CubeField Game
| |
|
Cubefield
Press LIKE to access the cubefield game
Cube Field Game – Cubefield advanced video
Cubefield
cubefield stock market investing and making money
BlizzCon Skipping Out on 2012
Blizzard's annual BlizzCon convention won't be sticking to its annual schedule this year. For the first time since 2006, Blizzard fans won't be gathering at the Anaheim Convention Center to celebrate all things Blizzard.
Blizzard made the surprising announcement on its blog earlier today. BlizzCon will return in 2013 -- it isn't a matter of the event being put on ice indefinitely -- and to make up for its absence this year, Blizzard announced the 2012 Battle.net World Championship. Set to be held later this year in Asia, it'll be home to the World Championship tournaments for both StarCraft II and World of Warcraft. It's another example of Blizzard supporting eSports and professional gaming, with it having already hosted tournaments at BlizzCon itself.
Origin Continues Expanding with 11 New Publishers
Electronic Arts has continued working to expand Origin into something more than a home for its own games. The publisher announced today it has agreed to deals with 11 third-party publishers to bring their games to Origin's catalog.
Trion Worlds MMO Rift (pictured above) is the first of these additions and is now available. Specific games beyond that weren't mentioned, just that in the "coming months" Origin will also be home to titles from Robot Entertainment (Orcs Must Die), CD Projekt RED (The Witcher 2), Freebird Games (To the Moon), Recoil Games (Rochard), Autumn Games (Jimmie Johnson's Anything With An Engine), 1C Company (IL-2 Sturmovik), inXile Entertainment (Choplifter HD), Paradox Interactive (Magicka), Core Learning Ltd., and N3V Games (Arcania: Gothic 4).
Microsoft Points Might Finally be on Their Way Out
Since Microsoft launched the Xbox Live Marketplace alongside the Xbox 360 in 2005, there's been a nagging issue that's bothered many users: Microsoft Points. According to a report, they might be finally going away this year in favor of a more preferable setup.
Inside Mobile Apps reports a source has indicated Microsoft Points are to be replaced by real-world currencies by the end of the year, which means a new currency system would be put in place not only for Xbox Live, but also the Windows Phone and Zune Marketplaces.
OP-ED: Has Ubisoft’s DRM Gone Too Far?
Ubisoft is no stranger to DRM controversies. This was amply demonstrated last year between reviving always-online DRM (and deeming it a success) and what happened with From Dust. But it was the DRM implemented in one of Ubisoft's final releases in 2011 that feels like it may have finally stepped over the line.
DRM, or digital rights management, is a form of technology used by companies in the entertainment and technology fields to control how their products are used. In the case of videogames, it might mean you can only play when you're connected to the internet (as mentioned above) or if you've got the disc in the drive. The goal of DRM is generally to combat piracy, but it isn't always (if ever) effective in that pursuit.
Top Games of 2012 Video
You may have noticed us spamming the site with games of 2012 lists for the past week. Or you may not have been paying attention. But we've been spending a lot of time thinking about the future, and as the final entry in that bag of fun, everyone around here picked their most anticipated game for the year ahead. Then we made a video!
Then we went all crazy and embedded that video into this news story so you guys could make your own picks easily below. If you feel like it!
THQ Denies it Has Canceled its 2014 Games
A number of rumors emerged over the weekend involving the future of THQ, none of which painted an especially promising picture for the publisher. Despite suggestions that it had canceled its entire slate of games set to come out in 2014, it has released a statement denying that is the case.
It all started when Kevin Dent, the head of the IGDA Mobile Special Interest Group, began tweeting about the dire situation THQ finds itself in. According to him, THQ canceled not only The Games Workshop's MMO (referring to Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium Online), but "all of their 2014 [games]." Also alarming was him suggesting, "[W]ord is spreading that THQ has returned IP to Disney AFTER paying the advance, with no refund."
Mass Effect 3 Passes on Steam, Requires Origin
Much like other recent Electronic Arts game releases on PC, Mass Effect 3 will not be available through Steam. And regardless of what format you decide to get the game in -- digital or physical -- Origin is a requirement for playing.
In a post on the BioWare forums by community man Chris Priestly, some frequently-asked questions regarding the PC version of Mass Effect 3 (launching on March 6 for PC and consoles) were addressed. Regarding a release on Steam, it's said that "during initial release" the digital version will be available through Origin and "a number of other 3rd party digital retailers," Steam not being among them.
Is Xbox.com to Blame for Frequent Xbox Live Account Hacks?
Update: Microsoft has responded to our questions on the matter. Regarding the method outlined below, which I referred to as a "loophole," a Microsoft spokesperson told 1UP, "This is not a 'loophole' in Xbox.com. The hacking technique outlined is an example of brute force attacks and is an industry-wide issue."
And as for the attacks themselves, Microsoft continues to assert that there is no breach in Xbox Live's security. The full statement follows:
Modern Warfare 3 Tops December and Annual 2011 NPD Charts
The NPD Group's sales data for both December and the entirety of 2011 has been released today. Unsurprisingly, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was the best-selling game in both December and 2011.
Call of Duty is a sales monster, and was widely expected to be the top game. NPD only tracks new physical retail sales in the United States, including PC game sales, so any games sold through Steam or used copies at GameStop are not included. 6.5 million units of the game were sold in the U.S. and U.K. in just one day, and it was only a few weeks before the game surpassed $1 billion in sales.
Modern Warfare 3, Xbox 360 Top December and Annual 2011 NPD Charts
The NPD Group's sales data for both December and the entirety of 2011 has been released today. Unsurprisingly, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was the best-selling game in both December and 2011.
Call of Duty is a sales monster, and it was a given that it would be the top game. NPD only tracks new physical retail sales in the United States, including PC game sales, so any games sold through Steam or used copies at GameStop are not included. 6.5 million units of the game were sold in the U.S. and U.K. in just one day, and it was only a few weeks before the game surpassed $1 billion in sales.
Nvidia and Runic Games Join the Anti-SOPA Brigade
The list of companies opposing the Stop Online Piracy Act has grown a bit longer today with both Torchlight developer Runic Games and Nvidia sharing their official stances on the proposed bill.
A thread was made on the Runic Games forums yesterday inquiring about the company's stance on SOPA. A response was posted today which reads in part, "It is clear that the scope of the proposed legislation would give unnecessarily broad power to large corporations while reducing the rights of individual citizens -- and it won't even stop software piracy," pointing to this Boing Boing story as evidence.
Fan Pressure Causes CD Projekt to Stop Pursuing Pirates
Concerns voiced by fans have caused CD Projekt Red, the developer of The Witcher 2, to drastically alter the method with which it had been going after those whom allegedly pirated its games.
It was reported in December that a law firm was contacting those suspected of pirating CD Projekt's games and demanding they either fork over money for a settlement or be faced with a lawsuit. A statement from the company claimed, "We can assure you that we only take legal actions against users who we are 100 percent sure have downloaded our game illegally." However, it provided no evidence of it being able to prove such a thing, leading to concerns that legitimate gamers could be targeted.
League of Legends Dev and Player (a U.S. Congressman) Speak Out Against SOPA
A number of those in the games industry have taken a stand against the Stop Online Piracy Act, although the industry's trade association, the ESA, is among those that do support it. The latest member of the industry to come out against the bill -- which you can read more about here -- is League of Legends developer Riot Games, and joining it is a prominent member of LoL's community: U.S. Representative Jared Polis.
In a post on the game's official forums today, Riot outlined its feelings on SOPA (and, by extension, the similarly problematic Protect IP Act). "We're not usually inclined to comment on politics. We're a game company, and making games is just a whole lot more fun," stated the post, written by CEO Brandon Beck. "But there is legislation under consideration today by the United States Congress that gives us serious concern."
Assassin’s Creed Loses Another Creative Director
Once again, the Assassin's Creed franchise finds itself without a creative director. Alexandre Amancio, who served in that role on 2011's Assassin's Creed: Revelations, has left Ubisoft Montreal for a position at a company outside of the games industry.
The news was revealed on the website of Cossette, a Canadian marketing company. Amancio will work alongside Antoine Bécotte as the co-chief creative officer for Cossette's Montreal office. According to MobyGames, Amancio previously worked on Far Cry 2, another Ubisoft title.
Modern Warfare 3′s Nine-Month DLC Schedule Begins January 24
Following a tease last month, the first wave of downloadable content for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has been officially detailed and is scheduled to be out in two weeks' time.
The first part of what Activision is calling the Modern Warfare 3 Content Season for Call of Duty Elite starts on January 24. It will continue through September for a nine-month DLC season, with "at least 20 content drops" coming over that span. Content will be released at least once a month, but only Call of Duty Elite members will have access -- those who did not opt to pay the $50 per year for a premium Elite subscription have to wait for traditional DLC bundles to be released every few months.
Interplay Loses Rights to Make a Fallout MMO
Should a Fallout MMO ever be made, don't expect to see Interplay's name on it. A settlement has been agreed to in the lawsuit between Bethesda and Interplay which results in the latter's license to create such a game being nullified. Bethesda parent company ZeniMax Media announced the details of the settlement today, and it sounds if it largely got what it was seeking.
Rumors of a Fallout MMO from Interplay began circulating way back in 2006. The existence of the game was confirmed in 2008 along with word that one of the franchise's original creators, Christopher Taylor, would be involved with its development.
Here’s the First Screenshot of XCOM: Enemy Unknown
X-COM fans were pleasantly surprised last week when it was revealed that a second new XCOM game is in the works and, unlike the other, is a strategy game. Following the release of some early details last week, we now have the first screenshot of the game in action.
As seen in the image above, combat takes place in the style of a turn-based strategy game that should feel much more natural to series fans than that of 2K Marin's upcoming XCOM first-person shooter.
Diablo III Releasing on February 1, Says Best Buy
In typical Blizzard fashion, the company has given no solid indication of exactly when Diablo III will be coming out beyond "early 2012." According to Best Buy, the game's release is just a few weeks away.
The image below was discovered on Twitter by Joystiq; it shows a Diablo III display from a Best Buy located in Rochester, Minnesota. If the poster is to be believed, the game will be out on February 1 in the United States, and Best Buy (or at least this one particular location) will be opening at midnight to sell the game.
Diablo III Releasing on February 1, Says Best Buy [Update]
Update: The Best Buy display has been called into question, perhaps most notably because it misspells the word "February."
However, this isn't a matter of it being a Photoshop -- the store confirmed the display's existence, after all -- but the display has been taken down by order of the store's general manager, Joystiq reports. This wasn't by request of Blizzard, but instead because a date hasn't been announced and it was the store, not Blizzard, that commissioned the display be made.
