Wii U gets price cut & Wind Waker bundle

The people that never felt like buying a Nintendo Wii U because the price was too high on both the 8GB and 32GB version, might change their minds now. Nintendo has announced that the Wii U will be getting a price cut, with the 8GB version costing $250 and the 32GB version will be available for $300. If you are planning on picking up the 8GB version, you should get one before it is out of stock since Nintendo will stop producing this version.

Nintendo hopes that the price cut will result in more sales, since the sales of the Wii U haven't been that impressing this far. The Wii U now costs considerably less than both the PS4 and the Xbox One, and this might boost the sales of Nintendo's console. But one of the main things the Wii U lacks is that the console doesn't have a lot of good third party titles. Publishers such as EA, Activision and Ubisoft aren't releasing all their games for Nintendo's console, sometimes just for the PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

Luckily there are a quite some Wii U games coming later this year, such as Super Mario 3D World, Watch_Dogs and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. And about that last title: Nintendo is releasing a Wii U bundle that will have the black 32GB console with a Wii U Gamepad that has some typical golden Zelda decorations printed on it. Wind Waker won't come as a physical disc when you buy the bundle, you will get a download voucher with a code so you can download the game.

But the question is if all these new games and price cuts will result in more sold Wii U's in the end. Or will we be saying goodbye to Nintendo in a few years? We sure hope not, but Nintendo definitely has to step up their game if they want to make good sales and stay one of the three major big game-console companies.

Nintendo announces Nintendo 2DS handheld

You might not have seen this coming, but Nintendo just announced the Nintendo 2DS which will be available in stores on October 12 in both the United States and Europe. It sounds and looks like a new handheld device, but it basically is a 3DS with it’s main feature removed: the 3D capability.

While the new handheld will be able to play all 3DS games, it will only be able to play these games in 2D. The new handheld will be able to play older Nintendo DS games just as the Nintendo 3DS is capable of doing so. With the Nintendo 2DS having the same hardware as it’s big brother minus the 3D capability, it is a good buy for those that don’t have any interest in the extra capability of the Nintendo 3DS.

Just like the Nintendo 3DS the Nintendo 2DS has two screen, but the design of the handheld looks a lot more like a tablet but then with two screens. The Nintendo 2DS will be available in both a combination of blue/black, red/black, blue/white and red/white. The cheaper handheld will come with a pricetag of 129,99 dollar and European retailers will be able to choose their own price, but it is most likely that it will be around the same price as in the United States but in euros.

This new handheld does not mean that Nintendo has given up hope on the 3D market, but they want to appeal to a wider audience. Nintendo calls the Nintendo 2DS a handheld that should be an entry for the handheld market. Lets hope that the Nintendo 2DS won't be causing confusion among parents when they are buying games for their kids. "I can only see DS and 3DS games", might be something that will happen in the future!

Are you excited for Nintendo's new handheld, or do you think it is a failure. The Nintendo 2DS will be in stores on the same date that Pokemon X&Y will be getting launched, and that way you can get the Nintendo 2DS for the same price of it's 3D version but then with a game!

Europe: PS+ September

PlayStation has announced the games that will be free to download for all PlayStation Plus members in September. The games that will be free this month definitely aren’t disappointing titles, and just like always there will be three new PlayStation 3 games and two new Vita games appearing in the PlayStation Plus instant game collection.

Assassin’s Creed III

That’s right, another AAA title this month. You probably know what the game is about, and since the game has been out for almost a year the chances are high that you have already played the game. Assassin’s Creed III will take you to America in the late 18th century, where you will take control of an assassin named Connor. The story of Connor will lead you through the game and you will meet many historic figures from the American history.

Jak and Daxter Trilogy

When you think about Naughty Dog, you might think about the Uncharted series and their latest game The Last of Us. But they have been making great games before they started with their most recent titles as well, and the Jak and Daxter Trilogy proves that. These platform action games can make you feel nostalgic if you have played these games in the past, and if you haven’t ever played them you should definitely give them a try. Note: Not sure if you will get the PS Vita version for free as well.

Stealth Inc: A Clone in the Dark (PS Vita)*

We haven’t been totally honest about how many Vita games you will be getting this month, since this game is both playable on the PlayStation 3 as it is on the PS Vita. This little 2D platformer will let you put some hours into it, if you don’t get too frustrated of some of the puzzles. While it isn’t the best 2D platformer out there, it’s still enjoyable.

Urban Trial Freestyle (PS Vita)

If you’re into motorbikes, this 2D race-stunting game might be something for you. The graphics of the game are pretty nice, and everything is 3D while the gameplay itself is in 2D. The game might be challenging, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the game.

New Little King’s Story (PS Vita)

The story is simple: a young boy finds a crown, and with that crown come certain powers. This adventure game sets place in a colorful fantasy world, where you will have to fight monsters and giants. You slowly gain more followers that listen to your command and you will have to make sure they will help you defeat your foes. A cute JRPG that will also appeal to kids, but if you dislike games that appear childish then you might want to skip this one.

EA releases more Dragon III details

A few years ago Bioware introduced their own western RPG called Dragon Age: Origins. With the first game in the Dragon Age series being a big success, it was pretty obvious that more Dragon Age games would follow. And that happened, with Dragon Age II being released in 2011 and Dragon Age: Inquisition planned for the fall of 2014. With not that much known about the third installment of the Dragon Age series, it's great that EA released some more info about the game.

The dev diary that has been released today shows us some of the features that we can expect in Inquisition, and it shows some pretty spectacular things. In the video we are shown a bruising and living world, and the looks are pretty great too. Bioware also promises a new level of immersion in their next-gen RPG with wide wastelands, woods and mountains to conquer. The game will also have random events in the game, which will sometimes surprise the player at unexpected moments in the game.

Instead of being just an agent in the Inquisition, this time you will be the one in command. You will have the power to send your agents into the world to complete missions. You will also have to make some moral choices, such as saving a village of burning down or letting it burn to the ground. These choices will have an effect on the game and let’s just hope that Bioware won’t make the same ‘mistake’ as they did with Mass Effect 3, that resulted in a lot of hate from the fans of the series.

Just as the other Dragon Age games you will be able to create your own character and this time you will be able to choose your race again, which wasn’t an option in Dragon Age II. Watch the dev diary below and you might be amazed, don’t give up on the Dragon Age series just yet!

Xbox One reduces countries for Day One release

If you were planning to get an Xbox One before Christmas, there might be some bad news for you. The Xbox One will start with a release in only 14 countries, instead of the 21 countries it had planned. The unlucky countries will be getting the console somewhere during 2014, not specifically announced when exactly.

Residents of the United States have no need to worry, since the countries that have been scrapped of the list for the first release round are all European. Those who live in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Russia, Switzerland and the Netherlands will have to wait to get their hands on Microsoft's new console, or visit another country where the Xbox One will be available. While this is good news for the countries it will be getting a day one release, it’s not sure how many Xbox Ones will be available in the countries that will still be getting the console.

Microsoft states that the delay is being caused because they have to adjust the console for each country. Translations have to be made, certain partnerships for apps have to be made and the voice-recognition has to be suitable for certain languages as well. Consumers in the countries that will be getting the Xbox One later that have a pre-order on the console before 08-14-13 will get a free game once the console gets released in their country.

What this will mean for the future of both the Xbox One and Microsoft isn’t sure yet, except for the fact that some consumers might jump over to the PlayStation 4 in order to get a next-gen console as soon as possible. But who knows what will happen, since Microsoft keeps making changes with their new console. Let’s just say that the countries that will be getting the console at launch can be deemed lucky (or unlucky if you really dislike the Xbox One).

World of Warcraft: New Expansion

Blizzard Entertainment has registered the trademark for The Dark Below. It’s unclear what Blizzard is planning to use the name for, and fans expect it will be either an expansion for Diablo III or one for World of Warcraft. It is expected that Blizzard will announce at least an expansion for Diablo III on GamesCom.

An user of MMOChampion, posted on the websites forum about the registered trademark. The registered trademark is for a videogame. It may be an entire new IP, but it is more likely that it will be an expansion for an existing IP such as World of Warcraft or Diablo III. If it would be a new IP that they would announce, it would probably have something to do with their upcoming game with codename Titan.

But since Blizzard aired a website titled Reaper of Souls today, which is linked to Diablo III, it is more likely The Dark Below will have something to do with World of Warcraft. There is a big chance that this is what Blizzard will be announcing at GamesCom, but they might also announce something next to the expansion of Diablo III. GamesCom 2013 will take place from August 21 to August 25, so be ready for any announcements made by Blizzard (and ofcourse a lot of other publishers that will be at GamesCom this year).

With Blizzard working on quite a few different IP's and BlizzCom coming up later this year, we can expect lots of announcements to be made. Whether we will hear something about Titan isn't sure though, with not a lot known about the game yet. But who knows, Blizzard might just surprise us!

Consoles: What do you get for free?

We know a lot about both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4, but there are some things that may not be very clear to most people. Both Sony and Microsoft offer an online service: Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus. While both subscriptions offer online multiplayer, you might also need a subscription for some other services that the consoles offer.

A lot of the services that come with the Xbox One will require a Live Gold membership, just as some third-party services. But exactly what will you be missing out if you don't have a membership to Xbox Live Gold? As example, if you want to spend the night watching a movie on Netflix through your Xbox One without a membership to Xbox Live Gold, you can't. Want to stream your gameplay to your friends, or record it with DVR? You can't. Want to call your grandma with Skype? You can't. Or what about a NFL match? Sorry, you can't.

It doesn't look very bright for the people that want to use their Xbox One as a multimedia device without a Xbox Live Gold membership, and that is a shame. While most consumers will probably get a membership, there will always be enough people that won't and these people won't get to enjoy some features you'd expect from an 8th gen console.

For those that will be getting a PlayStation 4, it looks a bit different. It's official that you won't require a PlayStation Plus subscription if you want to use Netflix. And also unlike the Xbox One, you will also be able to stream your gameplay and that DVR won't require PlayStation Plus.

But who knows, Microsoft might make another turn with the Xbox One since they have done it a few times already.

World of Warcraft: Connected Realms

News from Blizzard: during Patch 5.4 some servers will essentially be merged together. Why essentially? The new functionality, which is called Connected Realms will let players from two or more different realms play together as if they would be playing on the same server. They will be able to chat with each other, be in the same guild, access the same Auction House and also play the same dungeons or raids.

“Our goal with Connected Realms is to give players on lower-population realms more opportunities to group up, compete, and connect with other players to take on Azeroth’s bigger challenges. That sort of interaction is a big part of what makes World of Warcraft fun, and this feature will help us deliver that experience to even more players.” 

With the number of subscribers to the MMO going down and down, realms keep getting emptier and this might be a good solution to make the realms feel alive again. It actually is more of an upgrade than a whole new feature, since zones in the game already have players from multiple realms to make the world feel less empty.

Blizzard states that these Connected Realms should have no limitations and that players should be expecting the Connected Realms to happen somewhere during Patch 5.4 and for those that would like to see how it works exactly, these players can check out the Private Test Realms to see the feature live.

What this will mean both socially and economically for the game isn’t known yet. It will definitely have an effect on both, with the Auction House having more buyers and sellers. How it will work out socially depends on the players, no one knows how connected communities will react on each other. Are you prepared for Patch 5.4?

Ouya: 13,37 free credit

The backers of the Kickstarter project the Ouya are offered free credit for the store on the console. For those that don't know what the Ouya is, it's a console with the Android OS and it was one of the most successful Kickstarter projects ever.

The company behind the console had some problems with delivering the Ouya to its first backers, those who made the console a reality. On both the Kickstarter page and in the social media there were backers complaining about the delivery time of the console and that the console was in stores before the backers have received theirs.

The backers have received an email where CEO Julie Uhrman apologizes to all the backers that have had a problem with their Ouya. "If you feel you've had any kind of less-than-OUYA experience with us (a polite way of saying at any time you felt pissed at us for whatever the reason: late shipment, missing controllers, a delayed response to a CS ticket you opened), we'd like to give you a store credit of $13.37 to use toward any purchase(s) on DISCOVER." This means any backer would be able to request the credit, but it is actually meant for those that weren't pleased with their Ouya.

Offering this credit is also an advantage for the Ouya itself, since only about 27% of the users of the console have paid for a game since the official launch in the end of June. The free credit will probably change this, and it might push owners of the Ouya to buy some games with their own money.

So, all Kickstarter backers should check their mail inbox, and they might be able to buy a game without spending any money themselves. Everyone happy, right?

Xbox One GPU Update & more

You have probably heard that the Xbox One isn't as powerful as the PlayStation 4, but today the GPU of the Xbox One got an update. Corporate vice president Marc Whitten announced that the speed of the GPU has been increased by 6%, which pushes the 800 to 856 mhz. Since the rumours are that the PS4 will have the same GPU as the Xbox One that would mean the GPU in the Xbox One would now be a bit more powerful.

An update to the power of the GPU is always welcome, but will it really affect how well the console performs? Since the GPU's in both consoles aren't what you can call high-end graphic cards, will overclocking make the console a lot more powerful? A change like this can definitely tweak the fps in games by a few frames and that surely makes a difference.

The developers working on titles for the Xbox One have also received consoles with the updated GPU. They have also updated the graphics driver for the GPU of the console, so it is optimised for the Xbox One. He states that they used the base DirectX driver and that they "took out all the parts that don't look like Xbox One and you add in everything that really optimises that experience. Almost all of our content partners have really picked it up now, and I think that it's made a really nice improvement." However, it is fairly common that console manufacturers keep updating their development kits with updates and new drivers before the new console gets released.

There was also news about what they like to call asynchronous matchmaking for Live, which actually just means that it is smart matchmaking. In random matches you will be playing with other players that should share your skill-level and you will be able to choose with what kind of people you want to be playing. This means you won't have to listen to kids yelling through their mics and you might finally just hear the sound of your gun.

With Gamescom later this month, we are expecting to hear more about both consoles from Microsoft and Sony.

inFAMOUS: Second Son developer trailer

Sucker Punch, the studio behind the Sly and inFAMOUS series, released a developer diary video today. The video at the end of this post shows some in-game footage together with some developer commentary.

In the first two games of the inFamous series, electricity was your weapon and Cole was your protagonist. In InFAMOUS: Second Son you will be fighting with smoke (and more) and you’ll be taking the role of Delsin Rowe, and while the game definitely went through some changes and updates, the main mechanics of the game have stayed. In both inFAMOUS 1 and 2 Cole had to get his energy from electrical sources in order to use his abilities and in Second Son this didn’t really change, except that you now have to get your energy from smoke. You will be able to gather this energy from sources such as chimneys, fires and exploding cars (

The game itself looks pretty good so far: the way Delsin Rowe moves looks very smooth and detailed, and add some particles effects to this for a pretty awesome looking scene. With a bunch of excited game developers this game should be a nice addition to the inFAMOUS series. The game will be a PlayStation exclusive and won't appear on the Xbox One.