Blizzard announced today via the Diablo III website that both the real money and gold auction house will be closing in March 2014. Josh Mosquiera and John Hight took to the Diablo blog to explain their reasoning behind this decision. 

When we first set up the Auction House, it was meant to be a safe and convenient way for you to trade items, and in that aspect it was successful. But it became a double-edged sword.

The Auction House is described as detracting from the main focus of Diablo III, “killing monsters for cool loot”.  I could not agree more.  Being able to buy what others spent hours to farm does in fact seem to detract from the experience especially when the endgame is not diverse enough to give any sort of insanely new experience.  More information will be announced at Blizzcon. With the 2.0 patch enroute and the expansion I’m ready to fire up Diablo III again.  Who’s with me?

Oh, and here’s the video from their blog as well:

Video games based on blockbuster movies tend to be little more than neatly packaged piles of steaming hobo vomit.  Despite this universally acknowledged fact, publishers keep churning them out, which typically means that fans keep buying the stuff.  Well, here’s a truth bomb, fans.  At Paramount’s DVD release party for Stark Trek: Into Darkness, director J.J. Abrams expressed nothing but disappointment and deep emotional scarring because of the shoddily prepared video game adaptation of Star Trek.  “To me, the video game could have been something that actually really benefited the series,” Abrams said, “It was something that, without question, didn’t help the movie and arguably hurt it.”

Photo: Into Darkness Game Screen Shot

It’s not surprising that games based on movies have traditionally sucked.  They’re rushed into production so as to ensure that the game’s release coincides with the film’s in order to maximize profits—much like the cheap plastic choking hazards found within the confines of a McDonald’s Happy Meal.  Considering the amount of time that goes into a halfway decent game, it’s no wonder that these hastily produced money pits are terrible and soul crushing.

Other than expressing his utter distaste for the Star Trek video game, Abrams referenced a meeting he had with Valve president Gabe Newell at the DICE (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) summit in Las Vegas.  The pair discussed a whole mess of future collaborations between Valve and Bad Robot—including the possibility of Bad Robot helming film adaptations of Half-Life and Portal.  Though the argument that video games based on movies always suck can be backed up with a truckload of evidence, the same charges could be leveled against movies based on video games.  That being said, I have a feeling that Abrams would treat Half-Life and Portal with the respect they deserve—if the films actually get made, that is.  Abrams and Newell also discuss the possibility of Bad Robot collaborating with Valve on a video game project, which is a bit more exciting.  It’s good to see that some legitimately accomplished members of the film and video game society are exploring the true potential that exists between movie/video game collaborations.  Check out the whole Abrams/Newell discussion here, and enjoy their combined nerdery:

It’s so predictable it’s sad.

1. Mass shooting occurs
2. Gun control proponents blame guns
3. Pro-gun people blame everything BUT guns (specifically video games)
4. Real issues get missed (specifically mental health and how violent, mentally ill people get their hands on weapons)
5. Wait for next, inevitable mass shooting.

And so this morning when the professional trolls over at Fox and Friends and across the conservative media sphere (golly, do you think it was maybe somehow coordinated?) decided to blame video games on a day when much of nerddom is rejoicing over the release of Grand Theft Auto V, we have to say something.

We’ve opined on this before. Repeatedly. I don’t think it comes as any shock that there is absolutely zero link between violent video games and gun violence. Yes, please go read this amazing rundown of facts, but here’s a short version told in a picture:

If there was literally any causal link between the two, then you should be able to see it there. But somehow, the countries who play more video games than the US still have less violence. FAR less. 

So what’s new? Well, unfortunately, while Congress seems unable to act on anything of actual importance these days, they did somehow manage to pass S.134: The Violent Content Research Act of 2013 out of committee, meaning it could be brought to the Senate for a vote at any time. The bill would ask the National Institutes of Health and Center for Disease Control to study if  video games “have a unique impact on children, considering in particular video games’ interactive nature and the extraordinarily personal and vivid way violence might be portrayed in such video games.” SPOILER ALERT: they don’t.

Unfortunately, this seems to be also one of those issues both Democrats and Republicans can agree on: blame video games! So it looks like we could waste more time and money studying this issue instead of ignoring the non-existent connection between violent video games and mass shootings. But it’s probably going to be the thing we take action on, because it’s something we can do.

But I know, I know. . .many of these shooters played video games. Guess what? They all also wore pants. They breathe oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. They probably all ate from one restaurant at one time (I’ll pick Arby’s and Long John Silver’s at random).

See, here’s how science works: to prove something caused something else, you have to take a randomized sample of people, and have one control group of people not do the thing you’re studying and then have the experiment group do the thing you’re studying.

So they all played video games. So do most males age 13-30. But there is no signicant difference in the video game playing habits of those who go on mass shootings compared to those who do not. But it sure makes an easy scapegoat. 

On a side note, I also had a friend just post this on Facebook:

Because if we’re going to start taking anecdotal evidence, let’s take the good with the bad.

Rich and Tom have returned with another weekly!  Recovering from SLCC, they are ready to cover the latest video game news and touch briefly on iPhone iOS 7 and the Vita TV, new PS Vita, and more!  If you’re lucky you may even get to hear Daft Punk via Mario Paint!

Microsoft just announced via the Xbox Wire that their console will launch in all 13 markets on November 22, 2013.  That is exactly one week after Sony launches their gaming beast and one week before black friday. It is also notably exactly 8 years after the launch of Xbox 360 which launched Nov. 22, 2005. Now that we have the dates for our slugfest this season is ramping up to be an interesting one.  Sony is clearly hoping to beat Msoft by being the cheapest and first out the gates while Microsoft is aiming at a huge launch lineup and their own indoctrination.  The crazy thing being seen, at least in the social circles I run in is that most, while excited for the Playstation 4 have decided on the Xbox One.

As of late I have found myself struggling.  Trutfhully the only games in next gen that have me chomping at the bit are not releasing until next year or are available on PC as well.  

Let’s see where you folks sit! Have you pre-ordered your super computer yet, or are you waiting for that golden title to snag your cash?  Comment below!

Photos: Comcept LLC

Fans of Mega Man are no stranger to Keiji Inafune, this former Capcom producer created a character that stole the hearts of millions of gamers world wide.  After leaving Capcom Inafune went on to show his darker side by releasing Soul Sacrifice for the PS Vita, and has now set his sites on Kickstarter.

After a countdown from the number 9 at his panel during Pax, the Kickstarter project was announced.  With a goal of $900,000, the project is already 75% funded not even a full day in.  Promising to bring gamers “classic Japanese side-scrolling evolved”, this game looks absolutely phenomenal.  This game is being developed for PC with gamepad support and like all projects comes with multiple backing options. 

The backing tiers are as follows:

• $5 – Special access to the Mighty No. 9 forums and your name in the credits
• $20 – A digital copy of the game
• $40 – Artbook, Strategy Guide, and retro style game manual
• $60 – printed game box, printed manual, and exclusive in-game golden hero
• $99 – Beta Code, In Game Transformation, and a T-Shirt!
• $120 – Printed Art Book/ Strat Guide
• $175 – Enemy Mascot Plushie and other Region Shirt

The offers grow past this up to and including dinner with Keiji Inafune himself! That $10,000 prize only has 2 spots left. If you want to support something amazing, it’s time to jump in and spend $20.00!  You can donate HERE

Via – Polygon 

If you’ve put enough time and killing into Borderlands 2 that you’re stuck at the current level cap then you’ll be anxiously awaiting next week’s “Vault Hunter Upgrade Pack Two: Digistruct Peak Challenge.” With this pack you’ll get to level 72, and then some. If you complete the Digistruct Peak Challenge you’ll move into “Overpower” level one. You can then upgrade your “Overpower” all the way to level eight. Which basically means this add-on can get you to level 80, but they’re calling it something different. The DLC will be $5 when it releases September 3rd. This add-on will not be included in the Game of the Year Edition releasing October 8th.

Square Enix has had a string of games not meeting expectations lately, but they’re clearly facing the exact opposite problem with Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. The MMO released Tuesday and its day one popularity was more than the servers could accept. Squenix released a statement on Facebook in which they took a surprising step: “Important Notice About FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn – Due to the overwhelmingly positive response to FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn, we are currently experiencing extremely long wait times for users to be able to log in and play.

“As a temporary measure, we will halt sales of FINAL FANTASY XIV: A REALM REBORN’s digital download products so we can accommodate all of those wishing to play. We are working to expand our server capacity in the coming days. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this causes.”

Microsoft has taken the XBox 360 one step further down the road of being your complete entertainment box. Live Gold members who also have a subscription to Time Warner Cable can now use their 360 to stream TV from HBO, MTV, Comedy Central, FX, Nickelodeon, AMC, and about 300 other channels. An On Demand service could also be added before the end of the year. Which is fine I guess, but don’t you already have a cable box that does this? The only benefit I’m seeing is if you travel with your 360 or if you have to pay Time Warner for your cable box, which you can now return since your game console is doing it for you.

Bioware has finally addressed how they plan to import your decisions from Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age II into the next-gen Dragon Age: Inquisition. Their answer seems functional, but also inconvenient. Dragon Age Keep allows players to create “a Dragon Age historical world state to your exact specifications.” The Keep is basically a Cloud world where you can tinker with each of the variables and decisions involved the previous two games to create a world with a history exactly like you’ve created in the game… or completely different, if that’s your bag. Which is where the inconvenience gets involved. Executive Producer Mark Darrah explains that an import from DAO to DA2 “brought across something in the order of 600 different data points.” Am I going to be expected to remember how I handled each of those 600 data points when I create my universe in the Keep? I understand the hurdles involved in sending a save from one console generation to the next, especially when you consider some gamers may be switching brands at the same time. Still, the ideal way to handle this would be upload your existing PS3 or 360 save to the Keep, give the player the option to change something if they’d like, then send it to Inquisition on PS4 or XB1. It would be especially great if this could switch brand formats as well (PS3 to XB1 or 360 to PS4). While that isn’t currently built into the Keep, it’s not out of the question. “We are continuing to investigate ways in which save files from previous games could be used to populate the initial world state of the Dragon Age Keep. We’ll provide more information on this in the months to come,” explained Darrah. You sign up for the Dragon Age Keep beta now. The beta starts early next year. The full version will be available to everyone a few months before Inquisition‘s 2014 launch.

Have PS Plus? Want to know what you’re getting in the Instant Game Collection in September? Well here it is:

• Resident Evil Chronicles HD Edition (PS3)
• ICO (PS3)
• Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (PSP, Vita)
• Rayman Origins (Vita)
• Galaga Legions DX (PS3)

No word yet about the order these are coming, but they are all on the slate for September. You can also expect the normal run of sales and discounts.

But don’t be bummed XBox Live Gold members. You may not have PS+, but you do get Games for Gold in September. Look forward to Magic: The Gathering 2013 (September 1-15) and Rainbow Six: Vegas (September 16-30).

One of the first games we’ll get to play on the next-gen hardware is Techland’s Dying Light. Having succeeded with Dead Island, they’re returning to the zombie genre and they’re giving preorders first access to a special mode, “Be the Zombie.” This will be the game’s only PvP mode and is available at launch only for preorders. As a zombie, players will take the role of a “night hunter,” a special zombie class with superhuman speed and agility – as well as a tendril that allows for Bionic Commando style grappling. Intrigued? The 2014 release date is still unconfirmed, but you’ll want to get your order in soon.

A new feature has been announced for both PlayStation 4 and XBox One. Frankly, it seems obvious in our connected world full of instant gratification. Since you can use your mobile device to purchase content, it only makes sense that you should be able to download content on the go as well. Shuhei Yoshida described the function on PS4 via Twitter, saying simply “When you buy a PS4 game on smartphone, it will wake your PS4 up to start downloading the game. PS4 goes back to sleep after that.” Marc Whitten took a bit more of the hype man approach, but said basically the same thing on Twitter, “Yes! Of course you can download while you are away. #xboxone – Always up to date, always your console. The beauty of low power mode!”

And that will conclude this week’s gaming news. But we’ll be back Tuesday, despite it probably being a slow news day as everyone’s going to be too full of beer and barbecue this Labor Day weekend to bother announcing anything. Enjoy a safe holiday.

The creators of Fallout: Nuka Break, Mineshaft, and many other great fan-films have released the this incredible League of Legends inspired story. The first, focusing on Lee Shin is what I consider to be awe-inspiring. You don’t have to play LOL to grasp the story told by these great artists. At times the special effects don’t rival your usual summer block-buster. But they do rival X-men Origins: Wolverine. This is a great watch and will help kill of the Friday that is following you around so closely, reminding you that work is almost over, poking at you, taunting you. Check out the video and leave us a comment.

Thomas Winkley is the Video Game Editor for Big Shiny Robot!, you can find him on twitter @thomaswinkley, or via email thomas@bigshinyrobot.com

I didn’t evolve into a heavy gamer as my parents may have expected, I would rather play Mario Kart over Call of Duty any day, but one franchise I’ve stuck with my entire life is TMNT I’ve played every incarnation I could get my hands on. They’ve all been good enough, but…

I’ll cut right to the chase, I’m geeking out.

If my childhood self would have found a lamp, I would have asked Shaquille O’Neal for this game.

It has everything I ever hoped for when it comes to a Turtles gamine experience.

Stylistically it looks fantastic. The aesthetic of the turtles is loosely based on the current Nickelodeon show (if you aren’t watching it, check it out, I’d bet you’ll like it) but was made to look a bit darker, a little edgier. The good people at Red Fly Games were clear that they were aiming more toward the old school fan with hints at the comic books and movies from the 80’s and 90’s.
Your chosen character moves fluidly, grinding and flipping down rails and over structures. Each turtle has special moves specific to them and their personality.

There is a solo mission available but I’m more excited that finally….. FINALLY…. there is four player co-op, so you and a few friends can fight over your favorite turtle and give shell to the Shredder.

Out of the Shadows sits well below your average game price point at a measly $14.99, save the rest of your money for pizza and hide in your room for a couple of days, evil doesn’t fight itself.

P.S. Mikey break dances.

Warning- Listening to Vanilla Ice while playing is not recommended.

TMNT- Out of the Shadows dropped for Xbox and PC today and hits the Playstation Network September 24.

Via Kotaku

Nintendo announced the date for Legend of Zelda: Link Between Two Worlds today. It will hit shelves November 22, 2013 for $39.99. Of course you can purchase it digitally for the same price, or dance around happily at the game store with your other Zelda fanatic friends. I don’t really care how you go about buying it, just do it. Then when you’re done, go ahead and plug it into your brand new, shiny, Nintendo 2DS to avoid those nasty headaches, and you know, one of the biggest selling points of Nintendo’s latest handheld. The point is, you should be buying this new Zelda, otherwise you have no soul, or friends. Go pre-order this you friendless disgrace.

Thomas Winkley is the Gaming Editor for Big Shiny Robot! Find him on twitter: @thomaswinkley, or via email thomas@BigShinyRobot.com