Google has formally announced its plans for a video game streaming platform called Stadia, offering games on demand streamed through the cloud. Stadia is planned for launch this year and allows you to stream games across a variety of devices with very little friction.The platform aims to bring together playing, spectating, and developing games onto a single platform. As an example, you could view Assassin's Creed Odyssey on YouTube and then begin playing it through streaming in "as little as five seconds." Things like game updates and patches and system requirements are effectively a non-issue, because the game is running on Google's servers, rather than your local device.Google VP Phil Harrison promised the technology will work across desktops, laptops, TV, tablets, and phones. In a demonstration, the same demo was seen working across a Chromebook, smartphone, tablet, and TV, the latter through a Chromecast Ultra HDMI streamer. At launch it will stream in 4K at 60 FPS with surround … [Read more...] about Google Stadia Cloud Gaming Service Is A New, Much Different PS4/Xbox One Competitor
Baptiste Now Live in Overwatch, Patch Adjusts Armor and Changes Heroes
Hero 30 is here—Baptiste is now live in Overwatch! In addition to Baptiste, several changes to the game’s core systems and many of its heroes have gone through in the patch for March 19, 2019. Let’s get right into it!Overwatch March 19, 2019 Patch – Baptiste Starting things off, the heavy hitter for this patch is the addition of Hero 30. Baptiste is an independent soldier who served in the Caribbean and Talon before cutting out on his own. Primarily, Baptiste acts as a Support character with a mix of combat and healing abilities. His Biotic Launcher primary weapon can fire a three-round burst for damage and healing grenades to support his allies. His Regenerative Burst ability can heal him and any nearby allies over time. Immortality Field can keep anyone within the field from dying, but the drone that provides it makes for an easy target. His Exo Boots allow him to soar to great heights by crouching before jumping. Finally, his Amplification Matrix … [Read more...] about Baptiste Now Live in Overwatch, Patch Adjusts Armor and Changes Heroes
Red Dead Redemption 2 Teased for Google Stadia?
Arguably 2018’s biggest game was Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar’s epic-scale open world western that won numerous awards and stands as the best-selling game of 2018. Even so, Red Dead Redemption 2‘s potential audience is somewhat limited by the fact that the game is only available on PS4 and Xbox One, but that could change in the near future. Prior to its GDC 2019 keynote address, Google showed a series of images that some believe are hinting at third-party game releases for its ambitious Stadia platform. One graphic features a cowboy hat, a cowboy boot, saloon doors, a horse, and a cactus, leading to speculation that Red Dead Redemption 2 is coming to Stadia. After all, Red Dead Redemption 2 features these elements prominently, and while one could argue that Google is teasing any kind of western game, it’s worth pointing out that Red Dead is one of the only westerns on the market. However, the other images that Google … [Read more...] about Red Dead Redemption 2 Teased for Google Stadia?
Apex Legends Season 1 patch notes: Hitbox adjustments and Octane rides in
Apex Legends got its biggest update today, which added Season 1: Wild Frontier, the game’s first Battle Pass, and the first brand new character released since the game launched – Octane, the “high-speed daredevil”. With the addition of Season 1, Apex Legends also received a huge amount of bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements, including some major changes the community had been begging for. We’ve got the full patch notes below. The major addition, of course, is the newest Legend, Octane, who becomes the 9th playable character in the game. Players have suspected that the shark-masked character – whose in-game artwork leaked quite some time ago – would be the first newest hero to drop in Apex Legends, but only with these patch notes are we getting his full details. As predicted, those jump pads that popped up in the game are his Ultimate ability. More welcome, however, is the fact that at last we’re getting changes to … [Read more...] about Apex Legends Season 1 patch notes: Hitbox adjustments and Octane rides in
The System Shock remake drips with neon nostalgia in new footage
Two servings of System Shock goodness in just one day? Why yes, I will have cyber-seconds. Following up after OtherSide’s System Shock 3 trailer, Night Dive have shared twenty minutes of uncut exploration from their upcoming remake of the first game. It’s taken a while to get here, via a detour into a since-cancelled redesign, but I can’t grumble about the results. If their aim is to update the original System Shock, chunky level geometry, familiar puzzles and all to modern spec, then they’re on the right track. Take a wander through Citadel Station’s familiar medical deck below. If there’s one complaint I can level at this new footage, it’s that it looks possibly too accurate to the original System Shock, tasty modern lighting effects aside. On the other hand, I feel I should applaud Night Dive for absolutely recapturing the look of the original, right down to some of the steeply parallax-mapped wall textures looking a little pixellated. The … [Read more...] about The System Shock remake drips with neon nostalgia in new footage