If I have one guilty pleasure series, it's Assassin's Creed. Normally, I'm not one to get excited about yearly releases, let alone broken games. But I've played and mostly enjoyed every game in the series. Recently, I returned to Assassin's Creed II, and, much to my surprise, I realized just how much I've lowered my…
Today, Microsoft announced Hololens, an ambitious new piece of hardware designed to make it so you can finally hang out IRL with Hatsune Miku. If that sounds familiar, that's because it totally is: turns out we've kinda known about this for three years now.
The newest update to Destiny— that introduces a hard mode to the Crota's End raid—has only been out for about two hours at the time of this writing, but a team of players has already beaten it.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--_TrNyUtZ--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/k4vh3eom5iorxt9bnw9v.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--UQ47qO31--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/k4vh3eom5iorxt9bnw9v.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--dqiW83O1--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/k4vh3eom5iorxt9bnw9v.jpg, (large)])
Some exciting news for Xbox gamers: Microsoft just confirmed the release dates for three rad-looking games that are all coming out this Spring—i.e., soon. The games are Ori and the Blind Forest (March 11th, $19.99), Screamride (March 3rd, $39.99), and the Xbox One version of State of Decay (April 28th, $29.99). Woo!
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--G8hapM77--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_358,q_80,w_636/mh7bl5hpcms0eakgeupj.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--0-XzWdoo--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_180,q_80,w_320/mh7bl5hpcms0eakgeupj.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--JsqjIxJJ--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_77,q_80,w_137/mh7bl5hpcms0eakgeupj.jpg, (large)])
Did you buy an Xbox One at some point in the past two weeks? Well, Microsoft's got some fun news for you: they're dropping the price yet again.
I may not have liked Assassin's Creed Unity very much, but I was still excited about its free expansion Dead Kings, which then went and failed on me twice in its first two missions.
Modder Eddie Zarick took one PlayStation 4 and one Xbox One and put them into one laptop. Because, why not, really.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--bp_ZIlMF--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_358,q_80,w_636/dcwnmhp5c1fcahvmldri.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--S3zd692F--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_180,q_80,w_320/dcwnmhp5c1fcahvmldri.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--w8xmBlVg--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_77,q_80,w_137/dcwnmhp5c1fcahvmldri.jpg, (large)])
The latest from the video game trivia masters at Did You Know Gaming? tackles Sega's ill-fated but fondly remembered Dreamcast—from inception to downfall.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--MVJZqnor--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/rdqwtmmci88acvmalqwz.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--TAd6mHC6--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/rdqwtmmci88acvmalqwz.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--A0PkUhGQ--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/rdqwtmmci88acvmalqwz.jpg, (large)])
Players have discovered plenty of interesting issues in the ongoing Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta, but this is probably the funniest.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--HspunqhX--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/bpts8wwzi5bckneu3yof.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--VTcJp6Un--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/bpts8wwzi5bckneu3yof.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--MXJpi_a0--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/bpts8wwzi5bckneu3yof.jpg, (large)])
Our UK sister site has released an immense list of 51 British-made games that will (or should) be coming out this year, from triple-A greats like Arkham Knight to indie titles like No Man's Sky or I Am Bread. Check it out here.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--3_hlkpiE--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_358,q_80,w_636/c15kgtoizrurw8snhn5x.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Xp5ouxjr--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_180,q_80,w_320/c15kgtoizrurw8snhn5x.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--lXQzJ1OG--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_77,q_80,w_137/c15kgtoizrurw8snhn5x.jpg, (large)])
Dead Kings, the formerly for-pay expansion to Assassin's Creed Unity, will be released for free for all ACU players on January 13, according to a new trailer from publisher Ubisoft. But... the YouTube description initially mentioned a December 16. Hmm.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s---GLrcPzU--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_358,q_80,w_636/j217bas7xythazaqmigi.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--s_SOBGoB--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_180,q_80,w_320/j217bas7xythazaqmigi.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--mIjZNZqy--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_77,q_80,w_137/j217bas7xythazaqmigi.jpg, (large)])
You've never used these guns or played these levels in any Halo game, and odds are, you never will.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--kEHLBQGF--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_358,q_80,w_636/lycdkncbebe1y49dnwpu.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--AjteKiG5--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_180,q_80,w_320/lycdkncbebe1y49dnwpu.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--TmvGbWxB--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_77,q_80,w_137/lycdkncbebe1y49dnwpu.jpg, (large)])
Just playing Destiny as the shooting-grind it can often amount to won't tip you off to some of its cooler details. You might never guess the connections to the Dark Souls series or the impacts of some of its other lore.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--LttCr9LW--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_358,q_80,w_636/wswt2dmj5gjdqxb5ogmo.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--r5QUr_F4--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_180,q_80,w_320/wswt2dmj5gjdqxb5ogmo.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Vud8zkUV--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_77,q_80,w_137/wswt2dmj5gjdqxb5ogmo.jpg, (large)])
"Flinch," or the penalty of your aiming reticle getting moved up when shot, has long been a controversial feature in the Halo games. But that flinch animation that players have been noticing in Halo 5's beta will soon be removed, according to 343's Josh Holmes.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--JjXVY3az--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/y6ydvrgndzjnngayv0xj.png, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--LTkrC3ES--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/y6ydvrgndzjnngayv0xj.png, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--IXnn5hx1--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/y6ydvrgndzjnngayv0xj.png, (large)])
A friendly reminder: if you're hoping to get an Xbox One for $350, you only have a few more days to do so. In a post on the Xbox Wire today, Microsoft said that the $50 discount expires this coming Saturday, January 3rd. You can almost afford a brand new game with those savings!
Two days following the Christmas day outage that laid low both Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, users are still having trouble connecting to PlayStation Network services on PS4 and PS3. Update: Sony points to disruptive traffic as the cause of its network issue.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--qsojdToT--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/qtaodgructwi3q6a6gjv.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--1Ies686s--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/qtaodgructwi3q6a6gjv.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--kJRfzXX6--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/qtaodgructwi3q6a6gjv.jpg, (large)])
Rockstar Games has changed its plans and decided to continue to give out Christmas gifts in Grand Theft Auto Online at least a day after Christmas, since so many players were unable to grab them on the 25th.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--utcelV84--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/d1kp7evubm09khsghvbu.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Bq7A9DPu--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/d1kp7evubm09khsghvbu.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--9EauKG-Z--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/d1kp7evubm09khsghvbu.jpg, (large)])
Xbox Live is working across the Xbox One and Xbox 360 platforms this morning, a day after the service was down for many. But the PlayStation Network was down for "maintenance" on the PlayStation 4, according to a system message.
We hope you weren't planning to play many games online on Christmas. Xbox users in North America and Europe are having difficulties logging into Xbox Live today, and PlayStation owners are suffering similar problems. Some Internet troublemakers are claiming they knocked both offline. Bah humbug to this.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--_ZPYfDTh--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/ygfhtjjjnoj90dzdhr2y.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--qU9oqxUz--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/ygfhtjjjnoj90dzdhr2y.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--12oApRBF--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/ygfhtjjjnoj90dzdhr2y.jpg, (large)])
So you pulled out the big guns and you got your son (age 27 or otherwise) a console. You're justifiably excited about the Christmas morning surprise, but there's one thing you must absolutely remember to take care of before you wrap that gadget gift: Update the firmware. Trust us.
