General Gaming Article

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• Blizzard Announces Team-based Shooter “Overwatch”
• Zalman Claims Bankruptcy Rumors are Completely False
• Lenovo May Leap into Low-Cost Chromebook Market Next Year
• Ubisoft Reveals Minimum and Recommended PC Specs for Far Cry 4
• Nvidia Posts Record Revenue Following Maxwell Launch
• Security Firm AVG Sees Rash of Suitors Emerge
• Newegg Daily Deals: Corsair Force LX 256GB SSD, Intel 730 Series 240GB SSD, and More!

Blizzard Announces Team-based Shooter “Overwatch” Posted: 07 Nov 2014 06:10 PM PST We go hands-on with Blizzard's take at Team Fortress Blizzard may have canceled Titan, but today it revealed that the company hasn't given up on trying to create a first-person shooter by revealing Overwatch. Overwatch is being pitched as a team-based multiplayer shooter. In short, it's basically Blizzard's take on Valve's popular Team Fortress 2 shooter.  Meet the Reaper The new IP takes place on Earth approximately 60 years in the future. Blizzard said it had been dying to do a highly fictionalized version of the future of Earth, but said they wanted to do it in the relatively near future. While the story won't be a huge component when you play the game (Blizzard says it hopes to create additional narrative elements outside of the game with things like Youtube videos), the premise goes that the 30 years prior to the game's setting, evil robots take over and wreak havoc. Humanity then created a Overwatch strikeforce team which dispatches the robots. Over the decades, however, the strikeforce team ceases to exist. While it sounds like a depressing scenario, Blizzard said that it wanted to create an upbeat environment as it didn't want levels to feel drab and dreary, which could get tiresome to play. The game certainly has a unique artstyle from what we've seen and is almost a mixture of Disney meets Team Fortress with a dash of anime influence to it. One of the levels we saw also had a very BioShock vibe to it, albeit not as dark.  Mercy doing her healing Even though the game is pretty fast paced, Blizzard wants to provide non-twitch class characters with medic and engineer-like heroes. Blizzard says it wants to take a "less lethal" approach to the shooter meaning that players will die less frequently than most other twitch-based shooters. In this regard, again, it definitely feels much more like TF2 than Counter Strike. Another thing that sets the game apart is that teams are composed of 6v6. Blizzard said teams larger than that got too chaotic from its tests, but that teams smaller than that put too much pressure on individual players to succeed, although Blizzard admits that this balance mechanic could change with additional community testing. Like Team Fortress 2, Overwatch will not have a traditional deathmatch mode and will be an objective-driven game with modes like attack/defend, payload, and control points.  While there are about a dozen characters to choose from right now, Blizzard says the game will have plenty more and that it will be a character-driven game and not a class-based one. Piggybacking on that notion is the fact that each player has multiple, unique special abilities, somewhat similar to characters in MOBAs. For instance, hero Tracer can teleport a short distance ahead by pressing shift up to three times with about a one-second cool down period in between each, can throw a bomb by pressing Q and can jump three seconds back in time (location and health) by pressing R.  Hanzo using his bow There's a variety of other different characters with traits and attributes. The talking, space gorilla Winston and chivalrous knight Reinhardt are tanks that soak up damage and use a melee style of combat. Then there's damage dealers like the dual pistol-wielding Reaper and rocket launcher-carrying Pharah. And for the non-twitchy players, there's Torbjorn who's basically the engineer of the game with his turrets and Mercy, who's the medic. Blizzard wants to make this game appeal to the non-shooter crowd as the company realizes that many of its loyal players don't play FPS games.  There's a bunch of other characters and while the amount of characters can seem overwhelming, like TF2, Blizzard is encouraging players to switch characters between lives. The idea is to pick the best character for the given scenario. Even in its early state, the game is really fun and feels quite polished. If you enjoy Team Fortress and are looking for Blizzard's take on the genre, keep your eyes on Overwatch.

Zalman Claims Bankruptcy Rumors are Completely False Posted: 07 Nov 2014 11:05 AM PST PC cooling pioneer blows cold air on bankruptcy rumors We can all cool it, Zalman isn't going bankrupt, nor is the company abandoning its customers, we're told. Following numerous reports that Zalman was forced into filing bankruptcy due to a scandal involving its parent company, Moneual, we reached out to one of our contacts to see what was going on. Short and sweet, we're told that no bankruptcy proceedings involving Zalman are taking place and that the company will continue to release products. Zalman tells Maximum PC that the bankruptcy rumors are "completely false," and while there are some "financial difficulties due to the recent troubles experienced by Moneual, Zalman is not going bankrupt," plain and simple. Furthermore, if you currently own a Zalman product that's under warranty, nothing is changing -- existing products will continue to be covered as usual. We're also told that Zalman will release a more in-depth statement later this month to explain "the recent scandals in Korea" by Moneual, but in the meantime, the company will continue to operate as normal. In fact, Zalman tells us to be on the lookout for its new Z11 Neo PC case, which is headed to the North American market soon. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Lenovo May Leap into Low-Cost Chromebook Market Next Year Posted: 07 Nov 2014 10:41 AM PST Low cost laptop wars are brewing It was easier to make an argument in favor of Chromebooks as early as a month ago. There's plenty they can't do, but they're cheap and sufficient for basic computing tasks, like surfing the web. They're also nice tools if you're heavily tied into Google's ecosystem. Several vendors have jumped on board the Chromebook bandwagon, and rumor has it Lenovo will offer an ultra-affordable Chromebook model of its own next year, but has their time in the spotlight come and gone? First things first -- according to Digitimes and the sources it spoke to within Taiwan's supply chain, Lenovo is looking at launching a Chromebook in the sub-$170 range in early 2015. These will be powered by CPUs from China's Rockship Electronics. By lowering the price, Lenovo reportedly expects to ship 1.5 million Chromebooks next year, up 212 percent compared to 2014. However, there's a concerted effort by Intel and Microsoft to push Chromeooks out of the market place with low-cost Windows alternatives. One of the first models out of the gate is the HP Stream. It's a Windows 8.1 laptop that starts at $200 for the 11-inch version and $230 for the 13-inch model. And as time goes on, there will be other competitors in the $200 Windows laptop space. Should Chromebooks dip down to $170, we imagine Windows models will follow suit, though it will be interesting to see where vendors cut costs since the OS is already being provided for free from Microsoft. What do you think -- are Chromebooks long for this world, or will these low-cost Windows laptops drive them out of the market as intended? Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Ubisoft Reveals Minimum and Recommended PC Specs for Far Cry 4 Posted: 07 Nov 2014 10:22 AM PST Here's what you'll need to enter Kyrat There's a vast open world coming your way later this month, and it's filled with monkeys and tigers and bears, oh my! We're of course talking about Kyrat, a fictional region in the Himalayas that serves as the setting for Ubisoft's forthcoming Far Cry 4. There will be lots of animals, enemies, weapons, and vehicles, but before you think about getting acquianted with any of them, here's a look at Far Cry 4's system requirements. Starting with the minimum set of specs you'll need, you're looking at the following: OS: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8/8.1 (64-bit versions only) Processor: Intel Core i5 750 @ 2.5GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 955 @ 3.2GHz Memory: 4GB Video Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 460 or AMD Radeon HD 5850 (1GB VRAM) DirectX: Version 11 Hard Drive: 30GB available space Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card with latest drivers Nothing real earth shattering there. Now here's a look at what Ubisoft recommends (labeled as "Optimal"): OS: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8/8.1 (64-bit versions only) Processor: Intel Core i5 2400S @ 2.5GHz or AMD FX-8350 @ 4GHz or better Memory: 8GB Video Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 680 or AMD Radeon R9 290X or better (2GB VRAM) DirectX: Version 11 Hard Drive: 30GB available space Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card with latest drivers Far Cry 4 is set to release on November 18 for PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4. If interesting, there's still time to place your pre-order and receive a free upgrade to the Limited Edition. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Nvidia Posts Record Revenue Following Maxwell Launch Posted: 07 Nov 2014 09:29 AM PST PC gaming and graphics are alive and well If you caught Gordon Mah Ung's farewell podcast last week (*sniffles*), you heard him talk about the ridiculous theme he's heard throughout his career at Maximum PC, that being the impending death of the PC. The same has been said about PC gaming -- they go hand-in-hand, after all -- but in reality, PCs and PC gaming are in great places right now. If you don't believe it, put your iPad down and check out Nvidia's record performance last quarter, in which it reported revenue of $1.23 billion en route to a $173 million profit ($220 million on a non-GAAP basis). That's up 16 percent from $1.05 billion a year earlier and up 11 percent from $1.10 billion sequentially. And if you look at revenue for the past three quarters, it comes out to a record $3.43 billion, up 15 percent from $2.99 billion a year prior. So the next time a naysayer spouts off the usual "PC is dead" nonsense, kindly inform him or her of Nvidia's record breaking performance. "Nvidia's focus on creating visual computing platforms for datacenter, mobile and PC drove record revenue this quarter," said Jen-Hsun Huang, president and chief executive officer of Nvidia. "Growth drivers have kicked in for us on several fronts. High-performance computing, virtualization and web service providers have created demand for our GPU-accelerated datacenter platforms. Automakers are using Tegra to help reinvent the driving experience. And our new Maxwell architecture is a giant leap forward that has triggered a major upgrade cycle by PC gamers," Huang added. It was a busy quarter for Nvidia, which saw the launch of new GeForce GTX graphics cards based on its Maxwell architecture, as well as the continued push of its Tegra K1 mobile processor into new products like the Nexus 9, Shield Tablet, and select Chromebook models from Acer and HP. Nvidia's also made inroads in the automotive industry; there are now more than 6 million cars on the road with infotainment systems powered by Nvidia, with more to come. Looking ahead to next quarter, Nvidia is forecasting $1.2 billion in revenue, plus or minus 2 percent. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Security Firm AVG Sees Rash of Suitors Emerge Posted: 07 Nov 2014 08:05 AM PST Software security makers are suddenly hot acquisition targets One of the names that always comes up when discussing free antivirus software is AVG Technologies. The company also offers a line of paid products for those who want more robust protection and features, and after 13 years in the business, has built up a market capitalization of around $930 million. AVG's also made itself attractive to suitors -- it's being reported that potential buyers have approached AVG amid a wave of deals for security software makers. Citing "people familiar with the matter," The Wall Street Journal reports that multiple private equity firms and at least one technology company have all approached AVG about a takeover. These are all unsolicited bids, and though nothing is imminent, if a deal does take place, it's likely to happen in the coming months. Security software is sexy right now, and AVG is a recognizable brand with quite a few assets. Indeed, AVG has been increasing its brand value through acquisitions of its own. It's an ongoing strategy, with AVG recently announcing plans to acquire mobile security outfit Location Labs as well as Normal Safeground, WSJ says. The play for security software is likely to intensify as cyber attacks increase in frequency and sophistication. And with AVG, it's a relatively affordable option, considering that Intel paid nearly $7.7 billion to acquire McAfee. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Newegg Daily Deals: Corsair Force LX 256GB SSD, Intel 730 Series 240GB SSD, and More! Posted: 07 Nov 2014 06:33 AM PST Top Deal: Life is full of bad decisions, like that time you were talked into going snipe hunting as a teen. And then there was that time you turned your nose up at Apple's $22 IPO only to later invest it all in Enron (Fun fact: $5,000 invested in Apple's IPO would be worth over $1.3 million today). Well, it's time to start leveling the playing field by making good decisions, and you can start with today's top deal for a Corsair Force LX Series 256GB Solid State Drive for $86 with free shipping (normally $116; price after $30 mail-in-rebate). Your aging hard drive will thank you for its retirement. Other Deals: Intel 730 Series 2.5-inch 240GB SATA 6Gb/s MLC Internal Solid State Drive for $150 with free shipping Acer H6 Series 23-inch 5ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen LED Backlight LED Backlit LCD Monitor, IPS Panel 250 for $130 with free shipping (normally $140 - use coupon code: [EMCWWPD84]) Microsoft Xbox One Console Without Kinect for $350 Asus Pro R2.0 AM3+ AMD 990FX + SB950 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard with UEFI BIOS for $100 with free shipping (normally $135 - use coupon code: [DD131851]; additional $15 Mail-in rebate)

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MMORPG News

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• General: Last Minute Blizzcon Hopes
• General: Vainglory MOBA NA, EU Launch Dates Revealed
• General: Blizzcon Goodie Bag Revealed
• Star Wars: The Old Republic: Changes Coming for Troopers & Bounty Hunters
• Lords of The Fallen: Ancient Labyrinth DLC Announced
• World of Warriors: Surprisingly Addictive RPG-Lite Fun
• General: Echo of Soul to Launch in Spring 2015
• Lords of The Fallen: A Beautiful Homage that Needs Polish
• Star Wars: The Old Republic: To PVP or To Not PVP, That is the Question
• WildStar: Facing the Black Focus

General: Last Minute Blizzcon Hopes Posted: 06 Nov 2014 03:37 PM PST Today's news will probably seem to be a purposeful theme, an assessment that isn't far off the mark. Today marks the beginning of Blizzard Entertainment's (mostly) annual fan convention, Blizzcon. Attendees from all over the world have made their way to Anaheim, California, usually renown for Disneyland but for this weekend, all eyes are on the convention center and the news that is likely to rock the MMO and general games space that will emerge from it.

General: Vainglory MOBA NA, EU Launch Dates Revealed Posted: 05 Nov 2014 06:07 PM PST During the past summer's iPhone 6 reveal, Super Evil's Vainglory, a mobile MOBA, was featured to show off the power of the new iOS 8. In October, the game was released in limited markets but the team is ready to announce the release dates for both the EU and North America.

General: Blizzcon Goodie Bag Revealed Posted: 05 Nov 2014 07:11 PM PST Lucky stiffs Garrett Fuller and Bill Murphy are boots on the ground at the 2014 Blizzcon in Anaheim, California. The event doesn't begin until tomorrow, but the guys have sent a picture of the annual goodie bag.

Star Wars: The Old Republic: Changes Coming for Troopers & Bounty Hunters Posted: 06 Nov 2014 02:44 PM PST Two blog posts have been published on the Star Wars: The Old Republic site laying out big advanced class changes for both the Mercenary and the Commando. These two begin a series of articles designed to introduce players to the new 'Discipline' system and detail the specific changes players can expect when utilizing and playing in their chosen advanced class.

Lords of The Fallen: Ancient Labyrinth DLC Announced Posted: 06 Nov 2014 12:56 PM PST CI Games has announced that Lords of the Fallen will receive a content expansion DLC later this winter. Called "Ancient Labyrinth", the DLC will feature puzzles, epic battles and exploration.

World of Warriors: Surprisingly Addictive RPG-Lite Fun Posted: 06 Nov 2014 06:11 AM PST Developer Mind Candy is best known in the UK for making the wildly popular Moshi Monsters iOS game. But the Moshi games tend to be more widely adopted by kids and casual gamers. Today marks the official launch of Mind Candy's first attempt at pleasing the core gamer audience with World of Warriors. A charismatic and addictive RPG fighter for iOS devices, you just might find your next time-passer with this little gem. Read on for our full review.

General: Echo of Soul to Launch in Spring 2015 Posted: 06 Nov 2014 11:25 AM PST The same team that created Lineage II is behind Echo of Soul. According to press information, Echo of Soul will launch in Spring 2015 in both North America and the European Union. To celebrate the announcement, the team released a teaser trailer. Check it out!

Lords of The Fallen: A Beautiful Homage that Needs Polish Posted: 04 Nov 2014 05:35 PM PST Last week we had our first impressions of Deck 13's Lords of the Fallen, an obvious homage the punishingly difficult action RPG Dark Souls. In our final review we explore the ups and downs of the game now that we've had time to finish it, and while it never really reaches Dark Souls heights, fans of the genre will likely find a lot to love. Read on for the full review.

Star Wars: The Old Republic: To PVP or To Not PVP, That is the Question Posted: 04 Nov 2014 05:24 PM PST This week, Star Wars: the Old Republic announced the end of PVP Season Three to coincide with the launch of Game Update 3.0: Shadow of Revan. They also announced three tiers of rewards based on the Rating players will acquire during the season of play. Today, we'll take a look at the game's PVP options and see where the fun is.

WildStar: Facing the Black Focus Posted: 06 Nov 2014 07:29 AM PST After a promising testing period, WildStar's third content update will soon be going live. Along with a ton of new content, Carbine's also been working hard on a number of 'quality-of-life' updates to the MMO. For this week's column, Gareth Harmer took a tour of the upcoming patch with Content Designer Morgan Brown.

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