BioShock 2 DLC Plans
2K Games today announced DLC plans for "BioShock 2." Beginning with "Sinclair Solutions Test Pack" in March, the content packs will extend and enhance the single and multiplayer portions of the game.
"Downloadable content will be made available soon beginning with the Sinclair Solutions Test Pack, available this March from the Xbox® LIVE Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Games for Windows–LIVE for 400 Microsoft Points and from the PlayStation®Network for $4.99. Future expansions into the world of BioShock 2 are slated to arrive over the coming months and will continue to expand on the stories of the denizens of Rapture.
“The fans who waited in the snow, rain and cold for the midnight launch of BioShock 2 have spoken and their message is that Rapture still has many fascinating stories to tell,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “Downloadable content is a key part of our efforts to continue to entice the fans that have made 2K a household name – we intend to deliver single and multiplayer content that respects and expands upon one of the greatest fictional worlds ever created.”
Sinclair Solutions Test Pack, the first of several planned downloadable packages, contains a number of customization features that will allow players to further their character’s development in BioShock 2’s multiplayer modes and provide a deeper multiplayer experience. The pack includes:
- Rank Increase to level 50 with Rank Rewards
- New playable characters Louie McGraff and Oscar Calraca
- 20 new trials*
- A third weapon upgrade for each weapon
- Five additional masks*
*Some items are only available after a player achieves a rank of 41 or higher.
In the coming months, 2K Games will also be publishing downloadable extensions of the single player experience that provide new insight into the world of Rapture. These packages will include more narrative, new tools and new challenges that extend the lore and fiction of the failed Utopia under the sea."
Shattered Horizon Moonrise Screenshots
Futuremark today released new screenshots from "Shattered Horizon Moonrise," an upcoming DLC pack for the recent first-person shooter set in space.
"The Moonrise pack, which will be free to all players, includes four new environments effectively doubling the number of levels in the game.
In Shattered Horizon, a catastrophic explosion on the Moon has filled near-Earth space with billions of tons of rocky debris. Teams of players fight in zero gravity to control the limited supplies that mean the difference between survival and death in the cold of space.
The four Moonrise levels are set around the shattered Moon, taking the fight deeper into space and showing a new side to the conflict. The screenshots released today show hints of exotic new locations: an MMC cargo ship lured into a trap by the ISA, a huge mass driver installation, the broken remains of a luxury lunar hotel and fragments of what was a massive communications dish on the Moon.
Although a release date for the Moonrise pack has not yet been announced, Futuremark Games Studio confirmed that a small group of selected players is helping them test near-final content.
For more information visit http://www.shatteredhorizon.com/"
Combat Arms UI Update Tomorrow
Nexon announced that tomorrow's content update will include an updated user interface.
To help gamers enjoy a more streamlined experience, Nexon America has refreshed the user interface to accommodate the growing inventory and options. This new UI is designed to support the hundreds of weapons, gear, mercenaries and additional items offered in Combat Arms.
Three primary points of emphasis in this update is its new, modern look, an improved Shop experience and enhancements to the weapon modification page.
The new look offers a more modern and industrial look to the various loading, shop, modification and prep pages in Combat Arms. Players will notice the new look and several additions made to increase usability in the shop, including the following:
- Search Function: Now it will be easier than ever to find your favorite weapon and quickly re-outfit between matches.
- New item categorization: Find and filter items in a snap. Want to just see Shotguns? No problem.
- Multiple sorting options: Players will now have the option to sort by Name, Type, Price, or Rank.
- Easier navigation: The new top of the page tab navigation makes it easier than ever to get where you want to go.
- All items in one place: Now all weapons and items are present in one integrated shop. No need to switch back and forth between the GP Shop and the Black Market in order to see the entire arsenal of weapons available in Combat Arms.
- Chat window added in the shop: Now, players can stay connected to the conversation while outfitting for the next match.
- More items displayed per page and easier scrolling: There’s no more clicking through pages and pages of items. Scroll through our hundreds of items with ease.
- Players will also have an easier time modifying weapons with these several additions:
- A listing of weapons in the player’s inventory: This makes it much easier to see at a glance all the weapons and the types of modifications offered for each individual weapon.
- Chat window added: Don’t miss out on lobby conversations while personalizing your weapons.
- At-a-glance listings: This makes things easier for you to check both your modifications inventory and the modification shop.
- More items displayed per page with easy scrolling: No more clicking through pages and pages of items to find what you need.
Combat Arms is always available to play for free and download at http://combatarms.nexon.net
Steam User Accounts hit 25 Million
We’ve known for some time now that Steam is growing in importance as a means of delivering PC games content, and the latest Steam figures for 2009 seem to bear that out.
Valve announced that over 25 million people have Steam accounts, with 10 million of those users also having Steam Community profiles. Overall the service saw a 25 per cent rise in users from the previous year, and the figures for concurrent users are equally impressive-peaking at 2.5 million. Average monthly player minutes now stand at more than 13 billion. Game sales on the platform saw an even bigger rise last year with a whooping 205 per cent increase, the fifth year running that Steam has seen 100% year by year sales growth.
Steam currently offers over 1,000 games from over 100 developers and publishers around the world, and some of last years biggest hits like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Dawn of War II, and Empire: Total War were all released on the service, with Empire handling all it’s DLC on Steam. Increasing numbers of publishers and developers seem attracted to the features of the service, particularly with regards to anti-piracy. Few would argue the burgeoning importance of the service on the PC landscape and Valve has big plans for the future.
“With the introduction of each new platform feature released over the years — such as the Steam Community, Steam Cloud, and Steamworks — we’ve seen corresponding growth in account numbers, concurrent player numbers and developer support for the platform,” said Gabe Newell, president of Valve.” As such, we plan to continue to expand and grow the platform to better serve the developers supporting the open platform and millions of gamers logging in each day.”
Steam User Accounts hit 25 Million
We’ve known for some time now that Steam is growing in importance as a means of delivering PC games content, and the latest Steam figures for 2009 seem to bear that out.
Valve announced that over 25 million people have Steam accounts, with 10 million of those users also having Steam Community profiles. Overall the service saw a 25 per cent rise in users from the previous year, and the figures for concurrent users are equally impressive-peaking at 2.5 million. Average monthly player minutes now stand at more than 13 billion. Game sales on the platform saw an even bigger rise last year with a whooping 205 per cent increase, the fifth year running that Steam has seen 100% year by year sales growth.
Steam currently offers over 1,000 games from over 100 developers and publishers around the world, and some of last years biggest hits like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Dawn of War II, and Empire: Total War were all released on the service, with Empire handling all it’s DLC on Steam. Increasing numbers of publishers and developers seem attracted to the features of the service, particularly with regards to anti-piracy. Few would argue the burgeoning importance of the service on the PC landscape and Valve has big plans for the future.
“With the introduction of each new platform feature released over the years — such as the Steam Community, Steam Cloud, and Steamworks — we’ve seen corresponding growth in account numbers, concurrent player numbers and developer support for the platform,” said Gabe Newell, president of Valve.” As such, we plan to continue to expand and grow the platform to better serve the developers supporting the open platform and millions of gamers logging in each day.”
Steam User Accounts hit 25 Million
We’ve known for some time now that Steam is growing in importance as a means of delivering PC games content, and the latest Steam figures for 2009 seem to bear that out.
Valve announced that over 25 million people have Steam accounts, with 10 million of those users also having Steam Community profiles. Overall the service saw a 25 per cent rise in users from the previous year, and the figures for concurrent users are equally impressive-peaking at 2.5 million. Average monthly player minutes now stand at more than 13 billion. Game sales on the platform saw an even bigger rise last year with a whooping 205 per cent increase, the fifth year running that Steam has seen 100% year by year sales growth.
Steam currently offers over 1,000 games from over 100 developers and publishers around the world, and some of last years biggest hits like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Dawn of War II, and Empire: Total War were all released on the service, with Empire handling all it’s DLC on Steam. Increasing numbers of publishers and developers seem attracted to the features of the service, particularly with regards to anti-piracy. Few would argue the burgeoning importance of the service on the PC landscape and Valve has big plans for the future.
“With the introduction of each new platform feature released over the years — such as the Steam Community, Steam Cloud, and Steamworks — we’ve seen corresponding growth in account numbers, concurrent player numbers and developer support for the platform,” said Gabe Newell, president of Valve.” As such, we plan to continue to expand and grow the platform to better serve the developers supporting the open platform and millions of gamers logging in each day.”
Mass Effect 2 Will Have DLC at Launch
BioWare today announced details on "The Cerberus Network," an in-game portal which players will be able to use to get bonus content and DLC packs for "Mass Effect 2." In addition, day one DLC for the game has been confirmed.
"‘The Cerberus Network’ is a conduit for players to receive bonus content as well as daily messages and news on upcoming releases for Mass Effect 2 for no extra charge. For players who do not buy the game new, ‘The Cerberus Network’ can be unlocked through a one-time, in-game purchase of a new activation code*.
Mass Effect 2 is the first blockbuster video game release of 2010, having recently been named as one of the “Most Anticipated Games of the Year” by the New York Times, IGN and Wired.
“The Cerberus Network augments and extends the rich universe of Mass Effect 2,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder, BioWare and Group General Manager of the RPG/MMO Group of EA. “We’re thrilled to be able to reward loyal BioWare and Mass Effect fans with ongoing, high quality content and provide a direct channel for our players to dive deeper into the intriguing lore of Mass Effect.”
Players who access ‘The Cerberus Network’ will receive the first DLC pack on January 26th (launch day in North America) featuring new missions and in-game items. Included in this pack is a mission that introduces Zaeed, a rugged and deadly gun-for-hire who is recruited to join Commander Shepard’s mission to save mankind.
After launch, BioWare will release another DLC pack for Mass Effect 2 that introduces the Hammerhead, a new vehicle in the Mass Effect universe. This agile hover tank features improved handling on rough terrain and maneuvers deftly in combat — a necessity for players traveling across harsh planetary environments throughout the galaxy. In addition to this new vehicle, BioWare will release new missions and unique in-game items, including Cerberus Assault Armor which boost shields, health and heavy weapon ammo and the M-22 Eviscerator Shotgun.
The Mass Effect trilogy is an epic science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. In Mass Effect 2, players will step into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, commanding a crew of the most dangerous operatives from across the galaxy on a mission so challenging that it’s potentially suicidal. Featuring intense shooter action, a rich futuristic storyline, stunning space exploration and emotionally engaging characters, the game delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience.
Mass Effect 2 is scheduled for release on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PC on January 26, 2010 in North America and January 29, 2010 in Europe and has been rated ‘M’ for Mature by the ESRB and ‘18+’ by PEGI (please visit www.esrb.org and www.pegi.eu for more information on ratings). For more news from the development team, please follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/masseffect2 or visit the game’s official website at http://masseffect.bioware.com/."
Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot – The Great, The Bad, the WTF!
Borderlands received its second DLC yesterday in the form of Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot. Mad Moxxi is a series of arena contests broken into rounds and waves, pitting players against an ever-strengthening army of foes. There are several arenas on offer, plus three vending machines that sell great gear and perhaps best of all, a new locker system that allows players to permanetely store up to 12 items, seperate from your personal inventory. As an added bonus, Mad Moxxi will bestow two extra skill points on players who successfully complete specific challenges.
As it stands, Mad Moxxi is an excellent idea for DLC and a welcome addition to the Borderlands universe. However, there are a few issues popping up that are pissing people off, some of which are justified, others not so much.
The first thing players are noticing is the lack of experience points. People are wondering if there is a bug. There is no bug because you were never intended to earn experience playing Mad Moxxi, nor will you receive any weapon skills. Sounds like a bummer, but I actually find value in this. I play Borderlands exclusively with my brother over Xbox Live and as such, we’re careful not to play without the other so we don’t level our characters and complete quests without the other in tow. Prior to Mad Moxxi’s release, this meant we simply couldn’t play Borderlands unless we were both on and ready to go. Obviously I could start a new character for solo purposes, but that doesn’t interest me. So Mad Moxxi is an excellent addition in this regard, allowing me to play when I want with the character I want.
Besides, if you earned experience points in Mad Moxxi then you’d never have any reason to play the actual game, which defeats the purpose.
I keep seeing people bitch about the lack of money drops. I’m not experiencing this at all. Tons of money is dropping, even more so when I unleash Bloodwing. Perhaps you need to use a better mod that will increase your cash drops? Or perhaps you should find a co-op hunter to augment your income…
If its not money people are bitching about then its the lack of weapon drops. People are saying there are NO weapon drops, which is NOT true. They just happen to be rare and infrequent, which is good because like the XP issue, you’d have no reason to play the Borderlands campaign if Mad Moxxi showered you with gear. Perhaps some players are not aware that after you successfully defeat a Boss then random weapons appear at a special location that you can acquire.
There are some genuine issues worthy of a good bitch, however, so Gearbox isn’t getting away easy here.
After each round the player has a few seconds to gather ammo and health that litterally drop from the sky and bounce around the level. Problem is, a big grey window appears mid-way through your collection run depicting the specific round modifier you will be facing next. This window is barely transparent and as such, make it near impossible to see where you are going. This could easily be fixed in a patch.
Another gripe is the weapons that drop after a Boss battle. I haven’t seen this happen so I can’t verify its existence, but seeing how the weapons spawn as they do, I can see this occurring: the weapons can sometimes get stuck at an elevated location the player is unable to reach. I imagine there is nothing worse than spotting some ultra rare gun you can’t reach, especially after a long battle. I’ll take it at face value that this bug exists and I am seeing enough people complain that it must have some merit. Gearbox will need to address this as soon as possible.
Other bugs being reported are some mobs not spawning late in a round or the round not ending when all the enemies are seemingly dead. Again, I have not seen this bug myself, but several people have complained so there must be something amiss. Considering the difficulty of achieving later rounds and the total lack of a save system, having the game fuck you because of a spawn bug is no fun and needs to be fixed ASAP.
So, yes, there are a few issues, some of which should have been addressed before Moxxi was released to gamers. Fortunately, the issues seem rare, though that doesn’t minimize the need for fast fixing.
I’m happy with Mad Moxxi and I’m going to get my 800-points out of the expansion, so I have few complaints.
Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot – The Great, The Bad, the WTF!
Borderlands received its second DLC yesterday in the form of Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot. Mad Moxxi is a series of arena contests broken into rounds and waves, pitting players against an ever-strengthening army of foes. There are several arenas on offer, plus three vending machines that sell great gear and perhaps best of all, a new locker system that allows players to permanetely store up to 12 items, seperate from your personal inventory. As an added bonus, Mad Moxxi will bestow two extra skill points on players who successfully complete specific challenges.
As it stands, Mad Moxxi is an excellent idea for DLC and a welcome addition to the Borderlands universe. However, there are a few issues popping up that are pissing people off, some of which are justified, others not so much.
The first thing players are noticing is the lack of experience points. People are wondering if there is a bug. There is no bug because you were never intended to earn experience playing Mad Moxxi, nor will you receive any weapon skills. Sounds like a bummer, but I actually find value in this. I play Borderlands exclusively with my brother over Xbox Live and as such, we’re careful not to play without the other so we don’t level our characters and complete quests without the other in tow. Prior to Mad Moxxi’s release, this meant we simply couldn’t play Borderlands unless we were both on and ready to go. Obviously I could start a new character for solo purposes, but that doesn’t interest me. So Mad Moxxi is an excellent addition in this regard, allowing me to play when I want with the character I want.
Besides, if you earned experience points in Mad Moxxi then you’d never have any reason to play the actual game, which defeats the purpose.
I keep seeing people bitch about the lack of money drops. I’m not experiencing this at all. Tons of money is dropping, even more so when I unleash Bloodwing. Perhaps you need to use a better mod that will increase your cash drops? Or perhaps you should find a co-op hunter to augment your income…
If its not money people are bitching about then its the lack of weapon drops. People are saying there are NO weapon drops, which is NOT true. They just happen to be rare and infrequent, which is good because like the XP issue, you’d have no reason to play the Borderlands campaign if Mad Moxxi showered you with gear. Perhaps some players are not aware that after you successfully defeat a Boss then random weapons appear at a special location that you can acquire.
There are some genuine issues worthy of a good bitch, however, so Gearbox isn’t getting away easy here.
After each round the player has a few seconds to gather ammo and health that litterally drop from the sky and bounce around the level. Problem is, a big grey window appears mid-way through your collection run depicting the specific round modifier you will be facing next. This window is barely transparent and as such, make it near impossible to see where you are going. This could easily be fixed in a patch.
Another gripe is the weapons that drop after a Boss battle. I haven’t seen this happen so I can’t verify its existence, but seeing how the weapons spawn as they do, I can see this occurring: the weapons can sometimes get stuck at an elevated location the player is unable to reach. I imagine there is nothing worse than spotting some ultra rare gun you can’t reach, especially after a long battle. I’ll take it at face value that this bug exists and I am seeing enough people complain that it must have some merit. Gearbox will need to address this as soon as possible.
Other bugs being reported are some mobs not spawning late in a round or the round not ending when all the enemies are seemingly dead. Again, I have not seen this bug myself, but several people have complained so there must be something amiss. Considering the difficulty of achieving later rounds and the total lack of a save system, having the game fuck you because of a spawn bug is no fun and needs to be fixed ASAP.
So, yes, there are a few issues, some of which should have been addressed before Moxxi was released to gamers. Fortunately, the issues seem rare, though that doesn’t minimize the need for fast fixing.
I’m happy with Mad Moxxi and I’m going to get my 800-points out of the expansion, so I have few complaints.
Dragon Age Day One DLC Announced
If you’re an RPG fan then Bioware’s next opus Dragon Age is undoubtedly on your radar. After a string of hits, including their last effort Mass Effect, Bioware understands RPGs better than most and usually deliver on their promises. With Dragon Age, Bioware returns to a fantasy realm for old-school narrative and dungeon crawling. Better yet, day one DLC has been announced, making what is already a large game even more huge.
Dragon Age Products:
Dragon Age: Collector’s Edition (PC)
What’s included in the DLC?
The Warden’s Keep premium DLC will provide players of Dragon Age: Origins with a new dungeon-exploring adventure, new loot including a set of ancient Grey Warden armor, a chance to gain two of six mysterious new abilities, a new base complete with merchants and a party chest to store their hard-earned items. The Warden’s Keep adventure is based on an ancient myth in the Dragon Age universe, where two centuries ago the legendary guardians known as the Grey Wardens were expelled from the land amidst a storm of blood and betrayal. Until very recently, the Wardens have been in exile, while their fortress remains overgrown and reportedly haunted. Over the long years, legends of great treasures and forgotten lore have been told of this hidden location, but no one has ever ventured there and returned alive. Warden’s Keep gives gamers the chance to unearth this lost chapter of Grey Warden history. With their trusty party and a new guide, Dragon Age: Origins players will have an opportunity to unravel the mystery behind the fall of Warden’s Keep, and finally reclaim it for the order. Warden’s Keep will be available for $7 on the PlayStation® Store, the PC via the in game menu or for 560 points on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace. It is also included with the purchase of the Digital Deluxe Edition via a code provided by retailers.
In addition, BioWare will release the Blood Dragon Armor DLC, a set of themed armor that will give players additional protection in combat. This DLC is available to players who purchase a new copy of Dragon Age: Origins (original or Collector’s Edition) via a code* included with the game. This armor will be available for use in both Dragon Age: Origins on the PlayStation 3 computer and entertainment system, Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system and PC and in Mass Effect™ 2 on the Xbox 360 and PC.
