News::Google's Daydream controller is a Wiimote for VR

Google's new Android VR platform, Daydream, wouldn't be complete without a sleek input system for its headsets and mobile devices. That's where this little white controller comes into play. At the company's I/O keynote this morning, Google VP of Virtual Reality Clay Bavor showed off the new controller, which includes two buttons and a smooth, clickable touchpad at the tip. It functions a lot like Nintendo's Wii remote, using an orientation sensor that allows users to flick a magic wand, fling projectiles, flip flapjacks and perform other motion-enabled tasks in VR.

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News::Google Play is getting a dedicated VR section

Google is unpacking a lot of VR news at I/O today, and to make sure you can find that content easily, the company is making a dedicated section in the Play Store. That virtual reality hub will serve up immersive mobile gaming content from the likes of EA, Ubisoft and others alongside video streaming from Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now and more. You'll be able to get news reports from USA Today, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and CNN with sports-related stuff from the MLB and NBA. Google's own photos, Play Movies, Street View and YouTube videos will work with the new Daydream VR platform as well.

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News::Katamari Damacy's creator debuts Project Tango-powered AR game

Funomena, the maniacal minds behind the cult console hit, Katamari Damacy, have unveiled their latest wacky work, an experimental open-world game powered by Google's Tango AR system called Woorld.

Source: Funomena

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News::'Maize' mates first-person puzzle gaming with sentient corn

Game developers are no strangers to using wild concepts to catch your attention, but this one might just work. Finish Line Games has revealed Maize, a first-person puzzler that revolves around scientists creating "sentient corn." Yep. And reportedly, that's just the start of the absurdity. On top of what learning what the corn wants (besides fewer crows), you'll deal with a secret underground research facility and a Russian Teddy Ruxpin clone. It's too soon to say whether the underlying gameplay will be as interesting as the premise, but you'll get to find out first hand when the title reaches PCs in the fall.

Source: Maize

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News::Britney's new mobile game offers a piece of the pop princess

First came Kim. Then came Katy. And now it's time for Britney, bitch. Vegas' pop-princess-in-residence is following in the digital footsteps of Kanye's notorious Instawife with a free-to-play mobile game out today on iOS and Android. Britney Spears: American Dream, the first release of a five-year deal with developer Glu Mobile, is described as narrative role-playing game. It positions you, the player, as an aspirational pop star seeking Britney's advice and approval, and, ultimately, fame in the finicky music industry. Despite headlining the game and providing access to her catalog of hits, however, Britney is mostly a side attraction.

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News::Some 'Warcraft' movie tickets include free 'World of Warcraft'

Following a similar business tactic that drug dealers have employed for ages, developer Blizzard is giving folks who check out the upcoming Warcraft movie a free, full, copy of World of Warcraft. That's assuming you see the movie at certain Regal Cinemas (which is running a promo to send folks to BlizzCon, as well), United Artists Theaters or Edwards Theaters here in the United States. The promo is supported abroad too, with Australia, Brazil, Europe, Southeast Asia and New Zealand all getting in on the action. Of course, it's a digital edition of the game, but hey, most people don't buy physical copies of PC games anymore anyway.

Via: CNET

Source: Battle.net

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News::'Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2' goes Super Saiyan later this year

Dragon Ball Xenoverse, the brawler that launched a thousand Dragon Ball Z OCs (original characters), is getting a sequel, and it's being shown off at E3 this June. Unsurprisingly, it's called Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, and it looks a whole lot like the first game.

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News::Live-action 'Tetris' film secures $80 million

The fact that filmmakers have their hearts set on bringing a movie based on Tetris to live isn't news. The fact that Threshold Entertainment has secured $80 million in funding for a hypothetical Tetris movie is. That's a lot of money, and a lot of questions, like "Why Tetris?"

Via: Ars Technica

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News::'Forza' NASCAR expansion puts stock cars on the world stage

In an effort to bring even more racing action to Xbox One, Forza Motorsport 6 is adding NASCAR to its lineup of on-track offerings. With an expansion pack, the title gains 24 cars from the 2016 NASCAR season which you can now use to race on the newly added Homestead-Miami Speedway. There's also a new 10-hour NASCAR World Tour Career mode that lets you put the stock cars on the track in the different series around the globe. The game also gets new multiplayer events and improved drafting and spotting functionality to help you maneuver through the field. If you're looking to take it for a spin, the add-on is available today for $20.

Source: Forza Motorsport

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News::NVIDIA's Ansel game camera placed me in 'The Witcher 3' with VR

Geralt of Rivia, the grizzled silver-haired hero of The Witcher 3, was in front of me, sitting atop his trusty steed. Around me, the remnants of a bloody battle. Trees dotted the clearing I was standing in. I looked to the sun and squinted out of habit. I wasn't just playing The Witcher 3, I was inside it, thanks to the HTC Vive headset I was wearing and a 360 degree screenshot taken by NVIDIA's Ansel in-game camera. I was looking at the game like never before, which is notable since I've already spent more than 50 hours playing it.

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News::​NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 1080 is a PC gamer's dream

It's never been a better time to be a PC gamer. Hardware is getting both cheaper and more powerful, most big-budget console games are making it to PCs (where they also look better), and the rise of virtual reality offers a tempting upgrade target. NVIDIA, one of the pioneering graphics card designers, is taking full advantage of this revitalized PC gaming market with the GeForce GTX 1080, its latest powerhouse GPU. It's the first consumer card built on the company's Pascal architecture, and most intriguingly, NVIDIA claims the $599 video card ($699 for the special "Founder's Edition") is faster than the Titan X, which goes for upwards of $1,000. After testing it out over the past week, I can say the 1080 is clearly something special.

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News::'Pokemon Go' field test signups are now live

Pokemon Go, the mobile app that allows users to travel the globe on their own Pokemon journey, is finally open for registration for United States users. Niantic Labs' field test is available to sign up for right now, with users being chosen to try out the upcoming game later on.

Source: Polygon

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News::Microsoft will free up 1 million Xbox gamertags this week

Have you been coveting an Xbox Live gamertag that someone else happened to nab before you years ago? You may well be able to claim it yet as of May 18th, when Microsoft plans to release a million different gamertags from "abandoned" accounts.

Via: GameSpot

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News::Disney puts all of its movie VR experiences in a single app

If you've got a VR headset, you've probably noticed that finding compelling virtual experiences isn't as easy as it could be. Disney is hoping to fix that, at least for its own properties, with its new VR app on Steam. It puts all of the company's virtual offerings -- including experiences for Star Wars, The Avengers and The Jungle Book -- in a single location. And best of all, it's free and compatible with both the HTC Vive (which runs SteamVR) and the Oculus Rift.

Source: Steam

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News::The glorious gore of 'Doom' chainsaw kills

The new Doom is buttery, plain and simple -- no other word captures the ridiculous smoothness imbued in the game's mechanics. As he traverses Hell on Mars, the protagonist moves at a constant sprint, but the controls never feel too sensitive or rushed; it's the perfect speed for rapid-fire, twitchy gameplay. With Doom, developer id Software and publisher Bethesda have crafted an innovative first-person shooter that pays homage to the series' long history while propelling it into the future.

A large part of Doom's history involves the chainsaw. Doom and chainsaws go together like lumberjacks and flannel, and the latest game doesn't disappoint in this department. It brings the close-up brutality of chainsaw kills into the 21st century, in glorious high-definition.

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News::'Yo-Kai Watch 2' invades the US this September

Yo-Kai Watch 2 is on the horizon, and it's headed to the US this September, with a second season of the anime series to follow. Originally launched last November for western audiences, the 3DS title served up decadent and accessible role-playing goodness, with collecting elements for the youngsters and meaty side quests and commentary for adults.

Via: BusinessWire

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News::Top soccer club FC Schalke 04 signs 'League of Legends' team

When West Ham United and VfL Wolfsburg signed their first eSports players, they were surprising but understandable deals. After all, both clubs were supporting FIFA -- a video game franchise that ties back into their normal soccer (or football, as it's known to most of the world) businesses. Now, FC Schalke 04 -- one of the top clubs in the German Bundesliga -- has bucked this trend and signed a League of Legends team instead. Formerly known as Elements, the new-look squad comprises of Etienne "Steve" Michels, Hampus "Fox" Myhre, Berk "Gilius" Demir, Rasmus "MrRalleZ" Skinneholm, and Hampus "Sprattel" Abrahamsson.

Source: FC Schalke 04

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News::Razer's first US retail store is also an arcade

Console gaming killed the American arcade, but it's possible that PC gaming might be responsible for the resurrection. Razer is opening its first US-based retail store in San Francisco but it sounds more like the arcades of yore than a high-end retailer. The centerpiece of the 1,300 square foot, two level outlet is the 20 "gaming stations" where patrons are encouraged to "stay all day and play games." In addition, the company will support the local community with regular gaming competitions, which will be broadcast on the store's 16 x 9-foot video wall.

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News::Nintendo is thinking about getting (back) into the movie business

As Nintendo continues to stretch beyond gaming for new money-making opportunities, it might get into the movie biz. According to Nintendo spokesman Maokoto Wakae, details are undecided, but the results could be a big movie release... or a straight to DVD / Blu-Ray affair. The company had broadly referenced the opportunity for using its popular characters and titles in future movies mid-2015, buried in this financial report, but then the mention of "visual content production" could have been directed at Nintendo's recent Star Fox animation -- it's keeping busy with its IPs.

Source: AP, Asahi Shimbun (Japanese)

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News::ESL gives eSports an official oversight body

While eSports is now a big money-maker, it's still wildly inconsistent at times: rules, prizes and schedules can vary from league to league. The Electronic Sports League thinks the industry can do better, though. It's forming the World Esports Association (WESA), a governing body that will set standards for the fledgling sports field. WESA promises to bring "structure, predictable schedules and transparency" to competitive gaming, including how teams receive promotion and split revenue. Importantly, it's not just the higher-ups calling the shots -- there will be a player council, and teams will appoint two of WESA's five executive board members.

Via: Gamasutra

Source: ESL, WESA

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