News
5 CommentsQuake Live standalone launcher available now
By Dave Tach at 3:00p 01.10.14
The standalone launcher for Quake Live is available now, according to a post on the Bethesda Blog.
Developer Id Software announced last November that it would transition to a downloadable client for the online shooter. According to the accompanying FAQ, players with Quake Live already installed need to "download and install a small launcher" which will update their existing files. Profiles, match stats and clan rosters are now part of the client and will not require users to launch a web browser to view. Linux and Mac platforms aren't officially supported, but Id writes that users may be able to run the new client through virtualization software.
In addition to the standalone client, Quake Live Pro subscribers can now host matches for non-Pro users in all of the free-to-play shooter's...
News
8 CommentsSpider-Man 2 dev bringing Energy Hook to Sony platforms with cross-buy
By Dave Tach at 12:00p 01.10.14
Happion Laboratories' Energy Hook will arrive first this year on Sony's PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita, developer Jamie Fristrom told Polygon.
The developer also told Polygon that Energy Hook will support Sony's cross-buy program, so those who purchase the game will receive copies for Sony's next-gen console and handheld.
Fristrom, who created the swinging mechanic for Spider-Man 2, launched the game as a $1 Kickstarter campaign last year. The crowdfunding campaign ended with $41,535 and plans for Linux, Mac and Windows versions. The PC release "will be more-or-less simultaneous" with the PlayStation versions, he said.
The developer describes Energy Hook as "a 3D swinging game like Spider-Man 2 had a love child with 'points-for-style' game SSX." Fristrom announced the PS4 and...
News
7 CommentsCook, Serve, Delicious! sales skyrocketed with Steam release
By Jenna Pitcher at 12:30a 01.10.14
Sales of Vertigo Gaming's hardcore restaurant sim Cook, Serve, Delicious! were trickling in until it was greenlit for distribution on Steam, where sales rocketed, making the developer more money in one day than in the previous year.
"On October 8th, 2013, just a few days shy of one year since CSD officially launched, the game landed on Steam," developer David Galindo wrote on Gamasutra. "And in just one day, I had made nearly $15,000 in gross sales, which was almost as much as I made in the entire last year on PC/Mac/Linux for CSD. In two days, I surpassed it. In one week, I had made over $50,000 in gross revenue... more than I did in the last three years as a game maker and barista."
Within three months of launching on Steam, sales of Cook, Serve, Delicious! on the platform...
News
7 CommentsValve updates SteamOS to add support for AMD cards
By Samit Sarkar on Jan 09, 2014 01.09.14
The beta of SteamOS now supports AMD graphics cards, courtesy of the latest update from Valve, the company announced this week.
The Jan. 7 update to SteamOS included an update to a preview release for the AMD Catalyst driver, version 13.11 beta 9.9. It "should fix the poor in-game performance and malfunctioning return to desktop functionality," said Valve's Pierre-Loup Griffais in a Steam Universe post.
Griffais noted a couple of known issues with the preview release: screen tearing and "poor overlay performance in-game."
Earlier this week, Valve updated SteamOS to add out-of-the-box support for Intel graphics chips. The Linux-based operating system initially launched only with Nvidia graphics support.
Check out our CES 2014 StoryStream for all the latest news on Valve's Steam...
News
174 CommentsWhy Valve thinks you'll want a Steam Machine
By Tracey Lien on Jan 09, 2014 01.09.14
For Valve, the promise of its living room gaming PC initiative, dubbed Steam Machines, is less about replacing consoles and more about giving its existing audience a way to bring their Steam experience into the living room.
Speaking to Polygon at CES, Valve's Jeff Cain said many of Steam's 65 million customers want a transportable experience, and Steam Machines are the company's answer to the demand.
"We've been hearing for quite some time that [our customers] don't want to leave all the features that Steam offers just because they want to switch the rooms in which they play their games," he said. "So our focus has really been on taking that Steam ecosystem, all the features and capabilities that Steam offers to our customers, and basically transporting that to the living room so they...
News
1 CommentIndiecade finalist simian.interface launches for iOS
By Dave Tach on Jan 09, 2014 01.09.14
Abstract puzzle game and IndieCade 2013 finalist simian.interface is available now on iOS, publisher Chillingo announced today.
Inspired by tabletop puzzles, modern art and cognitive psychology, Vested Interest's game challenges players to solve its puzzles using "pattern recognition, intuition and experimentation," according to the game's description. Check out the trailer above to see the abstraction in action.
Simian.interface is available for $0.99 as a universal app for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad in the iOS App Store. You can also play the game in a browser or pay what you want for a Mac or Windows PC version, including the soundtrack.
Top Games
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Spelunky
- Platforms: Win, XBLA, PS3, PS Vita, Win
- Publisher: Mossmouth
- Developer: Mossmouth
- Release Date: 07/04/2012
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Saints Row 4
- Platforms: Win, 360, PS3
- Publisher: Deep Silver
- Developer: Volition
- Release Date: 2013-08-20
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Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time
- Platforms: iOS, Android
- Publisher: PopCap Games
- Developer: PopCap Games
- Release Date: 08/15/2013
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Gone Home
- Platforms: Win, Mac, Linux
- Publisher: The Fullbright Company
- Developer: The Fullbright Company
- Release Date: 08/15/2013
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Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn
- Platforms: PS3, Win, PS4
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Developer: Square Enix
- Release Date: 08/27/2013
News
12 CommentsThe Last of Us, Tearaway, Gone Home lead 2014 GDC Award noms
By Samit Sarkar on Jan 09, 2014 01.09.14
Naughty Dog's The Last of Us, Media Molecule's Tearaway and The Fullbright Company's Gone Home lead the pack of 2014 Game Developers Choice Awards nominees, with each game getting nods in five categories.
The full list, which can be found below, runs the gamut from indie titles by tiny teams to the biggest-budget productions in the industry. Other multiple-nominated games include Lucas Pope's Papers, Please; Starbreeze Studios' Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons; and Rockstar North's Grand Theft Auto 5.
The 14th annual Game Developers Choice Awards will follow the 2014 Independent Games Festival Awards, beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET on March 19 during the 2014 Game Developers Conference.
Game of the YearGone Home (The Fullbright Company)Grand Theft Auto 5 (Rockstar North/Rockstar Games)The...
News
9 CommentsReport: Valve to launch standard interface for VR controllers this month
By Jenna Pitcher on Jan 09, 2014 01.09.14
Valve is "days away" from launching a VR software development kit that will offer developers with a standardized way of creating an interface for VR controllers, the BBC reports.
"Steam is in a unique position to be this intermediary between hardware and software and users," the Valve designer told the BBC, saying that users do not want to change settings whenever they switch games. "Without that it's going to be hard for any device to get any serious traction."
According to the developer, the VR software development kit will be a component of bigger package of software tools aimed to provide developers with a standard to control games on Valve's Steam Box. The kit is expected to launch at Valve's Seattle-located Steam Dev Days conference that will be held on Jan. 14-15.
Valve is...
CES 2014
39 CommentsSteam Controller hands-on: It's only weird until it works
By Michael McWhertor on Jan 09, 2014 01.09.14
Valve's new Steam Controller is unlike any other gamepad we've ever used. At first, it's kind of a clumsy, alien experience trying to come to grips with Valve's solution for bringing control of PC games to the living room. But after spending some time with the Steam Controller at CES, its unusual design starts to make sense and, soon, feel natural. And then, it clicks.
During a private demo at Valve's CES booth, Polygon got to spend ample time with the Steam Controller and one of the creators who knows it well, Jeff Bellinghausen. He's been evangelizing what the game pad is capable of, from first-person shooters like Portal 2 to turn-based strategy games to indie games like Papers, Please.
Bellinghausen walked us through Valve's current implementation, legacy mode, which translates...
Deals
3 CommentsThe Choices 2013 Bundle includes PiD, Richard and Alice
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Jan 08, 2014 01.08.14
Indie Royale's current collection of games, The Choices 2013 Bundle, is offering PiD, Richard and Alice and six other titles for less than $5 (at the time of this post).
As more people purchase the bundle, the minimum price rises; paying more than the minimum, however, will lower the cost for future buyers. Those who pay more than the minimum will receive A Valley Without Wind, A Valley Without Wind 2, Cognition Episode 1: The Hangman, Cognition Episode 2: The Wise Monkey, Dungeon Hearts and Waveform, in addition to the aforementioned titles. Buyers who pay more than $6 will also receive the bundle's bonus album from Cold Storage, Slipstream Volume 1.
Games are available across several platforms, including Mac, Linux and Windows via Steam and Desura. The bundle's final game has yet to...
CES 2014
19 CommentsValve working to get Dota 2 playable on Steam Controller
By Michael McWhertor on Jan 08, 2014 01.08.14
Valve's unconventional but intriguing new game pad, the Steam Controller, has a difficult challenge ahead of it. Not only does it need to play Valve's library of first-person shooters, like Half-Life, Left 4 Dead and Counter-Strike, it needs to play PC games that weren't designed with controllers in mind, like Dota 2.
But Valve thinks it can get complex games like Dota 2 playable on the Steam Controller, alongside the thousands of other games, both new and old, working with a game pad.
"[Dota 2] is a really complex game that uses a good half of the keyboard," Valve's Jeff Bellinghausen told Polygon in an interview at CES. "And it's a real challenge, but would also be really exciting. To be able to play Dota from the couch is a really neat opportunity.
"It's also something that's...
News
18 CommentsValve gives all Steam users access to family options
By Samit Sarkar on Jan 08, 2014 01.08.14
Steam family options are now out of beta, so all Steam users now have access to settings that can limit their children's use of the service, Valve announced today.
The company encourages families to sit down together and establish ground rules for gaming, then enact them through the family options, which were included in the Jan. 7 update to the Steam client.
Steam family options allow adults to limit kids' access to games, content and features. For example, parents can mark certain games in their library as off-limits, block children from making purchases in the store, keep them from interacting with the Steam community and prevent them from using user-generated content.
Once family options are set, the owner of the account sets a PIN that must be entered in order to exit the...
Video
0 CommentsGOG celebrates its first five years with a video retrospective
By Dave Tach on Jan 08, 2014 01.08.14
GOG celebrated its five-year anniversary last summer, and three of the people who were there at the birth of the digital distribution platform are looking back on its first half-decade.
Check out the video above to see co-founder Marcin Iwinski, creative director Piotr Karwowski and managing director Guillaume Rambourg discuss the genesis of the online store and some of the best and worst ideas they've had in the ensuing five years.
News
19 CommentsRust devs pleasantly surprised when players don't kill on sight
By Samit Sarkar on Jan 08, 2014 01.08.14
One of the weirdest and nicest feelings in Facepunch Studios' Rust comes when players don't kill each other on sight and instead become friends, said Facepunch founder Garry Newman in an interview with PC Gamer.
According to Newman, players in the open-world survival game often kill someone as soon as they see them because they're fearful. This is something endemic to Rust's design — Facepunch rejected the idea of creating 'good' and 'evil' characters in favor of letting players create their own roles.
"People should be nice to each other because they get a nice feeling from being nice. There shouldn't be a system hanging around forcing people to be good. It removes a lot of gameplay fun," said Newman.
Instead, Facepunch built a basic feature into Rust that facilitates...
CES 2014
39 CommentsRazer reveals Project Christine, a modular concept PC focused on easy upgrades
By Christopher Grant on Jan 08, 2014 01.08.14
Razer has a history of bringing wild-eyed concepts to CES, only to brand them and release them the following year. In 2010, it announced a motion controller in partnership with Sixense; in 2011, it brought the newly named Razer Hydra to the show. The next year it announced Project Fiona, a rather awkward tablet married to physical controls bolted to the sides; the following year it reintroduced us to the Razer Edge, Fiona's new, consumer-ready name. This year, Razer is back with an unusual piece of hardware revealed under a codename. Project Christine is "the world's most modular gaming PC design," Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan told Polygon at CES today in Las Vegas. What that means is that each component of the computer is enclosed in a mineral-oil cooled chamber, and can be installed easily...
CES 2014
19 CommentsTaking flight with the position-tracking Oculus Rift 'Crystal Cove'
By Michael McWhertor on Jan 08, 2014 01.08.14
When we saw an early prototype of the Oculus Rift at CES last year, simply peeking into its virtual world — at the time, a confined, cold, rusted out spaceship — was an astounding experience. But the Rift had its share of quirks, including its chunky "screen door effect" and blurry visuals, particularly when sweeping your head around.
The latest version of the Oculus Rift, a high-definition prototype with a new screen and all-new head tracking features, once again manages to astound. It does away with many of those shortcomings, making the wait for a commercial version of the VR headset even more agonizing.
Those revisions also go a long way to reducing "simulator sickness," said Nate Mitchell, vice president of product at Oculus, an aspect of virtual reality the company has been...
News
2 CommentsJoe Danger 2: The Movie launches for Linux, Mac
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Jan 07, 2014 01.07.14
Joe Danger 2: The Movie is now available for Linux and Mac via Steam, developer Hello Games announced today.
The Linux and Mac versions of the game pack the same features as the Windows edition, including graphical options, leaderboards and user-generated levels. Players can also access the game's Steam Workshop features to share levels.
In November 2013, Hello Games announced that it would release its Linux and Mac ports "real soon." The game was released on the PlayStation Network, Windows PC and Xbox Live Arcade in 2012. Joe Danger and Joe Danger 2 are expected to launch for PS Vita this year.
Joe Danger 2: The Movie is available for $14.99.
News
3 CommentsSteam Greenlights Depression Quest and 49 others
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Jan 07, 2014 01.07.14
Steam announced its next round of Greenlit games today — a 50-title list that includes games such as Depression Quest, The 7th Guest 3: The Collector and Treasure Adventure World.
Release dates for each game will be decided by developers as extra features or additions are made. The latest list brings the total number of Greenlit games up to 387; 166 have been released so far. You can view the list of newly added games below.
AIDA64 Extreme
Anarchy Arcade
Astral Terra
Astrobase Command
Black Fire
Bliss
Breach & Clear
Bullet Bros
Crying is not Enough
Dark Horizons: Mechanized Assault Vehicle
Depression Quest
Dollhouse: Room 1313
Earth: Year 2066
Ethan: Meteor Hunter
EVGA Precision X
Farm for your Life
FPS Creator Reloaded
From The Depths
Hand of Fate
Helicopter...
News
5 CommentsHow Son of Nor will make your eyes telekinetic
By Dave Tach on Jan 07, 2014 01.07.14
When Tobii's eye tracking hardware makes its commercial debut later this year, Stillalive Studios' Son of Nor will be there to take advantage of it.
In the game, you play as the titular, telekinetic Son of Nor. Press play above to see how players with the proper hardware will be able to manipulate items and the environment using their eyes.
"As a young and independent company and with an unconventional game in the making, we're open and excited about new controllers," developer Chris Polus told Polygon. "We're experimenting with the Oculus Rift, with the Emotiv Epoc brain computer interface, and we're very excited about the upcoming eye-tracking device, which will be fully supported by our game Son of Nor."
Early this month, Tobii and peripheral manufacturer SteelSeries announced...
News
7 CommentsHumble Bundle 10 includes Joe Danger 2, Runner 2
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Jan 07, 2014 01.07.14
The newest collection of pay-what-you-want games, the Humble Indie Bundle 10, includes Joe Danger 2: The Movie, Bit.Trip Presents... Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien and more.
Games are available DRM-free across Linux, Mac or Windows PC. By paying more than $1, buyers also receive Steam keys. Anyone who pays above the sale's current average will receive To the Moon and Papo and Yo, as well as the aforementioned titles. Games also come with their respective soundtracks.
Those that pay above the average (around $6.27 at the time of this post) will also receive Reus and Surgeon Simulator 2013. Organizers will reveal more games later, which will also require buyers to pay above the average.
Watch the video above for a look at all six games. The Humble Indie Bundle 10 will be...
News
5 CommentsHere's where VVVVVV is heading this year
By Dave Tach on Jan 07, 2014 01.07.14
VVVVVV, Terry Cavanagh's retro-styled platformer, is headed to multiple platforms in 2014, according to a post on his blog.
The game will arrive on Android, PlayStation Vita, iOS and Ouya at an undetermined date.
"This year, I'm going to release VVVVVV on PS Vita, on iPad, on iPhone, on Android, on Ouya," Cavanagh wrote. "And, if I can manage it, all at the same time. This will very likely be the last thing I ever do with VVVVVV, and I wanna go out with a bang!"
In October 2012, Cavanagh said he was considering bringing the game to Android and iOS. This week's announcement also follows an August 2013 video showing the game running on PS Vita.
News
6 CommentsThese are the IGF 2014 Main Competition finalists
By Dave Tach on Jan 07, 2014 01.07.14
The juries for the 2014 Independent Games Festival announced the finalists for the Main Competition today.
The 16th annual awards honor "the most influential and outstanding development in independent video games," and include nominees like Klei Entertainment's Don't Starve, Lucas Pope's Papers, Please and Galactic Cafe's The Stanley Parable. The full list of categories, nominees and honorable mentions appears below.
Excellence In Audio
Dominique Pamplemousse in "It's All Over Once the Fat Lady Sings!" by Deirdra Kiai Productions
Crypt of the NecroDancer by Brace Yourself Games
Device 6 by Simogo
Samorost3 by Amanita Design
The Stanley Parable by Galactic Cafe
The Yawhg by Damian Sommer and Emily Carroll
Honorable mentions went to The Banner Saga by Stoic, Don't Starve...
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