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This week, Microsoft has touted a new initiative that they’ve said will unify platforms, making it easier to for developers to release games on both PC and Xbox One. But at least one major developer isn’t thrilled with Microsoft’s plans.
In an opinion piece published in The Guardian this morning, Epic Games co-founder Tim Sweeney absolutely railed against Microsoft, calling upon other developers to fight against the corporation for “moving against the entire PC industry.” Specifically, Sweeney criticized Microsoft’s new Universal Windows Platform, which allows developers to build games and apps that can run across all of Microsoft’s hardware including Windows 10, Xbox One, and any Windows-branded tablets and phones.
The problem, Sweeney wrote, is that with UWP, Microsoft has created a closed ecosystem where developers must use the Windows Store and go through Microsoft’s certification processes to release games on that platform. Sweeney said he sees this as contrary to the spirit of PC development—a huge blow for Microsoft, as Epic is one of the biggest companies in the space. Epic is best known not just for their developer toolset, the Unreal Engine, but for creating the popular Xbox franchise Gears of War, which Microsoft purchased in 2014.
“They’re curtailing users’ freedom to install full-featured PC software, and subverting the rights of developers and publishers to maintain a direct relationship with their customers,” Sweeney wrote.
Microsoft disagrees with this assessment. Windows vice president Kevin Gallo told The Guardian in a response to Sweeney’s op-ed that Microsoft is not, in fact, building a closed platform. “The Universal Windows Platform is a fully open ecosystem, available to every developer, that can be supported by any store,” he said. “We continue to make improvements for developers; for example, in the Windows 10 November Update, we enabled people to easily side-load apps by default, with no UX required.”
Sweeney had criticized Microsoft for making it difficult and confusing to install UWP-developed apps outside of the Windows Store, pointing out that any user who wants to do so would have to dig through a series of convoluted menus and options. “It’s true that if you dig far enough into Microsoft’s settings-burying UI, you can find a way to install these apps by enabling ‘side-loading,’” Sweeney wrote. “But in turning this off by default, Microsoft is unfairly disadvantaging the competition. Bigger-picture, this is a feature Microsoft can revoke at any time using Windows 10’s forced-update process.”
The whole op-ed is brutal and worth reading, encouraging developers and customers to fight against Microsoft’s new initiative.
“As the founder of a major Windows game developer and technology supplier, this is an op-ed I hoped I would never feel compelled to write,” Sweeney wrote. “But Epic has prided itself on providing software directly to customers ever since I started mailing floppy disks in 1991. We wouldn’t let Microsoft close down the PC platform overnight without a fight, and therefore we won’t sit silently by while Microsoft embarks on a series of sneaky manoeuvre aimed at achieving this over a period of several years.”
Of course, all of Epic Games otehr games, the new Unreal Tournament, Paragon, etc are ONLY available through Epic’s own launcher, which also make you wonder if this is a case of pot and kettle…
Microsoft may start releasing optional hardware upgrades for Xbox One rather than rolling out all-new consoles, according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer. Polygon reports that the executive’s presentation at the Xbox Spring Showcase event teased out a surprising new direction for the system.
“We see on other platforms whether it be mobile or PC that you get a continuous innovation that you rarely see on console,” Spencer said. “Consoles lock the hardware and the software platforms together at the beginning of the generation. Then you ride the generation out for seven or so years, while other ecosystems are getting better, faster, stronger.”
Spencer said Microsoft could break out of this cycle by selling optional hardware upgrades, allowing players to keep up with new tech that they previously would need to wait years – or buy a pricey gaming PC – to enjoy. The system would continue to be “backward and forward compatible” with past and future games, thanks in part to Xbox One using the Universal windows Platform for all of its applications.
“We can effectively feel a little bit more like we see on PC, where I can still go back and run my old Doom and Quake games that I used to play years ago but I can still see the best 4K games come out and my library is always with me. Hardware innovation continues while the software innovation is able to take advantage and I don’t have to jump a generation and lose everything that I played on before.”
Spencer didn’t specify how these optional hardware upgrades would work – whether it would be something you drop into your old system, like a good ol’ N64 expansion pack, or an all-new Xbox One that you’d buy off the shelf – but he hopes people see this as a signal of Microsoft’s continued commitment to the system.
Forza Motorsport 6: Apex is an invitation for Windows 10 PC gamers to join millions of Forza players worldwide and experience thrilling racing, addictive gameplay and stunning graphics.
Arriving on the Windows Store this spring and available for free, Forza Motorsport 6: Apex is a powerful demonstration of what the ForzaTech™ engine can do when unleashed by DirectX 12 at resolutions up to 4K. Developed by Turn 10 Studios, Forza Motorsport 6: Apex is the first step in Microsoft’s commitment to creating amazing Forza experiences for Windows 10 PC gamers.
New Showcase Tour, Objective System and Spotlight Series
Designed for players who are new to the Forza franchise, Forza Motorsport 6: Apex delivers a curated experience, featuring authentic wheel-to-wheel action, unique automotive content and constant rewards. The career mode is anchored by a new 12-event “Showcase Tour,” which introduces players to fascinating cars and unique automotive match-ups through a series of beautifully crafted and entertaining videos, narrated by automotive celebrities such as James May and Richard Hammond.
Forza Motorsport 6: Apex features a new objective and scoring system, which challenges the player to grow their skill and compare scores with their friends, and each event is a completely unique experience with unending replay value.
In addition, a new “Spotlight Series” will feature new Showcase-style events that will be updated on a regular basis. Whether you’re barreling around rainy Brands Hatch in your all-wheel-drive street weapon of choice or chasing down The Stig from “Top Gear” in cockpit view, there are always new and fun challenges to explore.
Signature Forza Features Drivatar™ and Forzavista™ Arrive on Windows 10 PCs
Forza Motorsport 6: Apex features trademark Forza innovations such as Drivatar™ opponents and a hand-picked selection of 63 fully functioning Forzavista™-enabled cars, each with working cockpits and full damage.
With bleeding edge race cars like the 2014 Audi #2 Audi Team Joest R18 e-tron quattro, modern masterpieces like the 2017 Ford GT, and classic American Muscle like the 1973 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SD-455, the cars in Forza Motorsport 6: Apex represent the far-reaching diversity that is part of Forza’s DNA.
Players can race those cars on 20 exciting track configurations across six locations – Brands Hatch, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Rio de Janeiro, Sebring International Raceway, Top Gear and Yas Marina – including night and wet-weather variants.
Available for free in the Windows Store this spring, Forza Motorsport 6: Apex paves the way for future Forza experiences on Windows 10.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for several months, you might be aware that 2016 has been declared the “Year of Pokémon” by Nintendo in honour of the franchise’s 20th Anniversary. Nintendo are definitely the kind to celebrate in style, with plenty of Pokémon-themed treats announced for the year, such as a Tekken-Pokémon Cross co-developed by Namco Bandai themselves (Pokkén Tournament); and new 2DS and “New 3DS XL” Designs with the original Pokémon Red and Blue built in – but what could be sweeter than to get some free Pokémon for your games?
Following the Announcement that download codes for Mew are being made available and can be picked up from any GAME store in the UK until the end of February, Nintendo have now announced that for the rest of 2016, there will be another Legendary Pokémon given away every month for the first four weeks of the month. Some of the Pokémon will be made available in-game for download via Mystery Gift; others will be in-store promotions with Nintendo’s retail partners.
Which retailers? Our sources reliably inform us that American distribution of the Pokémon we’ve marked as “Retailer” below will take place at most GameStop stores. And for the UK? Well, Nintendo typically partner with GAME for promotions such as these; and with Mew already available there until the end of the month, it’s a pretty safe bet we’ll see the others hit there too.
So here it is – the full list of Pokémon being given away, when and where:
Celebi: March 1 – 24 (Nintendo Network)
Jirachi: April 1 – 24 (Nintendo Network)
Darkrai: May 1 – 24 (Retailer)
Manaphy: June 1 – 24 (Nintendo Network)
Shaymin: July 1 – 24 (Nintendo Network)
Arceus: August 1 – 24 (Retailer)
Victini: September 1 – 24 (Nintendo Network)
Keldeo: October 1 – 24 (Nintendo Network)
Genesect: November 1 – 24 (Retailer)
Meloetta: December 1 – 24 (Nintendo Network)
With every generation having a legendary represented, never has there been a better time to catch them all!
Reported today is news on the availability of Fallout 4 mods coming to game consoles. Fallout 4 is a post-apocalyptic role playing game, set across a sprawling world and influenced by the post-war 1950s. The game gives players a huge amount of content to explore and many hours to invest. However, the PC community has been taking things a step further since its availability on that platform.
The PC gaming community is known for making mods to games. Mods are basically community developed game add-ins that can enhance gameplay or add in additional content for almost any purpose. For console gamers, the ability to use Mods has never been available for any game. Things may be looking up for those wishing to have this feature on their Xbox One, however.
In a recent tweet, the official Fallout Twitter account, responded to a fan’s inquiry about Mods on consoles, with:
@Godly_shit1 we’ll be sharing more details soon. stay tuned.
While not official confirmation about this feature coming to consoles or when a date has been set, we can have at least a tiny bit of hope that it’ll be sooner, rather than later. With the Xbox One now running Windows 10, we do know that the Xbox One would receive this feature due to running the same OS as its PC counterpart. The goal for Bethesda would be to add these Mods seamlessly into the gameplay with upcoming DLC packs.
With this new information, what mods from the PC version of Fallout 4 would you like to see on the Xbox One or Playstation 4? Let us know in the comments.
