Hasta La Gadget!

EA’s Battlefield 4 will be released this fall where it’s expected to be released onto the PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and possibly next-generation consoles that don’t include the Wii U, which has many long-time fans giddy with excitement. To help further fan these flames, EA released a new 17 minute gameplay video of Battlefield 4 in action, which we knew you would want to see for yourself.

With Battlefield 4, its developer, DICE, is looking to finally deliver a single-player experience that Battlefield fans would actually want to play instead of it being an optional feature to their multiplayer experience. That’s why they’re taking the best of what its multiplayer experience and putting it into the single player campaign. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain Announced With New Trailer, Temple Run Makes Its Long-Awaited Debut On Windows Phone,

Electronic Arts and Insomniac Games has finally announced a launch date for its upcoming 4-player co-op shooter, Fuse. The game is set to be released on May 28th in North America, and May 31st in Europe. The game will be available for both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. The game was expected to be released earlier, however it was delayed because there were still aspects of the game that needed to be “polished”.

Insomniac Games is well known for its other successful game series, Ratchet and Clank, and Resistance. While those games were PlayStation exclusives, Insomniac Games is changing things up by offering Fuse to both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 gamers alike. Insomniac Games promises gamers that Fuse will offer a similar action-packed, gun-toting, bullet storming experience as seen in its other games.

In Fuse, you will play as a member of the elite contact team, Overstrike 9. You can choose to play either Dalton Brooks, Isabelle “Izzy” Sinclair, Jacob Kimble, or Naya Deveraux. Each character has their own “Xenotech” weapons and unique skills that will help them stop the evil corporation that has gotten its hands on the volatile energy source known as Fuse. If you decide to play the game solo, you can shift between characters in-game in order to fully utilize each member’s capabilities.

If you pre-order Fuse now, you can get access to a bunch of exclusive in-game items. You will given special armor and weapon skins for each of your charaters, and a special “quickdraw” perk that increases the damage of all one-handed weapons. The game so far has seen a fairly negative response from the gaming community. Many are upset that the game is coming out so late, and a lot of gamers are still very upset at how EA handled the whole SimCity fiasco.

[via EA]

Electronic Arts to launch Fuse on May 28th is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

A US International Trade Commission Judge has sided with Microsoft in what has been a long legal battle over whether the company infringed on Motorola patents. This concerns the last of what was several patents that were originally claimed, four of which were found back in April to be infringing. After the ruling, the Commission stated that it had to be revisted, and soon after they were dropped.

The last remaining patent in play concerns how accessories communicate with the gaming console. Judge David Shaw has ruled that this doesn’t infringe Motorola’s patent, but that doesn’t bring the matter to an end. Google can – and will – have the Commission review the findings, with his ruling being subjected to a six-person examination. Google said that it is “disappointed with today’s determination.”

Obviously Microsoft didn’t feel the same way, with the company’s Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel David Howard saying, “We are pleased with the Administrative Law Judge’s finding that Microsoft did not violate Motorola’s patent and are confident that this determination will be affirmed by the Commission.”

The lawsuit goes way back to 2010, and was filed by Motorola before Google nabbed it up. Motorola was accused of trying to unfairly affect its competition using patents. The company ended up dropping two of the original patents involved, and dropping another two after settling the matter with the FTC. According to Bloomberg, Google is going to seek an import ban against Microsoft’s device.

[via Bloomberg]

Xbox doesn’t infringe Motorola patent says judge is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Let me say this loud and clear: any game console that tries to block used games will fail. And I, along with other gamers, will be happy to see it.

Over the last year or so, we’ve been hearing rumors that Microsoft’s next console, currently codenamed Durango, could ban used games. Microsoft, of course, hasn’t said anything on the matter, deciding instead to keep its plans close to the vest until it finally has the chance to unveil the device to the world. But the steady drumbeat of claims that the console won’t support used games is concerning.

The video game industry can’t stand used games. Gamers run out to buy a new title and before long, turn around and sell it back to their local game retailer, like Gamestop, to get back some of their cash. In many cases, those gamers then put the credit towards another game.

For gamers and Gamestop, it’s a great model that works exceedingly well. But the game developers have a real issue with used titles.

See, after a game is sold back to a company like Gamestop, there’s no way for the developers to generate cash off the secondary sale. That means that all of their hard work can’t be profited on, and retailers can double-dip on the games they’re investing in.

“I’ll be the first to admit that I think the system is flawed.”

I’ll be the first to admit that I think the system is flawed. I know of several developers that can’t stand the thought of used-game sales and I totally understand why they have those feelings. Revenue sharing on used-game sales really is unfair. And it’s something that the industry should not – and perhaps, cannot – overlook; it needs to be fixed.

That said, used games have a place in today’s console space. Used games are cheaper, which makes it easier for gamers to enjoy the entertainment they so desire. For many people around the world, spending $60 on a video game is impossible when bills need to be paid and kids need to be fed. But buying a title for, say, half the price, isn’t such a bad deal.

Used games, let’s not forget, have also done wonders for the online services Sony and Microsoft offer. The more used games that customers buy, the more people playing titles online. And thus, revenue across the industry goes up. It’s a win-win.

And yet, the steady drumbeat of claims that Microsoft might do away with used-game playing in the next Xbox grows louder by the day. If it’s true – and let’s be clear, we’re not sure if it is – that would mean Microsoft’s console would be the only next-generation hardware to not allow for used titles. What’s worse, it would be the first console in history to not support such a key part of the game-buying experience.

“if Microsoft does not support used games in its next console, I will not buy the hardware.”

I can say unequivocally that if Microsoft does not support used games in its next console, I will not buy the hardware. And I have a feeling there are thousands, if not millions, of gamers who will stand alongside me.

Look, I’m all for giving developers the proper compensation for what they’ve created. And I, too, think the used-game market is hurting developers. But not allowing used games isn’t the answer; stopping retailers from taking advantage of gamers and developers is.

Banning Used Games Is A Deal-Breaker is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Gears of War: Judgment has been a long time coming as the last Gears of War game, Gears of War 3, was released back in September 2011. The launch of a Gears of War game outside of the holiday season is certainly one Gears fans aren’t too familiar with, but we’re sure you’ll adapt to it quickly considering today’s release gave you more time for other holiday games, like Halo 4.

Gears of War: Judgment is the first game in the series to not only be a prequel, but it also doesn’t have you playing as Marcus or Dominic, two characters that have been been recognized as the heart and soul behind the Gears franchise. In Judgment, you follow the story of Kilo Squad which brings back fan favorites Damon Baird and Augustus Cole, while also introducing two new characters to the Gears of War games, Sofia Hendrick and Garron Paduk.

The game’s multiplayer will also introduce some firsts as Judgment will include a number of new and classic multiplayer modes that include competitive modes such as OverRun, Domination, Free-for-All and Team Deathmatch, as well as a new co-op game type called Survival.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Secret Game Boy Advance Emulator In iPhone App, Doom 2 Integrated Into Half-Life 2 Through gmDoom Mod Is Awesome,