Tag: rumors

Rumor: Sony’s Playstation Neo To Launch This Holiday Season?

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: It was just a few weeks ago that Sony finally, officially commented on the existence of the new, more powerful Playstation 4 console (or Playstation Neo, or Playstation 4.5… or whatever else you may want to call it), and while Sony didn’t reveal or comment any further on the console during this year’s E3 expo, rumour has it we may be playing slightly better looking PS4 titles sooner than we thought.

In a new report from Eurogamer’s Richard Leadbetter comparing the features and specs of Playstation Neo and Microsoft’s own Project Scorpio, he notes that “Several sources have indicated to me that PlayStation Neo launches this year, despite its E3 no-show. If that is the case, it’ll be interesting to see how developers utilise its resources, and whether 4K really is the focus. And we can be equally as sure that Microsoft will be watching just as intently as it gears up for its own next-gen roll-out.”

If these sources are accurate, we may be playing Playstation Neo long before the holiday 2017 release of Project Scorpio.

Do we sense a Playstation Neo / Playstation VR bundle incoming? We sure hope that your wallets are ready.

Playstation-4.5-Banner

Source: Eurogamer

The More Powerful PS4 Is Real, Will Not Be At E3!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Back in April, heavy rumours started surfacing that Sony was planning a new, more powerful version of the PS4 to sell alongside the nearly 3-year old standard version.

It appears that this is a rumour no more, as Sony Interactive Entertainment president Andrew House confirmed the console in an interview with The Financial Times, stating that the console would come with a  higher price tag than the currently-available model, and that “It is intended to sit alongside and complement the standard PS4. We will be selling both [versions] through the life cycle.”

It’s a bit of a disappointment for owners of the existing model, knowing that their console won’t be the most up-to-date version for long, but House notes that we shouldn’t worry, touting that “All games will support the standard PS4 and we anticipate all or a very large majority of games will also support the high-end PS4.”

House went on to let anticipated gamers know that we will not be seeing the unit at next week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, adding that We want to ensure we have a full range of the best experiences on the new system that we can showcase in their entirety.”

The only thing that I’d like House to answer next? When the hell are we getting The Last Guardian?

Are you planning to pick up the new and improved PS4? Do you think we’ll see much fragmentation with the original unit? Be sure to sound out below!

Source: The Financial Times

‘Playstation 4.5’ Documents Leaked: Will Contain Faster CPU, GPU and Upgraded Ram

by Shane O'Hare

We’ve all been hearing the rumors about a potential product upgrade/refresh for the Playstation 4 (We talk about it at length on the Geekscape Games Podcast.). Speculation abound, we may have ourselves some more concrete information to go on.

Our friends over at Giant Bomb have said that multiple, reliable sources have come forwarded and provided documentation as to what actually IS the Playstation 4.5. 

The product refresh is internally codenamed NEO (whats with all of the Matrix references over at Sony?), and will be an entire separate unit from your current PS4. This relieves MY fears that we are getting into “Sega 32x & CD” territory. No big box to slap your existing PS4 into. The “4.5” will still feature all AMD parts but all have received a boost. The 8 core CPU will now boast 2.1 GHz cores over the stock 1.6 GHz. The GPU is of a new unnamed architecture (rumored to be the new Polaris platform), and will have 36 CUs at 911 MHz over the 18 CUs at 800 MHz the current Playstation 4 has. (AUTHORS NOTE: It took me WAY to long to figure out what the hell a “CU” was. Basically it’s AMD’s way of referring to “cores”; Compute Units.) Lastly, it will have faster memory: 8 GB GDDR5 at 218 GB/s over the 178 GB/s we have now.

The Polaris architecture rumored to be the new GPU in the PS4.5
The Polaris architecture rumored to be the new GPU in the PS4.5

What does this mean? Harder, Faster, Stronger.

My biggest concern was that it could split the user base. I hate to use the same analogy twice (but I’m lazy), but let’s not relive the Sega 32x/CD era. Did you get your game for the Genesis or the 32x? Which game was the best version? What game is the developers best work? OR what is the game in their mind? Well apparently Sony has thought of that as well.

According to the same sources, Sony has given developers a laundry list of requirements for producing future titles.

Every game released after October of this year will have to have a PS4 and “NEO” mode. There cannot be any inherent advantages for playing the game on the NEO platform over the stock PS4. No exclusives. No bonuses. Nothing. The only inherent difference will be 1080P & 4K resolutions and increased framerates. They’re even requiring that Playstation VR to be on parity over both platforms. So existing PS4 owners can sleep safe in knowing that they will be getting the same experience content wise going forward. Bad news is that there isn’t any target for the higher spec’d system, so now real driving reason for current customers to upgrade.

No, your new Playstation won't be able to learn Kung-Fu.
No, your new Playstation won’t be able to learn Kung-Fu.

What I didn’t expect was the extra work developers will have to account for.

Cofounder of Kinda Funny, Colin Moriarty tweeted this earlier:

 

This is what worries me the most. That these new requirements are going to cripple/hinder development on the console and we will have another “PS3” on our hands. Difficult to develop for and expensive to produce for.

No word on price or release date has been given, but Giant Bomb’s sources say it will ship at $399. We can safely assume that if all games released AFTER October of this year will be required to have “NEO” support, then we can expect a fall release.

What do you think? Is this a waste of money and a flash in the pan from Sony OR will the PS4.5 push home console gaming to the next level? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Will 2016 Be The Year Of The NX? Further Rumors Emerge!

by Matt Rodriguez

The internet is buzzing, due to predictions and statements made by Nomura Securities analyst Junko Yamamura.  These statements  (via Barron’s Asia), point towards a “concept reveal” sometime between March and May, a full console reveal during E3, and even a console release in time for the holiday season of 2016.  While this is a possibility, it is no guarantee that we will see a 2016 console release, although other similar news have surfaced to strengthen this theory, such as a report that claims Nintendo will ship 20 million NX units in 2016.

The 3DS was initially launched in 2011, and Nintendo most commonly follows a five to six year console cycle between new systems, so a 2016 or 2017 launch year for its successor would make a lot of sense.  The Wii U was launched in 2012, so although a refresh on that console is unlikely, it isn’t entirely possible since there has been some speculation that it failed to meet the bar that its predecessor, the Wii, has set.  If there would be a “concept reveal”, my best guess it would be through a Nintendo Direct, which is Nintendo’s dedicated news platform for streaming news to gamers through video.  An E3 reveal for the console would also make sense, because E3 is the industry standard outlet for major gaming news, including, but not limited to, console reveals.  I think that a 2016 launch is still a bit of a stretch, but if the other two come true, it may very well be possible.

We have already an article on a NX patent utilizing “additional computing devices“, so we are excited by the potential new ways of gaming it could bring to the table!  Do you think that we will see this exciting new console in 2016?  Please let us know in the comments!

NX

Source: Barron’s Asia, via IGN

‘Batman V. Superman’ Plot Leak Reveals Lex Luthor’s Involvment

by Shane O'Hare

Our friends over at CBM have just reported on a possible plot/synopsis leak for the upcoming Batman V. Superman. 

Apparently Odeon Cinemas, a movie theater chain in the UK, had put up a new description for the March 2016 release. At the time of this writing Odeon has taken down the page.

At long last, see Batman and Superman square off against each other in ‘Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice’, an epic superhero showdown which will change both their lives forever. 
 
Clark Kent doesn’t trust Gotham’s mysterious masked vigilante. Bruce Wayne doesn’t trust the alien who nearly destroyed Metropolis. And Lex Luthor, who hates Superman more than anyone, is manipulating both of them for his own twisted ends. 
 
Choose your side: the Man of Steel or the Dark Knight? Learn the answer to the age-old question – who would win? – in ‘Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice’.

If this is accurate, and an official synopsis from the studio, then this sheds a whole new light on Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor.

The SDCC trailer has given us a broad idea of what the direction of the film will be like. Batman thinks Superman is a menace and needs to be stopped, but if what Odeon Cinemas has posted if official, then it makes Luthor’s involvement much more important.

 

 

RUMOR: Days Of Future Past For ‘X-Men: First Class’ Sequel?

by Shawn Madden

With the recent announcement of the sequel to ‘X-Men: First Class’ having a release date of July 18, 2014 it is highly possible that details to the film may start to drip out and one rumor already has.

Aint It Cool is reporting something that will quite possibly make fans happy

“One of my little birds Weapon X recently dropped me some information that 20th Century Fox had recently registered the title DAYS OF FUTURE PAST with the MPAA Title Registration Bureau. The Bureau exists for studios and productions companies to stake their claims on certain titles that they intend to release and distribute, so that others can stray from using a similar title.”

Fans have been begging for Sentinels since almost around the time of ‘X2: X-Men United’ and we were given that major tease of one in ‘X3’. I was so excited when I heard there was Sentinels in ‘X3’ and as soon as the scene ended all I could say was “…wait. That was it?!”

Now some of you younger fans may not have any idea what I’m talking about here. So, from Wikipedia here a little info about ‘Days Of Future Past’ and just why this could be a very exciting story to take elements from:

“The storyline alternates between present day, in which the X-Men fight Mystique’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and a future timeline caused by the X-Men’s failure to prevent the Brotherhood from assassinating Senator Robert Kelly. In this future universe, Sentinels rule the United States, and mutants live in internment camps. The present-day X-Men are forewarned of the possible future by a future version of their teammate Kitty Pryde, whose mind traveled back in time and possessed her younger self to warn the X-Men. She succeeds in her mission and returns to the future, but despite her success, the future timeline still exists as an alternative timeline rather than as the actual future.”

The story also featured huge involvements from Rachel Summers and Nimrod. And while a direct adaptation is unlikely as hell to happen (especially since Shadowcast was like 16 in ‘X3’…unless they’re going to somehow ignore that)… incorporating elements could happen and I definitely have faith in Vaughn after seeing ‘First Class’. Another interesting element is that months back Rob Lifefeld has tweeted “Also excited to discuss possibilities of Cable in future X-films!!!” Could this film be a way to incorporate Nathan Summers? Only time will tell! Pun intended.

Assassin’s Creed 3 Leaked Screenshots!

by Steven Kunz

First, there were rumors that Assassin’s Creed 3 would take place during the American Revolution, then we received this promotional image of Assassin’s Creed 3 from Best Buy showing the protagonist with an American Flag in the background and a tomahawk and flintock pistol. Now we have 5 leaked screenshots of the game right here!

This definitely looks refreshing in comparison to the previous Assassin’s Creed games. I also can’t wait to see gameplay footage of this character in action as well as clues to how the story progresses in AC3.

Anyone else have any thoughts or speculations they’d like to share about Assassin’s Creed 3?

Source: http://imgur.com/a/3NNkQ