This is the news
GamesRadar rounds up the biggest headlines of the week, keeping you updated on the most important developments in games in one fell swoop. Sure, we typically bring you a wide array of commentary pieces and features, but if you're looking for the headlines that shook the gaming world, you'll find them right here.
Dice will do nothing else until BF4 is fixed
Battlefield 4s reputation is as bruised and battered as its war-torn maps at the moment. The game has been plagued with severe bugs and errors since launch; save file corruption, unstable servers, laggy gameplay... the lot. But this week things got serious. Errors persisted as players tried, and largely failed, to download and play its new expansion, China Rising. This prompted EA to announce Wednesday that developer Dice has halted all future projects--which would include BF4 expansion--until BF4 is fixed.
Amen to that. We want to play us some 64-player chaos without constant fear of server implosion. We discussed earlier this week how this delay is a good thing, but with Diablo 3, SimCity, GTA Online, and now this--it seems the human race just hasnt figured out how to launch an online service yet.
PS4 enjoys the most successful launch in PlayStation history
Sony has sold around 2.1 million PlayStation 4 consoles worldwide since its US debut on November 15. Thats a big number. Sony Computer Entertainment president and group CEO Andrew House said the PS4s US launch was PlayStation's largest ever, with more than one million gamers picking up a PS4 in just 24 hours.
The console broke records in UK, with 250,000 units sold making it the fastest-selling console in history in the region. "I want to personally thank PlayStation fans, both old and new, for your vote of confidence, said House.
PS4/Xbox One will outsell their predecessors in five years
Healthy launch-period sales of Xbox One and PS4 has the industry feeling good about the console business, it seems. So good, in fact, that Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has predicted that Microsoft and Sony's new consoles will overtake lifetime sales of their eight-year-old predecessors in just five years.
Total Xbox 360 and PS3 sales sit at around 160 million combined. Quite a way to go, then. But Zelnick thinks its doable. It appears that - and this is largely anecdotal but tablets are a good example - all these new iterations of more and more exciting hardware seem to have picked up in velocity generationally compared to five or 10 years ago, he said.
Microsoft promises to fix Xbox Ones party system
Youve shelled out over $500 and ripped the wrapper off a shiny new Xbox One. What to do now? Complain about everything it doesnt do, of course! Xbox One owners, it seems, are not happy with the new consoles apparently convoluted party system; this an unexpected issue on the successor to the console that defined intuitive party chat. Whoops!
Xbox Live director of programming Larry 'Major Nelson' Hyrb has acknowledged the issue and promises improvements. "I had a meeting today about much of this and I can say that things will get better, he said. I can't offer a timeline [or] a list of what [will] be addressed first, but we are aware of the issue and things will get better." Both Microsoft and Sonys new consoles are very much work-in-progress. Be patient, gamers.
Indie devs not entirely happy with Xbox One policy
The new consoles open acceptance of indie gaming and self-publishing has been a huge deal for developers. But, smiles have turned upside down recently as Xbox One has come under scrutiny from indie developers displeased at the consoles policies on indie game launch parity. According to the Ts&Cs of the ID@Xbox indie dev program, Microsoft demands day one parity with other console game platforms. Meaning you cant launch a game on Xbox One later than other platforms.
This is, apparently, except if you already have an existing deal set up with another party at the time of signing with Microsoft. This gave Super Crate Box developer Vlambeer, which was unhappy with the terms, an idea; quickly sign with Sony first to circumvent Microsofts launch parity clause. "We'd rather Microsoft allow us not only the freedom to self-publish, but also to publish in whatever order we prefer.... We'll keep pushing for Microsoft to drop the clause, and we'd recommend any other developer to do the same, said Vlambeer co-founder Rami Ismail.
See Titanfall, The Division, The Witcher 3 and more this Saturday
This ones less about what has happened this week, and more about what will happen. Spike TVs VGX event is this saturday and big things are promised. Ubisoft is bringing Tom Clancys The Division and South Park: The Stick of Truth to the show.
Respawn Entertainment will showcase surprises for its much-anticipated debut shooter, Titanfall. Spike also promises exclusive looks at Broken Age, Dying Light, Quantum Break and an appearance from Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime, who will present an "upcoming Wii U game. There are also strong rumors of a Tomb Raider reveal. Tantilizing. VGX streaming begins Saturday, December 7 at 6pm ET / 3pm PT / 11pm GMT.
Thats whats up, indeed...
And if you're looking for more, check out the best 3DS games and the Smash Bros. roster.
