4 screenshot appears
A photo taken over a burry man’s shoulder has brought us the first image of Thief 4. It shows a third person view of Garrett taking aim at an unsuspecting guard. The image was spotted by Jeux Video, and the full image can be found here.Get the magnifying glasses out; what can we deduce about the sequel from this image?
PC Gamer UK Podcast 51 – Dragon Age 2 review and Deus Ex: Human Revolution hands on
Tim, Tom, Rich and Craig amass for episode 51 of the PC Gamer UK Podcast. Topics include our Dragon Age 2, Total War: Shogun, and Bulletstorm reviews, along with Tom’s hands-on with Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Craig gives his first impressions of Battlefield 3 too. Basically, it’s a podcast that’s mostly concerned with men holding weapons. Nothing wrong with that.
Download the MP3, subscribe, or find our older podcasts here. Thanks for listening, and don’t forget to let us know what you think in the comments.
Team Fortress 2 Community Map Pack released
Valve have released a community map pack for Team Fortress 2. The pack contains three new maps, including one from the winner of the Team Fortress 2 Art Pass Contest. The maps include Nightfall: a payload race set in a rain soaked forest, Frontier, a single stage payload map in which the bomb has been replaced by a metal dragon monster, and Lakeside, a Egyptian King of the Hill map. The maps are free and will be playable the next time you boot up Team Fortress 2. Map Stamps can be bought in the item store to show support, with the proceeds going to the creators themselves.
Fable 3 PC release date announced, new screenshots released
Lionhead have announced that Fable 3 will be coming to PC in North America on May 17, and in Europe, Australia and New Zealand May 19. Microsoft say the PC version of the game will come with support for Nvidia’s 3D tecnhnology, and will feature an additional hardcore mode. A score of new screenshots have been released showing off the PC version’s higher levels of detail. You’ll find them below.
Interview: Chris Taylor on Age of Empires Online
Yesterday we learned that Robot Entertainment are handing development for Age of Empires Online over to Total Annihilation and Supreme Commander creators Gas Powered Games. We had a chat with CEO of Gas Powered Games, Chris Taylor about the challenges of taking the reins on a series as revered as Age of Empires.
Notch takes Edge award for best indie of 2010. Provides amusing video evidence
Minecraft creator Notch has taken an Edge award for the best indie game of 2010. And he loves looking at it from different angles. Click more for video evidence set to a familiar youTube anthem, and an interview with the hatted genius.
Age of Empires Online swaps devs
In a shocking twist for Age of Empires Online, original developer Robot Entertainment is out, and Chris Taylor and his Gas Powered Games crew (of Supreme Commander Fame) are in. GPG has picked up where Robot left off, and will carry Microsoft’s free-to-play real-time strategy game to completion. What exactly happened to prompt this switcharoo is unclear, and Microsoft probably isn’t too eager to share, but we’ll be poking around for details at today’s Microsoft Showcase event.
We’re all big fans of GPG’s work, and Taylor is a known fan of Ensemble’s classic Age of Empires II, so this seems like a good fit. In fact, Taylor cited AoEII as one of his all-time favorite RTS games when I talked to him about GPG’s now-on-hold fantasy RTS Kings & Castles last year – I suppose this explains why Taylor’d be willing to set that project aside to work on an AOE game.
Update: Robot Entertainment President Patrick Hudson called to clear up the mystery. Read on for his side of the story.
Click here to see the trailer for Robot’s original project, Orcs Must Die!
DC Universe Online interview – Part 4: UI and modding
Today, we talk with DC Universe Online’s Game Director Chris Cao about player’s issues with the UI and future plans to add mod support, which would let the community solve the problem. You can read the earlier parts of the interview, where Chris talks with us about animation glitching and developer priorities, the planned monthly content updates, and Power Sets we can expect to see in the future.
