Let's play a game. Let's see how long I can talk about No Man's Sky without bringing up its redemptive ??arc (this doesn't count, ?by the way).

The universe-exploration game with the chill soundtrack has certainly found its home among sci-fi enthusiasts, and the developer's co-founder is, once again, up to his old tricks. Sean Murray recently tweeted something that has No Man's Sky fans pretty hyped up. What is it? Oh, it's just an Omega symbol he posted on Twitter/X. Why is that a big deal? Because Murray always tweets a singular tease like this whenever a big update is due to drop.

In fact, he's posted it more than once, including three consecutive Omega sym??bols in one tweet. This is not a drill, people!

"So what is it?" - obscure Red Dwarf reference

This is absolutely typical of Murray. As usual, these teases leave no clue (apart from the tease itself) as to what's coming. It's become part of the No Man's Sky marketing model and, honestly, looking at the comments and the recent posts on Reddit, it absolutely works.

Speculations have been inbound since the emoji post, with one pe??rson suggesting that it's some sort of fabled Horsesh??oe Update. We can't rule it out, though I think even Hello Games might draw the line there.

Released in 2016, No Man's Sky has been something of a unique entry in modern gaming. Encapsulating a galactic playground boasting more than 18 quintillion planets to discover,?? its initial and disastrous launch has become a distant memory. Vast (and free) updates have exceeded expectations, brin??ging us a game that's gone down as one of the best examples of a redemptive arc ever.

(Damn it!)

The post No Man’s Sky update hype begins anew as Sean Murray tweets single emoji appeared first on Destructoid.

Free game, free headset -- don't pay for a thing!

In today's contest you can win a HyperX Cloud MIX Gaming Headset, courtesy of our friends from the newly-launched KartRider Rush+!

What's better than a free game? A free game and a fre??e expensive headset, of course. If you're reading this, then you're in luck because today we've got a little bit of both to throw at you!

The free-to-play KartRider Rush+ just saw its global release across iOS and Android devices, and they've given us a free HyperX Cloud MIX Wired Gaming Heads?et ??+ Bluetooth to give away to the plucky Destructoid readers.

KartRider Rush+ is the newest installment of the global phenomenon, available now for iOS and Android devices. This free-to-play mobile title gives players the thrills, customization, and speed from the PC versions of the game in a convenient mobile form, ready to go with you anywhere, anytime! As a first in the series, KartRider Rush+ contains an in-game story mod?e to see racers' backgrounds and motivations, and boasts a variety of? modes and features to keep you in the race at all times, including:

• Story Mode: Story Mode allows players to fully immerse themselves in the game, learning about character backstories and showcasing various game modes.
• Speed Race Mode: This mode challenges racers to compete against each other and use their drifting skills to earn EXP that can unlock more challenging tracks.
• Arcade Mode: Whether playing solo or in teams, players can enjoy additional gameplay options within Arcade Mode, such as Item Race, Infini-Boost and Lucci Runner.
• Ranked Mode: From Bronze to Living Legend, players can rank up tiers and earn rewards such as K-Coins to purchase a variety of items in the Shop.
• Time Trial: This mode is all about beating the clock to become the fastest racer.

To celebrate the global launch, Nexon has teamed up with renowned leader in gaming accessories HyperX to give away their HyperX Cloud MIX Wired Gaming Headset + Bluetooth!

This premium gaming headset is convenient not only when gaming, but also on the go. This wired pair can plug into any 3.5mm jack when you're stationary, but on the move the cable detaches for full Bluetooth compatibility for any device you might have. Just look at those people in the trailer play basketball?? and get tattoos and stuff! The built-in mic also detaches so you can go from coordinating to quarantining with the flick of a write. Product features include:

• Hi-Res Audio Certified
• HyperX Dual Chamber Drivers
• Bluetooth Wireless Technology
• Wired compatibility for devices with 3.5mm ports

Ok, time to give stuff away! Enter to wi??n by using the widget? below to leave your name and email address. You can enter daily. For bonus entries, follow the additional instructions within to increase your odds of winning!

We have one headset to give away; our winner will be drawn Monday, May 25. This is a physical prize, and as such, you must have a United States shipping address in or?der to win.

KartRider Rush+ is available now for iOS and Android devices.

Contest: Win a Hyp?erX Cloud MIX Gaming Headset, courtesy of the newly-launched KartRider Rush+

The post Contest: Win a HyperX Cloud MIX Ga??ming Headset, courtesy of the newly-launched K?artRider Rush+ appeared first on Destructoid.

There Will Be Blood

There are a lot of rumblings currently going on in the video game industry. With a new generation on the horizon, and highly-anticipated games such as Death Stranding and Cyberpunk 2077 constantly in the news, it's easy to forget that we've only been drip-fed snippets of the upcoming sequel to a game many believe is one of the greatest of all time, Naughty Dog's The Last of Us.

But it seems that eager fans will not have to wait much longer for new information on the immensely grim-looking third-person adventure, as fountain of knowledge Geoff Keighley has revealed that a special media event for The Last of Us Part II will take place later this month, Septe?mber?? 24 to be exact.

There are no details as to what the Los Angeles event will feature, but it's getting a little late in the day, so one would hope for a release date, and hopefully some gameplay that looks less ultra-choreographed than the video shown at E3 2018. Keeping the audience hungry appears to be the go-to tactic for hotly-anticipated titles in recent years, but hopefully this media event will give those waiting on this sequel something to squeal a??bout.

The Last of Us Part II is currently in development for PS4.

The Last of Us Part II finally returns ??later this month [Push Square]

And...here....we.....go! See you later this month @Naughty_Dog @Neil_Druckmann pic.twitter.com/LL6RZVbJc1

— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) September 9, 2019

The post The Last of Us Pa??rt II media?? event planned for September 24 appeared first on Destructoid.

'I don't think it's nice you laughing...'

From Clint Eastwood's Man with No Name, to Franco Nero's Django and even Emilio Estevez as an obnoxious, giggling Billy the Kid, there's still nothing quite like the uber-romanticised days of swing-do?or saloons, girls doing the Can-Can and knuckle-headed idiots shooting each other because someone spilled a drink, or something.

Soon, we'll all have the opportunity to saddle up and ride again, as Rockstar prepares to release the highly-anticipated sequel to one of the greatest open-world gam... nay, one of the greatest games of all-time, Red Dead Redemption 2.

A brand n??ew gameplay video has dropped just this morning, showcasing more of the dusty trails, brutal bar-fights and frightening ambushes that await Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang. Violence and adventure set against the dying days of the 1800s, as the American Old West downs its final shot of whiskey, preparing t??o face High Noon on its own lawless ways.

Red Dead Redemption 2 launches?? on ??PS4 and Xbox One October 26. Hope it's worth the wait.

The post New Red Dead Redemption 2 gameplay video reveals more rootin’ tootin’ bandit-shootin’ action appeared first on Destructoid.

Baymax got your back

Square Enix has released an epic new trailer for their long, long long-awaited RPG sequel Kingdom Hearts III; an extended vers??ion of the Tokyo Game Show trailer teased last week.

The new hype-reel, which runs just under four-minutes, is packed full of exciting content to get fans' tongues wagging, as Sora, Donald, Goofy and their ever-expanding army of pals explore new worlds and battle fantastical creatures. The focus in this particular preview is San Fransokyo, the hi-tech setting of 2014's Big Hero 6.

Baymax, Hiro, Go Go Tamago and their posse will fight alongside Sora to clear the shadows out of the metropolis. Also glimpsed are ring-running challenges not unlike Superman 64, but don't let that put you off. The fully-subtitled trailer then continues with the all-star appearances, including Frozen's Anna, Tangled's Rapunzel and Pirates' Davy Jones and Jack Sparrow. What a cast.

Filled with bafflingly complex drama and stunning visuals, the new trailer will no doubt make many a KH fan's morning. It's been absolutely years since that original announcement, but the wait is almost over, as Kingdom Hearts III launches January 29, ?2019 on PS4?? and Xbox One. You can check out the trailer and the sequel's beautiful box art below.

The post Kingdom Hearts III new trailer takes us to?? San Fransokyo with Big Hero 6 appeared first on Destructoid.

Spider-Man, Spider-Man, Radioactive Spider-Man...

Fans of Marvel's second-best web-slinger (after Jessica Drew) can stoke their hype-fires a little today. Insomniac Games has announced that their exciting open-world adventure, Spider-Man, has gone gold.

As I'm very sure you're all aware, the phrase "gone gold" refers to a game's preliminary development being finished, with the code being ready to press to disc. Spider-Man has been finished with time to spare, too, as it won't be hitting the shelves? for a little over a month. Just pull it forward already!

Insomniac made the announcement via twitter, which also includes a recreation of the popular image - I believe you kids call them "memes" - of Spider-Man sitting casually behind a desk. The new Spider-Man game will see Peter Parker don a variety of spidey-suits and swing hi?s way around New York, battling popular villains such as Doc Ock, Rhino, Electro and Shocker, maybe getting help from a few friends along the ??way.

Spider-Man launches September 7 on PS4 and is available for pre??-order in differing?? editions.

We are pleased to announce that #SpiderManPS4 has GONE GOLD for its worldwide release on September 7th. Thanks to @PlayStation and @MarvelGames for their support in the creation of this original Spider-Man adventure. pic.twitter.com/iD4mJmqGfK

— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) July 30, 2018

The post Marvel’s Spider-Man is ready to websling onto your PS4 appeared first on Destructoid.

I'm ready for more pondering on the futility of war

If you're excited to see the Western return of Valkyria Chronicles (let's all please forget Valkyria Revolution happened), why not take a gander at the opening?? cinematic?

Sega has uploaded the trailer to YouTube for your viewing pleasure and it just looks wonderful. Sadly, ?the original Japanese title track is missing, but those are notoriously absent from basically every Sega localization. Record labels really suck.

Valkyria Chronicles 4 Opening Movie [SegaAmerica via YouTube]

The post Valkyria Chronicles 4’s opening cinematic looks lovely appeared first on Destructoid.

Is it Rogaine?

[Update: A logo for Hitman 2 has been found on the WB Games website.]

With E3 hype season getting into full swing, we're bound to be getting a crapton of teasers and rumors floating around the internet this week. Not content to let fans make up information, IO Interactive has released an official teaser for the future of Hitman and it is pretty damn vague. All the tweet gives us is a June 7, 2018 date and the tex??t, "Your next target is..." While this could be a new game in the series, it could also be more DLC for the hit 2016 title.

Whatever the case, get into your k??illing mood; you?'ll be heading out to murder some more, 47!

HITMAN [Twitter]

The post (Update) IO Interactive is teasing somethin?g new for Hitman appeared first on Destructoid.

Time to start chucking bricks again

Naughty Dog's Vice-President Neil Druckmann has set tongues wagging with a vague message on his twitter account, hyping an upcoming reveal for sombre sequel The Last of Us Part II.

The tweet simp?ly features an image of a miserable-looking backwoods road, along with the words "T-minus 3 weeks." Obviously, this countdown will lead us to the upcoming E3 event, to be held in Los Angeles next month. Druckmann helpfully lends to that theory by adding the ??hashtag "#E32018".

What will be revealed at E3? Will we get gameplay footage? A release date? The surprise swerve that TLOU2 is actually for the PlayStation 5? Ehh, Maybe we'll just get another deeply upsetting trailer. Whatever Naughty Dog have planned, it's sure to get fans in a tizzy, when The Last of Us, considered by some to b??e one of the greatest gaming brands of all time, finally reveals its new nightmares.

E3 2018 takes place at the L.A.?? Convention Center between June? 12-14.

The Last of Us II teased? by Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann [Twitter]

The post Naughty Dog tweet tea??ses The Last of Us Part II reveal at E3 appeared first on Destructoid.

What's old is new again

The announcement of the Atari VCS was pretty exciting. Here was a seemingly dead company coming back from the grave to re-release its most successful console i??n 2018. While no one knew if t??his was simply a modern take on classic hardware, the idea of a new Atari console was just crazy enough to work.

The only thing missing was a release date, or even a price point. Thankfully, Atari has cleared up those last two bits. Just announced today, pre-orders for the VCS will be going live on Indiegogo starting May 30 to the tune of $199.?? There will be the classic wood grain aesthetic alongside an onyx variant with bundles including both the new controller and that 2600 insp?ired one. If you sign-up for reminders before May 24, you'll receive some bonus incentives during the pre-order phase.

Atari has also spilled the beans on the tech specs. AMD partnered with Atari to provide?? a Radeon graphics chip with support for 4K, HDR and 60 FPS playback. There are also other fancy tech things like dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0 and USB 3.0. There isn't a mention of what kind of storage space the device will have, but 100 classic games will come built-in to the console.

Some of the games mentioned include Asteroids, Breakout, Missle Command, Yar's Revenge and Gravitar. The press release?? also makes mention of "a full range of modern titles," which makes me think the VCS is going to be more an Android device than simply an all-in-one retro console. If that is the case, maybe Ata??ri will be correct in its claim of changing the way we use TVs.

The post Atari VC????S pre-orders will go live May 30 on Indiegogo appeared first on Destructoid.

Lulz if it's another Arkham game after all

A lot of fans are twitching with anticipation to see what UK developers Rocksteady have planned for their next release, following the excellent Batman: Arkham? trilogy. There has been no news forthcoming, but that doesn't mean something aweso?me isn't on the table.

Speaking on twitter, Rocks??teady marketing manager Gaz Deaves asked fans to be patient and enjoy the silence, safe in the knowledge than when word of the?? next Rocksteady game finally emerges "people are going lose their minds."

Ok, I get it, he's a marketing manager. He is actually paid to drive up hype, but it's hard not to get in a tizzy. The Arkham games were received so well, and told a really great, immersive ??and sometimes shocking story, backed up with fantastic voice acting, a good script, great fourth-wall breaking moments and some stunning visuals. ?Surely whatever the team turn their hands to will have the same attention bestowed upon it.

Who knows what's next from the Rockst?eady crew? but consider my mind prepped to be lost. What would you like to see the team embark u?pon as their next venture?

Be patient, fans. I know we're not talking right now... but when we do, people are going to lose ??their minds. Can't wait :D

— Gaz @ Rocksteady (@GazDeaves) September 28, 2017

The post Rocksteady says next project will cause people to ‘lose their minds’ appeared first on Destructoid.

The lies among us

Telltale is going to be at San Diego Comic Con this weekend, but what they were bringing was a mystery until now. Ahead of the convention proper, the developer has announced sequels to three of its most popular series, including a Wolf Among Us 2. The other new games will be Batman: The Enemy Within (what is this, X-COM?) and The Walking Dead: The Final Season!

All of these games will be debuting on PC, Mac, PS4 and Xbox One with mobile ports to follow, though only Batman will be releasing this year with its debut coming on August 8. Both The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us 2 will launch sometime in 2018. Each series will be five episodes long and Batman will be heading to retail with?? a "Season Pass" disc that contains the first episode and a download voucher for the remaining four. How fun.??..

As for specifics on each new season, The Walking Dead will focus on Clementine yet again and the new Batman season will feature the Riddler and The Joker with an option to import saves from the first season (much like The Walking Dead).

While I'm not particularly shocked that The Wolf Among Us is getting a second season, I'm mostly baffled as to why Telltale games took to Reddit to proclaim that t?he series wouldn't be getting a follow-up anytime soon. I suppose next year isn't really "soon," but that is a pretty blatant false statement to make.

Either way, I'm quite surprised that we're now getting a final season from the company. That, to me, shows real dedication to the stories they started instead of trying to drag them out. Hopefully it ends up better than seaso??n three, which wasn't particularly great.

The post Telltale announces three new games including Wolf? Among Us? 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

From death threats to disappointment, we'd all be better off if we stopped assuming the best from games

When Hello Games announced a minor delay for its much-anticipated game No Man's Sky, the team received death threats.

When Kotaku so much as reported on the delay, its staff also got death threats.

This is obviously a huge goddamned problem with a variety of contributing factors (the ano?nymity of the Internet, the entitlement of gamers, geekdom's ongoing manchild problem), but I'm going to focus on a small one with many other f?ar-reaching consequences:

We get way too excited about ga?mes we haven't play??ed yet.

Fuck it, let's do this in list format.

Getting super-hyped about a game makes you enjoy it less when you actually play it

You know what's a pretty goddamned good game? Fable. You know what got a lot of shit for being a bad game? Fable. 

Why? Because it was hyped too much.

We've all had this experience with every other medium, I'm sure: your friend tells you that a movie is MIND-BLOWING, so you see it, expecting to have your MIND BLOWN, but then it tur??ns out it's just QUITE GOOD and so you feel DISAPPOINTED.

I mean, if we're being honest here, what's the upside of?? getting insanely hyped for a game? It only makes it ?easier for us to get disappointed.

Hype makes us all assholes

This is a petition to remove the Washington Post's review of Uncharted 4 from Metacritic because it is too negative. While there are legitimate reasons for this compl?aint (the Post's review didn't include any score, but the outlet provided a 40/100 appraisa??l for Metacritic), the vast majority of the comments surrounding it are drenched in bile.

This is Videogamer.com responding to the flames it received for its Uncharted 4 review. The review was (1) pretty pos??itive and (2) released before any of t??he furious commenters could have possibly played the game.

Why? It's probably not be?cause all of the angry ?commenters legitimately care about the well-being of Naughty Dog's self-esteem. It's not because the people who signed that petition are worried Naughty Dog might have Metacritic-reliant monetary bonuses from Sony. 

They were, l?ike so many other angry commenters on video game reviews, upset for one simple reason: they were really, really looking forward to a game, and they were furious at any reviewer who might kill their buzz.

I saw this kinda thing all the time when I reviewed games. People like this don't necessarily defend a game because it's good. They defend it because they want it to be good. They want the real game to match the game they've invented in their minds, and ?they will attack anyone who prevents them from playing that imaginary game. 

Hype makes us waste money

If there's one truly broken thing in the games industry, it's that marketing budgets are directly tied to pre-order numbers. If you can't snag a ton of pre-orders before your marketing campaign begins, your publisher won't give you the money you need to ??mount an effective campaign at all.

As a result, it is in the publisher and the developer's best interest to hype up their game as hard as humanly possible. To sell you as hard as they can without stretching the truth too far.&nbs?p;

If you've ever?? been dissatisfied with a game you pre-ordered -- if you've ever lamented the gullibility that led you to spend ninety bucks on a crappy collector's edition -- then hype?? is to blame.

Hype is stupid and we're all stupid for buying into it

When was the last time you played a game that ever really delivered on its hype? Like, ever? I don't mean a game that came out and was pretty good. I mean a game that came o?ut and met, or exceede?d, your lofty expectations.

My guess is that it's been a while. Why? Because, though the majority of games marketing tells us that all upcoming games are goddamned incredible, the vast majority of hyped-up games are fucking fine. Watch Dogs looked incredible during its E3 reveal. Then the game came out ??and it was...fine. 

Destiny was fine. 

L.A. Noire was fine.

Spore. BioShock Infinite. The Division.

Not great. Not horrible. Fine.

But because they're just fine -- because they don't leave the scars of spectacularly awful games -- we forget our quiet disappointment upon loading up Watch Dogs and finding out it was basically just Assassin's Creed with a larger use-button radius.

So, inevitably, the next E3 comes around, and we see a trailer for a game that looks utterly amazing and mind-blowing, and we get our hopes up, and then it comes out and we suddenly remember, oh, right -- most games aren't utterly amazing and mind-blowing. They're fine. People are sending death threats to developers and reviewers over something that's a little bit better than okay.

And then we immediately forget all that the moment we see another shiny trailer, because that's what the hype machine demands of us. And we buy in,?? nearly every damned time.

Now, I'm not saying we should meet every new game announcement with nothing but snark and cynicism, but maybe we could just calm the hell down a little bit. Maybe, instead of shouting "THIS GAME WILL BE AMAZING" and throwing shitfits when it gets delayed, we could instead draw upon our years of experience with games that are just fine and instead think, "I hope this game will be good," or "Th??is game will probably be okay but I'm willing to be surprised."

It'd result? in fewer goddamn death threats, if no??thing else.

The post Why we should stop getting hype??d for upcoming games appeared first on Destructoid.

But you probably will be

For fans concerned that the amount of areas available to players in Destiny, Bungie has spoken out in a bid to reassure the masses. And their idea of reassuring those who participated in the Destiny beta is to basically pop off with some doublespeak PR talk that doesn't specifically address player co??ncerns and instead shifts focus to all of the cool things that "will happen in the future." At least, that's what I got from it.

Fans were upset at the fact that the large map Old Russia would be the only area accessible on Earth, which was confirmed by Bungie via Twitch stream:

"Yeah, we'r?e calling them destinations," said community manager David "DeeJ" Dague. "You go to Mars, you go to the Moon, you've got Venus, and you've got Ear?th."

Eric "Urk" Osborne chimed in as well: "Destiny's pretty big. It's the biggest game we've ever made, by far, and we're sort of known for making games you can play for months, years, and even decades if you're ?a little bit... dedicated."

"With Destiny, we're looking to exceed what we've done before, not just in terms of scale - the Moon is our smallest destination - but in terms of scope and breadth of activities. That's true for day one, as you expect, but it also means we want Destiny to have super long legs."

But what of Old Chicago and Europa? What happened to th??e other areas that were initially on tap? It's always possible that they simply haven't been revealed yet, but it's also disheartening to hear that there's a bit less content than we might have initially expected. What do you think of these developments?

Bungie reassures fans disappo??inted that Destiny only has one playa??ble area per planet [Eurogamer]

The post Bungie doesn’t think you should be disappointed by the lack of exploration on Earth in Destiny appeared first on Destructoid.

Row Row fight Triple A

When you look to hard-hitting journalism you (hopefully) look to Destructoid. In keeping with this tradition we had the creators of Hyper Light Drifter onto our live channel to talk about de??veloping the game while we totally dissected the demo they showed at PAX East.

Of course we've saved our conversation with the developers and our time with the survival mode of the game. Learn what the devs had to say about Hyper Light below.

The post Hyper Light Drifter is the developer’s own ‘dream game’ appeared first on Destructoid.

It certainly mechs for a pretty game

I have to admit that despite all of the adoration and anticipation surrounding Titanfall, I haven't been feeling the hype myself. I know I'm not alone in this sentiment, but I like to believe I have been keeping my cynicism in check, considering Titanfall's biggest supporters? have had the opportunity of go??ing hands-on.

This weekend's EB Games Expo in Sydney, Australia was once such opportunity for people to get their hands on the game, where Titanfall again picked up a Game of the Show award. Respawn Entertainment??'s community manager Abbie Heppe also took to the main stage, bringing both new and previously shown footage of the game.

Titanfall will ??release for PC, Xbox 360, ??and Xbox One in 2014.

The post 20 minutes of Titanfall for your hype pleasure appeared first on Destructoid.

There are no such things as stupid questions...

PAX attendees are in for a super special treat next week. The infamous Keiji Inafune will be delivering an hour-long panel in the Kraken Theater on Saturday from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM. He'll run through his 25-year industry career, make comments about how Western development is better that Japanese development, and probably take a little time to discuss Mega Man.?? If you can't attend, there will also be livestream so you can catch the action from home.

And wouldn't you know it, I get to have another one-on-one interview with the man on Sunday! My dream came true when I got to meet him at E3 this past June, but our discussion was unfortunately limited to Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z. This time, no topic is off the table! I can grill him howeve?r?? I see fit! So exciting!

This is a chance to get some real answers to long-pondered questions, yet I don't want to leave any of you guys out. I have my own set of questions, but it's obviously very stacked in favor of Mega Man. Perhaps by reaching out to the jbsgame.community, I can get a little variety cooking. If there ?is something you are dying to learn from the man, let me know in the comments below. I'll try to ask as many of your questions as I can.

The post What questions should I ask Keiji Inafune at PAX? appeared first on Destructoid.

Only the hype-est need apply

I think I've made it pretty clear that I think San Francisco is the best city in America. No, that's not up for debate. To help solidify these claims we've teamed up with Dear Mom in San Francisco to craft the fine??st Evo 2013 stream mankind has ever kno?wn.

The drinks start flo??wing at 2pm with the Injustice finals, and continue well into the night with the Street Fighter finals starting at 7pm.

There will also be sushi. Get hype.

Hit the jump for relevant links.

Facebook event page! (So you can tell us you're coming)

DtoidSF Facebook!? (So you can become best friends with all of us)

Dear Mom (So you can check the joint out beforehand)

The post Come join us for Evo 2?013 festivities in San Francisco appeared first on Destructoid.

Sound off on one of 2012's biggest games!

Today is sloooooow. It's the day after the US presidential elections, and the day after Halo 4 launched, so the game industry is busy sleeping off one heck of a late night. We're still here though, and today's the perfect time fo?r another QUESTION. 

Those of you who were giddy with excitement over Halo 4 have undoubtedly picked it up and spent some time with DA CHIEF by now. There have been glowing reviews, fan frenzy, and more Mountain Dew promotions than you can shake a stick at, but the burning question is this -- has it be??en worth it? Has one of 2012's most hyped games lived up to your expectations? 

Did 343 Industries step comfortably into Bungie's big shoes? Was the story all you'd hoped for? Does the multiplayer still hold up? Does it actually matter that they didn't include iron-sights for the guns? Conversely, does it feel like?? it's too predictable? More of the same? Was it perhaps not quite the shining beacon of perfection you wanted?

Either way, the question is yours to be answered. Not mine. I have no opinion on Halo 4. I wouldn't dare.

The post The Question: Is Halo 4 living up to the hype? appeared first on Destructoid.

It was leaked ahead of time that Square Enix was building to an iOS port of The World Ends with You, something that would have infuriated hyped fans under normal circumstances. However, Square Enix had hinted that it wasn't just hyping an iOS port, so patience triumphed. 

Well, the countdown site counted down ... and it turns out it was just hyping an iOS port. 

The World Ends with You: Solo Remix is a one-screen version of the cult DS hit. The battles now take place with characters in one place, with Square adding new tra?cks and "social gameplay" to further differentiate the title. You can Tweet now, guys! Get those Tweets a-Twooting!

It's out now. Oh, and it costs $19.9??9, because Sq?uare Enix.

The post The World Ends with You: Solo Remix out now appeared first on Destructoid.

Of course you do!

I just got back from an early visit to the L.A. Convention Center, home to ne??xt week's massive industry event: E3. You may have he?ard about it.

The final preparations are almost complete, with companies putting the finishing touches on their gi??gantic, out of control booths. While I was there, workers were everywhere -- painting, gluing, hammering, and doing all types of other manly things.

And while ac??cess to the actual show floor is strictly prohibited -- seriously, security is no joke! -- I was able to take a bunch of pictures of the posters, banners, and gen?eral decor that will be plastered around the L.A. Convention Center. Check out everything in the gallery! There is some pretty cool stuff to get excited about!

Next week is going to be pretty awesome! Make sure you? stick with Destructoid for all y??our E3 needs!

The post Do you want a sneak peek of t?he E3 Convention Center? appeared first on Destructoid.

Every year, E3 rolls in surrounded by a sea ??of hype and anticipation. Sometimes, this hype is surpassed with giant waves of unexpected news and announce??ments. Other times, the show ends in disappointment, as many of the new games and exciting reveals are anything but.

It is too early to predict what side this E3 will eventually fall on, but, with only a few weeks until the big show, one thing is certain: There is a lot to be e???xcited about.

But what are you the most excited for? For me, it has to be the Wii U. I just love new console reveals and truly can't wait to get my hands on that thing. (Plus, Mario in HD!) More specifically, I am also excited about The Last of Us, hopefully some new (playable?) footage of The Last Guardian, and, my personal loves, Pikmin 3 and the new Paper Mario for the 3DS.

Keep reading to find out what some of the other Destructoid editors are excited about, and then hit the comments to let us know what you think. What is the one thing you can't wait to hear more about at this year's E3? Is there a sp??ecific game? A new console? An announcement that is not official bu??t you feel may be coming? Let us know!

Would you like a long, detailed explanation of why I will cream my jeans over anything Beyond Good & Evil 2 related, or should I just leave it at that ima??ge?

The Last of Us.

That's it. Jaded.

All I really w?ant out of E3 this year is for Nintendo to blow us away with their online strategy.

I want games to be linked to accounts, and possibly some sort of cloud based service on offer. I want full confirmation of how a friends list will work, and possibly some Wii U online details. It would be nice if they possibly acknowledged their inability to address a proper digital storefront on the Wii, how? they fixed it on the 3DS's eShop, and how they plan on fixing it even further for the Wii U. If they somehow offer a WiiWare/Wii VC transfer deal like they did for the DSi to 3DS, I'll also be pretty happy.

Any flicker or glimpse of next-next gen.

I'm? curious abou?t this action-adventure game Harmonix is making. Maybe they won't unveil at show, though.

I'm also curious about Retro's next game. I wonder what Nintendo franchise they'll take a stab at next? I predict a Star Fox Wii U reboot that will blow people away.

Other ??than t?hat, I'm excited to hang out with everyone from Destructoid!

To get my hands on all the first-person shooters. Apparently I was the very first person to RSVP to the Halo 4 special event. I don't know if I should b?e proud of that or not.

Oddly enough, I'm actually excited about seeing Nintendo's conference. Not that I'm a fan of what everyone already expects of them (fuck no), but I actually want them to present something that makes me say, "Alright, that's pretty cool. I'll give them that one." Something that actually attracts me as a hardcore gamer, and not the "Nintendo fan" ?that I haven't been since I was 13. I didn't even bother looking at the Wii U last E3. Did not give a single fuck??.

I actually miss owning their hardware, though. And while I'd own mainly hardcore games on it, it's nice to have that variety and potential of all three consoles. After an entire generation of offering absolutely no incentive for me to buy their stuff, it'd be nice if they suddenly stated, "Oh, by the? way, we're partnering up with [Big AAA Publisher] to provide exclusive, hardcore titles not seen anywhere else!" I'd s??hit my pants and throw my money at them.

I mean, I know that probably won't happen. Nintendo has had entire conferen??ces where they did??n't show a single bit of software, after all, but I like being proven wrong ... in that pleasant way where I still get something nice out of my misjudgement.

It would be great if Sony came out and showed a nice, long gameplay demo of The Last Guardian, and followed that up by announcing a concrete release date. And preferably, that release date would be som??etime in 2012.

A man can dream, can't he?

It sounds like a lot o?f people are excited to see what Nintendo is up to! I am as well, but I could care less about "online strategies" or "hardcore partnerships". What I care about is the videogames.

Yes, it is the videogames that I like the most.

This is first year in a while that Nintendo has something to prove on all fronts, and that need to act could lead to great things. Both the 3DS and the Wii U really need to really come out with guns blazing, and Nintendo knows it. This is not a year where they can rest on their past successes. Seeing that they've already announced Pikmin 3 and a new 2D Mario game, I'm feel??ing pretty confident that they are in the right mindset to show Nintendo fans what they want to see.

Not to be rude, but if you're not a Nintendo fan, I'm not sure why you'd want Nintendo to start trying to cater to your tastes all of a sudden. To have the company start to conform to the styles of other developers would only w?ork to make the world of videogames less interesting. I won't be watching the Microsoft presentation hoping to see a new old?-school platformer or a lighthearted exercise in expert game design, so I don't see why you'd want to check out Nintendo's press conference for the potential "hardcore-ness".

Besides, the last time Nintendo announced a "hardcore AAA exclusive", it was Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. Great g?ame, but no one bought it. Not sure if that's a road that anyone would want to go down again. I'd love to be proven wrong on that though!

As for new games. hoping to see some of Killer is Dead, Nicalis's 3DS/Wii U project, Playstation All-Stars, Dragon Quest X, Team Meat's new game, Resident Evil 6, Code of Princess, Bit. Trip Presents: Runner 2, Adventure Time: Hey Ice King!, Fatal Frame 2, The Last Guardian, The Last of Us, and The Last Story.

Whoa, that's a lot of "lasts" this year!

Also really hoping Capcom announces a new Mega Man game and that it doesn't look awful. A new Darkstalkers title would be nice surprise as well.

Besides games, I'm just excited to see my Dtoid family and my game developer acquaintances/heroes again this year. There is never enoug??h time at E3, but I hope to make the most of the time that I have.

I don't have anything I'm excited for, but I don't really function that way. W?atching everybody else get hyped up for games and then have them fail to meet their expectations over the years has made me far more measured when it comes to my own anticipation level, lest I suffer a similar fate. No, excitement happens in the moment, whether it's witnessing the rapid-fire information dump of the press conferences or wandering the floor and discovering an approach to a game problem I ha??ven't seen attempted before.

And that's what?? I'm actually looking forward to, being excited. E3 is raw spectacle and energy and you can't help but get a little on you.

I'm with Conrad. There isn't anything specific I'm super excited fo??r, because the games they show are usually along the lines of "like that one game you like, but different." The last E3s were only really fun to watch unfold from home when something went hilariously disastrous, such as the Konami press conference of E3? 2010, or Ubisoft's press conference with the laser tag nonsense.

Having said that, if they show a new Deus Ex game, a new big budget space combat game like TIE Fighter or Freespace 2, or a submarine-based underwater action-adv??enture where you crew a ship I-War style with a Hunt for Red October mission, I'll lose my shit.

----

Now it's your turn. What are you the most excited?? for at this year's E3? TO THE COMMEN?TS!

The post What are you the most excited for at this year’s E3? appeared first on Destructoid.

E3 is the biggest videogame industry event of the year, and with good reason: It is out of control. In a good way, of course. Huge game announcements, non-stop news, a whirlwind of assets -- it's o??ne of the best, most exciting weeks of the year, and something any gamer can look forward to??.

So, with only one more month until the big sho?w (it officially starts on June 5th), what are your thoughts? Are you excited? Indifferent? Annoyed? Turned on? Is there something specific you are looking forward to?

We want to hear from you! Now is the time to start getting excited for E3! No, wait, not yet. Not yet. Not yeeeeet. Okay ... now you can start to get excited.

Make sure to stick wit??h Destructoid all month long. We have some awesome E3 sur??prises in store ...

The post E3 is only one month away! appeared first on Destructoid.

A new teaser site has crept onto the thing we call the Internet, and it brings sultry promises of new Baldur's Gate content. The site plays music, has a few images, and bears a quote from Alaundo, but the stuff hidden in the source code brin??gs the most interest. 

As spotted on Eurogamer, the code contain?s? several juicy references. Hardcore fans of the series ought to recognize such gems as:

• Shadowy Figure- Raise Dead : Infinity Engine.
• For years, I clung to the memory of it. Then the memory of the memory.
• And then... it returned. Better than it was before.
• Pore over the tapestries and works of art hanging from our walls if you wish, Child of Bhaal... perhaps you will find a clue. But patience, ah... patience would reveal it all.
• As the silver moon waxes and wanes, so too does life.

Meanwhile, gossip elsewhere suggests that Beamdog, a studio headed by former BioWare dev Trent Oster, is responsible ??for the site. 

So, could a new Baldur's Gate be on the way? It's too early to tell, but it's loo??king quite possible indeed. 

[Thanks to all who sent this in!]

The post Could a new Baldur’s Gate be on the way? appeared first on Destructoid.

For today's after-hours entertainment, Woolie and Matt of Fighterpedia present the ladies of Skullgirls, hot and vicious for your pl??easure. The video is a five-minute excuse for the boys to gush incoherently about how awesome the upcoming all-girl fighter is shaping up to be. Really, though, can you blame them?

I kinda really want the "Moe Moe Gangsta Edition" bundle that appears at the end. The Skullgirls! Neko Musume-chan Climax 250% OVA plus a bottle of Courvoisier? Hell yes, pleas????e!

Fighterpedia Episode 7 - It's Skullgirls baybee! [YouTube] (Thanks, Cody!)

The post Fighterpedia brings you ??late-night Skullgirls hype appeared first on Destructoid.

This past Saturday, Valve released a video featuring Portal 2 antagonist Wheatley. Unsurprisingly, the Internet descended upon it with icepicks and magnifying glasses, ready to take it apart and examine every frame for clues about Half-Life 3. 

Shortly after the video aired, 4Chan wrote a polite joint letter to Gabe Newell, who responded with, "I don’t suppose it would ease your wrath if I told you we’re announcing all of ??your favourite things at E3 2012?" He later clarified that the reveal? would involve "something with a 'three' in it."

As if that wasn't enough, Valve's "Doug Rattman" Twitter account suddenly returned from obscurity to say, "It begins." He then began Tweeting odd codes such as, "ЯK - 63.4 | 37.5 | 20.5 | 47.4 | 13.1 | 12.5 | 27.6 | 72.4 | 54.3 | 70.3 | 34.6 | 15.1 | 60.2 | 21.0 | 38.5 |," before disappearing again. 

Ladies and gentlemen, the Valve Troll Wagon has officially r??olled into town again. Let's get excited/co??nfused!

??Gabe New??ell opens up possibility of a Three Musketeers game, Valve ARG begins [PC Gamer]

The post Valve begins hyping somet??hin??g (HALF-LIFE 3 CONFIRMED OMG) appeared first on Destructoid.

If you're a real gamer, Sony is calling you out! Sony executive Michael Denny has essentially challenged anybody who thinks they like videogames, claiming that if you care about them, you're going to ??want?? a PlayStation Vita. 

"Our mission, our vision, is that we now have a portable gaming system t??hat is going to be massively app??ealing to gamers -- initially core gamers, but then a wider sense of gamers going forward," he said. "We have to concentrate on our plans and make sure we supply the right games, the right experience, the right software, and the right social connectivity for the platform. I believe if you care about games you're going to want a Vita.

"I think the main thing for us is that we are a true next-gen platform. We are going to truly differentiate ourselves from the competitio??n, so people who do care about the gaming -- who want a deeper, richer, more immersive experience with their gaming – are going to absolutely love this device."

Denny says the Vita is "built from the ground up" to support creative game development, a??nd that its commitment to a strong launch lib??rary will make it "compelling to gamers everywhere."

I certainly hope so, as the PSP couldn't quite work out what it wanted to be sometimes. Still, methinks those expensive memory cards have taken the excitem??ent out of a fair few gamers. 

Son?y: 'If yo??u care about games, you'll want a Vita' [Videogamer]

The post Sony: If you care about games, you’ll want a PS Vita appeared first on Destructoid.

Alright, Skyrim had its time in the sun. Now to switch hype trains and get pumped for Skyward Sword!

Fans who were unable to attend the 25th Anniversary Symphony will still be able to get their jam on with the special CD packed into all copies of Skyward Sword. The above video, which originally ran on Nintendo Video on the 3DS, takes you ??into the orchestra's recording session. Enjoy!

The Recording ??of The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Spe?cial Orchestra CD [YouTube]

The post Have some Zelda orchestra for your face appeared first on Destructoid.

[Update: Here it is! BOOM! As you can see in the footage, we're going back to San Andreas. At least the Los Santos area, judging from the?? footage. Oh wowzer!]

Grand Theft Auto V's debut trailer is ha??ppening today and we've got the video player cooking it?? right here. As you can tell from the nifty countdown, the video is not yet ready to go live, but as soon as it does, it'll be viewable immediately on this very page. 

The video should answer a lot of the rampant speculation that's occurred since the game's announcement, so we can finally st?op getting our inboxes filled with analyst reports and rudderless editorials from around the w??eb. 

Anyway, THIS IS EXCITING, RIGHT!?

The post Grand Theft Auto ??V trailer is LIV??E from San Andreas appeared first on Destructoid.