First NASCAR Game for PS4, Xbox One Announced

The NASCAR Heat series returns in September.

The first NASCAR game for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One is on the way. The fully licensed stock car racing game, NASCAR Heat Evolution, launches on September 13, developer Monster Games announced today.

Heat Evolution, the latest entry in the NASCAR Heat series, includes numerous NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers and cars, as well as 23 licensed tracks.

The game, which is also coming to PC, will have new AI and Speed Rating systems that will adjust the gameplay to your skill level. Additionally, there will be quickplay races, as well as deeper offerings such as Career and Chase, the latter of which challenges players to win the Sprint Cup. Additionally, Heat Evolution will include Challenges--for these, players can attempt to beat a real-world NASCAR record, though none were specified.

Monster Games, which is based in Minnesota, also made NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona. In 2013, the developer released Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D forNintendo 3DS.

"We have been working on NASCAR Heat Evolution for 18 months and are excited about what we have created," Monster Games president Richard Garcia said in a statement. "From day one, our goal has been to deliver a fun, engaging and realistic racing game designed for NASCAR fans."

NASCAR licensing boss Blake Davidson also added a statement on the game.

"The gaming space allows fans to consume our sport on a daily basis, ultimately helping grow and diversify our audience," he said. "Our fans have eagerly anticipated the arrival of a new NASCAR game, and we expect that NASCAR Heat Evolution will be well worth the wait."

Additionally, the first Toyota driver to cross the finish line at this weekend's 2016 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway will be on the cover of Heat Evolution. According to the developer, selecting a cover athlete based on the results of a real race represents "a fist in video game history."

Toyota drivers include Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, and Martin Truex Jr.

Heat Evolution is co-developed by Dusenberry Martin Racing, which acquired the NASCAR video game rights in January 2015. Previously, the rights were held by Eutechnyx.

For more on Heat Evolution, you can add @dmrnascarheat on Snapchat to get a look behind-the-scenes of the game's official announcement event.

The last NASCAR game was 2015's NASCAR 15, though it was more of an update than a new game, and sells for only $20.

In other news about NASCAR video games, Microsoft just this week launched a NASCAR-themed expansion for Xbox One racing game Forza 6.

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Fallout 4 Far Harbor launch UPDATE: Bethesda reveal Xbox One, PS4 and PC release times

A NEW Fallout 4 Far Harbor leak has arrived just a day before the official release from Bethesda, who have confirmed their to-do list for the DLC.

Fallout 4 DLC, Far Harbor, arrives May 19 on Xbox One, PS4 and PC

UPDATE ONE: Bethesda have revealed the official release times for the Fallout 4: Far Harbor DLC on May 19.

With Far Harbor releasing this Thursday on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, the studio have provided estimated launch times worldwide for each platform.

The full list can be found below, Fallout 4’s latest add-on is Bethesda Game Studios’ largest landmass that they have ever created for an expansion, which also promises some of the most complex and nuanced choices in Fallout.

Xbox One/PlayStation 4:

The console release of Far Harbor will have a rolling midnight release worldwide, including 12 am ET for North America. Included in these release times are:

UK – 12:01 am (BST) on 5/19

North America – 12:01 am (ET) on 5/19

France/Germany/Italy/Spain – 12:01 am (CET) on 5/19

Australia/New Zealand – 12:01 am (AEST) on 5/19

Japan/South Korea/Rest of Asia – TBA

Rest of World – 12:01 am (BST) on 5/19

Steam

UK – 12:01 am (BST) on 5/19

North America – 12:01 am (ET) on 5/19

France/Germany/Italy/Spain – 01:01 am (CET) on 5/19

Australia/New Zealand – 12:01 am (AEST) on 5/19

Japan/South Korea/Rest of Asia – 12:01 am (Japan) on 5/19

Rest of World – 12:01 am (BST) on 5/19

Fallout 4 Far Harbor has suffered serious leaks ahead of its official Bethesda DLC launch

A huge amount of information has been released about Far Harbor before its launch on May 19 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC, ranging from its official PS4 Trophy list, to other more serious story leaks.

There will be sides to pick and GIANT enemies to slay in the Fallout 4 DLC update, with some of those weapons that were found in game files but never made it into the vanilla version of Fallout 4, set to be introduced.

From what we have learnt so far, Far Harbor will have at least 20 locations spread across a large island map, three settlement areas that can be built on, and five new quests.

The game will also supply a large amount of side quests and include more skill check options, which were largely absence from the original release.

While all this is pretty minor stuff, Fallout 4 Far Harbor suffered much worse when a beta version of the game managed to be torrented before its official release.

According to Kotaku, the game was downloaded at least 800 times via the DLC modding hub Nexus.

“[The mod] was taken down because Bethesda asked us to as it contained copyrighted material that was uploaded without permission from the original creator (in this case, Bethesda),” Robin Scott, owner of Nexus Mods, told Kotaku. 

“Such actions are a flagrant breach of our well known strict rules.”

Bethesda, meanwhile, have done their best to remove these leaks and have even revealed what fans must do before they can reach the new Maine location.

Players will need to complete the “getting a clue” quest in the main story, it's essential to do this as completing it allows you access to Nick Valentine as a companion.

Nick, the synth private eye, is set to play a major role in Far Harbor, where a battle is brewing between several factions spread across the island.

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PlayStation Plus May 2016: PS4 free games UPDATE from Sony

PlayStation Plus May 2016 games will go live on Tuesday May 3

Fans have until Tuesday, May 3, to grab the games from April they have yet to collect on any platform.

These include A Virus Named Tom, Dead Star, I Am Alive, Savage Moon, Shutshimi and Zombi.

The PlayStation Store is set to reset tomorrow, bringing with it May’s PlayStation Plus titles.

There are a total of three games to grab on PS4 in May, with Tropico 5 leading the list of big name titles.

The full Lineup for PlayStation Plus May 2016 includes:

Tropico 5 (PS4)

Table Top Racing: World Tour (PS4)

Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 (PS3)

LocoRoco Cocoreccho! (PS3)

Switch Galaxy Ultra (PS Vita, PS4)

God of War: Ghost of Sparta (PSP, PS Vita)

The likes of Switch Galaxy Ultra is available on both PS4 and PS Vita, while God of War: Ghost of Sparta will be downloadable on PS Vita and PSP.

ropico 5: "A fully-fledged city-building game set on a fictional island nation.

"Stepping into the boots of virtual dictator, El Presidente, you’ll guide and direct the everyday life of your beloved Tropicans. Farm llamas, build textiles plants, and occasionally concern yourself with the well-being of your residents, while secretly funneling money to your Swiss Bank Account."

Table Top Racing: World Tour: "A high-octane combat racer from Nick Burcombe, the co-creator of the all-time classic Wipeout series.

"Get behind the wheel of one of 12 ultra-cool, fully-customisable miniature cars and attempt to master 24 race tracks in Championship mode. There are a series of Special Events to beat, or you can go online and challenge up to eight friends to find out who is the ultimate racer."

You can find the complete list of PlayStation Plus games April 2016 here

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New Ghostbusters PS4/Xbox One/PC Game Confirmed, Watch First Trailer

mobile game called Slime City is also coming out.

The first trailer for Activision's new Ghostbusters game coming this summer--simply titled Ghostbusters--has been released, confirming it will be a top-down, co-op game with a cartoon visual style.

In January, it was reported that the game would be "fully fledged" and launch alongside Sony's Ghostbusters reboot this summer. It's now been confirmed that the game will come out on July 12, a few days before the movie hits theaters on July 15.

Wath Here

While the new movie features an all-female lead cast, the game will let you play as a male or female character. In terms of story, it's set in New York City like the movie. However, it takes place after the events of the film, according to USA Today, which hosted a trailer you can see above.

In addition to this game, which is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, Activision will also release a mobile game titled Ghostbusters: Slime City in July. No further details about this game are available, but it will launch for iOS and Android devices.

The latest major Ghostbusters game was Ghostbusters: The Video Game, which came out in 2009 and featured the voices of original cast members Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson. Aykroyd said at the time that it was "essentially the third movie."
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Battleborn Open Beta Available on PS4, Xbox One, PC Today

Following its timed-exclusive release for PlayStation 4 last week, the open beta for Borderlands developer Gearbox Software's new shooter Battlebornwill soon be available on all platforms: PS4, Xbox One, and PC. It will go live on the new platforms today at 10 AM PST / 1 PM EST.

If you haven't been following the game closely, it's a new team-based shooter that has some elements of MOBAs, though it isn't itself a MOBA. The newly released video above offers a brief rundown on Battleborn's story, game modes, upgrade system, and characters--of which there are 25, with five more on the way for free following the full game's launch.

The beta consists of two story missions, two competitive multiplayer modes, and all 25 launch characters, though some of these need to be unlocked before they can be played. You can also get a taste of three progressions systems in the game. However, none of your progress will carry over to the full game.

Everyone who plays the Battleborn open beta can also earn some character skins by completing the challenges laid out in the image above. The Battleborn open beta runs through April 18 on all three platforms.

If you haven't already preloaded it, you can download the beta for PS4 here, Xbox One here, and PC here. The full version of Battleborn launches on May 3.

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Spartan Games announces Halo: Ground Command tabletop miniatures game

Take on the Covenant or smash the UNSC with newly announced wargame from the makers of Halo: Fleet Battles.

The Halo universe continues to expand onto the tabletop with the just-announced over the weekend Halo: Ground Command.

Like Spartan Games' previous release, Halo: Fleet Battles, the game comes complete in one box with everything you need to get started - that's rules, custom dice, references sheets, game tokens, and a mess of miniatures. In fact, there are two full armies inside:

UNSC 1000 Point Battle Force

Including 1 x Officer, 1 x Medic, 1 x Radio Operator, 2 x Snipers, 2 x Spotters, 2 x 2-man HMG Teams, 2 x 2-man Missile Teams, 27 x Troopers, 2 x Warthogs (Gatling, Gauss and Rocket Weapons for each) and 1 x Spartan

Covenant 1000 Point Battle Force

Including 1 x Elite Ultra, 2 x Elite Minor, 3 x Elite Majors, 6 x Grunts with Fuel Rods, 24 x Grunt Minors, 3 x Ghosts with Grunt Operator and 2 x Hunters

Spartan (and they were called that long before they got the Halo license), hasn't shown off any actual minis yet, but we do know they've eschewed the usual 28mm, and have gone with 1/100 scale infantry and vehicles instead. It's a kind of clever move, as that's HO model rail scale, so there's a tonne of modern-ish terrain you could buy to go with the game.

And, it also means that you can't easily swap in your Mjolnir-armoured Spartans with, say, some other popular SF wargame...

There's no release date yet apart from later in the northern summer, but the plans are for every unit in the video-game to get a model release, so that Scorpion tanks ahoy. The game's rules will use similar mechanics as Ground Command's fleet-based cousin, so if you're familiar with that you'll be right at home. The game will retail for about $US90, and can be pre-ordered now.

As a pretty dedicated tabletop gamer, this is definitely something to keep an eye on, and if the figures are as good as the ships in Fleet Battles, this is will look pretty amazing in action.

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Nintendo NX Specs Noticeably Better Than PS4, Games Include 4 Wii U Ports? [RUMOR]

(Photo : Nintendo/Facebook) Nintendo NX rumors suggest system specs that are noticeably more powerful than Sony's PS4. Its games lineup, however, is expected to include at least four ports of Wii U titles. Nintendo officials intend to reveal more about the console later this year.

Nintendo NX rumors suggest that the upcoming console will be "noticeably" more powerful than PS4, but its developing games library still includes four ports of Wii U titles.

The details come to Design & Trend via a NeoGAF thread on the subject, as well as tweets from famed industry leaker, Emily Rogers. As E3 approaches, we just might be getting a clearer picture of what the NX will be.

First and foremost, it's said that the system's specs are noticeably improved over Sony's PS4 but not anything to write home about when compared to PC. "I know it for a fact [that] this system is another good mid-range PC if we had to compare to something, not even a high-end, mid-range PC," said NeoGAF's LCGeek. They further added, "People wanting or thinking that we're getting some mega-good CPU might want to tone it down." While this assessment was not publicly verified by the site's moderation team, the source does have a track record for leaking CPU details about the Wii and GameCube in the past.

One juicy spec detail that has been vetted, however, is that the Nintendo NX will support the same X86 PC architecture as PS4 and Xbox One. This design choice will allegedly allow the console to handle ports of current-gen games as well as second-screen experiences and smart device integration.

Speaking of ports, we've been told some salty secrets about NX games as well. In a new tweet, Emily Rogers recently said that she's aware of at least four Wii U game ports to be released on the updated hardware. In her words, "the Wii U will be a forgotten console, but many of Wii U's games will continue to live on with NX." As of yesterday she mentioned that "The Legend Of Zelda" will be a cross-platform title, but the other three names are unknown. Not every port will be available from day one, but Rogers believes that some of them will be.

Based on popularity alone, we'd have to imagine that "Super Smash Bros.," "Splatoon" and "Super Mario Maker" all seem like pretty likely candidates. In fact, we've discussed "Super Smash Bros." NX speculation before.

What do you think of these new rumors? Will NX really outmuscle the specs of PS4? Do you want ports of Wii U games in a next-gen lineup? Tell us in the poll and comments section!

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Firmware 3.50 lets you stream PS4 games to your PC or Mac, supports 4TB drives [UPDATED]

Updated on April 8, 2016: When Sony rolled out the PS4 3.50 update earlier this week, most of the attention was on the PC support for Remote Play. Sony publicly discussed a number of other small additions for 3.50, but it seems that it also slipped in a few stealth improvements that have been uncovered by the PS4 Reddit community.

In a post by Reddit user “IceBreak,” four new features are listed that Sony didn’t deem worthy of mention. Once you update to 3.50, screenshot notifications can be turned off, the interface of the Live from PlayStation app will be improved, the number of members allowed in a party can be set manually, and it’s finally possible to use rest mode with drives larger than 2TB.

We’ve yet to find a 4TB drive that will fit properly in a stock PS4. If you want to go bigger than 2TB, the easiest way forward is with the Nyko Data Bank expansion. Just remember that if something goes wrong, you’re probably on your own. Sony’s site claims that“Proper operation is not guaranteed for all [hard drive] models,” so proceed with caution.

Original post follows below:

Sony released firmware version 3.50 (codenamed “Musashi”) for the PlayStation 4. Social features like scheduled events and log-in notifications have made their way to Sony’s console, but today’s biggest news is the support for Remote Play on both Macs and PCs. At long last, Sony has finally decoupled this excellent feature from the wildly unpopular PlayStation TV and Vita hardware.

Okay, so how do you take advantage of Remote Play? First, you’ll need to make sure everything is up to date. If you’re not immediately prompted to update your PS4 upon boot-up, head over to Settings > System Software Update, and download the latest firmware. On your computer, head to this page, and download the Remote Play client. Plug in your DualShock 4 over USB, launch the app, and then log into your PSN account. The app will search the internet to find your console, but you can also pair your device manually by going to Settings > Remote Play Connection Settings > Add Device on your PS4.

Keep in mind, the default client settings aren’t necessarily optimal. Before you actually connect with your PS4, you might want to head over to the preferences panel first. For the best visual experience, set the resolution to “High (720p),” and change the frame rateto “High” as well. If you’re running on a wired connection, that should work perfectly fine. If you’re relying on a Wi-Fi connection, you’re better off leaving the frame rate on “Standard.” Give it a try at 720p, and see if your connection can handle it. If you run into problems, you can try dropping the resolution to 540p or 360p, but both of those settings are hard to look at on a PC monitor or HDTV.

We’ve spent dozens of hours using Remote Play on the Vita and PlayStation TV, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed those experiences. It’s exciting that more people can use this feature, but it’s frustrating to see some of the limitations of this release. For example, the client only supports the DualShock 4 when it’s plugged in. Considering that the controller simply uses Bluetooth to connect wirelessly, it’s mind-boggling that Sony requires you to be tethered. Presumably, that kink will be worked out as time goes on.

Our time spent testing Remote Play on a Mac over an Ethernet connection resulted in virtually zero hiccups, and input lag has been miniscule. However, the graphical fidelity is a problem when you’re sitting three or four feet in front of the screen. The relatively low bitrate and the 720p resolution cap makes everything look softer than it should. We haven’t had trouble reading any text as of yet, but it’s definitely more distracting than expected.

Over in the Xbox camp, local game streaming is available, but it’s much more limited in scope. You can stream gameplay to a PC or tablet, but it must be running Windows 10. The PS4 Remote Play app works on Windows 8.1, Windows 10, OS X 10.10, and OS X 10.11. With any luck, this move from Sony will spur Redmond to broaden its support going forward. And as we’ve said before, iOS and Android support would be the next logical step.

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Quantum Break Developer Looking At Issues With The Game’s PC Version

Quantum Break is now out on Windows 10 PCs and on Xbox One, and as many feared, the PC version of the game is a total and absolute mess. There are multiple issues that seem to afflict the game on a fundamental level, and make it unplayable for all but the most knowledgeable users and players.

However, these issues are being looked into- in a post on the NeoGAF forums, Remedy Entertainment head of PR Thomas Puha assured players that the team is aware of the issues in the PC version, and looking to fix them.

“We are monitoring the discussion and what is going on,” Puha said. “I had written a longer response, but it’s just gonna be misunderstood etc, so what I will say is that, rest assured, lot of of work went into the Win10 version and we are looking at the reactions now as well as potential issues.”

Of course, the question is if a lot of work went into the PC release, why is it as broken as it is? Hopefully Remedy fixes these issues, and fast. And hopefully Microsoft stops releasing half assed and incomplete ports (that the community can’t even fix, because of how locked down UWP is), and starts treating PC seriously, if they want it to become a pillar of their gaming ecosystem.

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PlayStation Plus April 2016 Releases: See What PS4, PS3, PS Vita Games Are Coming

PlayStation Plus Instant Game Lineup Revealed. Shutterstock

The PlayStation Plus' library of free games have been updated and revealed for the month of April. Included is Ubisoft's "Zombi" and "I Am Alive," Sony announced today.

The highlights include the first-person survival-horror game "Zombi" by Ubisoft. The PS4 and Xbox One port of the Wii U title "ZombiU," puts players in London surrounded by the undead in this action packed game. The other PS4 highlight is Armature Studios team-based shooter with RPG influence, "Dead Star." The title is a space shooter that draws different elements from strategy games and MOBAs. "Dead Star" has been a big hit at shows like PlayStation Experience and PAX South.

On the PS3 side we will see Ubisoft Shanghai's "I Am Alive" and the 2009 tower defense game from FluffyLogic, "Savage Moon." Vita owners will get Neon Deity Games' "Shutshimi" and Misfits Attic's puzzle game, "A Virus Named TOM." All six titles will be available free to PlayStation Plus subscribers starting Tuesday, April 5.

Comparatively, Microsoft's Games with Gold lineup brings some exciting titles to Xbox players. These include Telltale Games "The Wolf Among Us" on Xbox One, which will be available for the entire month of April. Also available for Xbox One is Insomniac Games "Sunset Overdrive," which subscribers can pick up from April 16 until May 15.

For Xbox 360, Gold members can grab the survivor horror title "Dead Space" from April 1-15; the following day, April 16, the open world, action-adventure title "Saints Row 4" will be available until the end of the month. For the month of April, we have to say that Microsoft has the meatier lineup of free games for players. 

Check out the full lineup below along with the promo trailer courtesy of the PlayStation Blog:

"A Virus Named Tom" PS Vita

"Dead Star" PS4

"I Am Alive" PS3

"Savage Moon" PS3

"Shutshimi" PS Vita

"Zombi" PS4

Watch Here

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