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Microsoft's Next-Generation Xbox Reveal: Liveblog and Discussion

Rory Young — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:51:01 -0700

Hey everyone! Welcome to the official Neoseeker liveblog and discussion thread for Microsoft's next-generation Xbox reveal event. If you haven't already, head over to Microsoft's livestream, watch live from your Xbox 360, or flip the TV channel to Spike TV. It's all coming at ya live starting at 1:00 PM ET/10:00 PT (about 20 minutes left). If you're wondering what to expect, check out our rumor roundup, or heck... just rant and rave in the comments (or hopefully chatbox) as you please.

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Rumor Roundup: What to expect from today's next-gen Xbox reveal

Rory Young — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:32:23 -0700

With the next-gen Xbox quite literally less than an hour away from officially being unveiled, I wanted to quickly drop a post going over what to expect from the event. We've already gone through the PlayStation 4 announcement, but this could still be one of the first console announcement experiences for our young or newly discovered nerds out there. Here's a collection of rumors, some closer to reality than others, about what to expect from today's next-gen Xbox unveiling.

Hardware

It's actually rather surprising, but everyone's sort of been in agreement about the specifications of the next-gen Xbox. To be honest, they're not that dissimilar to what we know about the PlayStation 4, though you'll have to go to talk to one of our hardware guru to figure out exactly what those differences are.

Basically, the rumor is that Microsoft is planning to release two SKUs. One that will serve as a set-top box with functionality like Apple TV, but can play certain digital games, and another that's a full blown console. Both are said to be perpetually online, though Microsoft itself has said that single-player games will be playable offline without issue.

Price

Rumors on price have been fairly stable, much like our expectations from the next-gen Xbox's hardware specs. It's worth saying now, however, that we do not expect Microsoft to announce prices at this event. They might not even announce prices at E3. They could take it all the way and only announce the price a month or two in advance of the console's release. Nevertheless, here's the rumors.

Yup, that's it. The rumor is the big Xbox will sell for $499 and the small one for $299. There are also rumors about a multi-year contract price plan that will result on either a free console or a cheaper one. That price plan will of course depend on perhaps the bigger mystery: What's Microsoft doing with the Xbox Live system? Will it still cost money to play games online? Will they charge as much or more as with the Xbox 360? Will someone make me a peanut butter sandwich?

Release Date

Again, surprisingly all the rumors here point to a specific release window: November. This is the same window that we're hearing about Sony. It makes sense, as November is the month that most consoles are released in and also the month most consoles are sold. Got to get that Christmas money.

Rumor: Next Xbox reveal set for May 21, launch in early November for $500

Start camping out now.

Games

Here's the big mystery: What games will be revealed at the event? To be honest, beyond a couple of already confirmed third party games it's all a big mystery. Here's what games we know about and also a few that we're thinking about.

Criterion Creative Director not working on a racing game, not Burnout, Need for Speed or Road Rash
Forzavista trademarked ahead of tomorrow's Xbox event, likely a feature of Forza 5
Infinity Ward drops a Call of Duty: Ghosts teaser for next week's reveal at the next-gen Xbox event
Brace yourselves, soccer fans, EA will continue making FIFA games until 2022 - EA Sports dropped a teaser that they would show off the next FIFA at today's Xbox reveal.
This is Battlefield 4, "Fishing in Baku" reveal trailer is 17 minutes of outstanding visuals
Respawn Entertainment files trademark for Titan, Blizzard should have put a ring on it

That's only say half of the rumors going around. We could also see Ryze from Crytek and a half dozen other rumored next-gen experiences we've already heard about. If they dropped a Witcher 3 demo on me I might faint.

Beyond Forza, however, we have very little idea of what first party studios Microsoft will be bringing out on stage. Here are some of the rumored studios working on titles for next-gen:

343 Industries - Halo
Lionhead Studios
Rare
Microsoft Studios - Next-gen "core cinematic title"
Black Tusk Studios
Playful Learning
Platform Next Studios
Skybox Sports

Microsoft could be making it rain games soon.

Uh, well that's about it for now. I could go over some more rumors like what's lined up for Xbox Live (Skype, streaming, Pando, etc.), but I want to publish this before the event actually starts so I hope this will do! Check out our upcoming liveblog when it hits and have fun! Next-gen Xbox, everyone! It doesn't happen very often!

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Panopticon becomes Freedom Wars, launching in 2014 as a PlayStation Vita exclusive

Rory Young — Tue, 21 May 2013 08:40:52 -0700

That oddball Japanese game from Sony Japan Studio revealed last week has received a quick rebranding. What was initially called Panopticon is now named Freedom Wars. Described as a "multiplayer action game," or in other words heavily inspired by Monster Hunter, Freedom Wars will cap out at 8 players co-op and competitive modes. Unfortunately Freedom Wars will be exclusive to the PS Vita and remains a Japan-only release for now. Expect it out there in 2014.

So what about the insanity that was the first trailer for Panopticon/Freedom Wars? Well, players will take on the role of a convict in a post-apocalyptic future. No word on if you're a robot, alien or just super evolved human cyborg anime badass. You've been sentenced to a million years of hard labor fighting aliens known as Abuctors. Through fighting them and rescuing civilians and allies you can reduce your sentence until ultimately you're free... and still an anime robot kid.

Expect more information on Freedom Wars soon. Perhaps not at E3, unless they're going to announce it's a global release, but probably some time in the months ahead. Again, Freedom Wars is a PlayStation Vita exclusive planned for release in 2014.

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Forzavista trademarked ahead of tomorrow's Xbox event, likely a feature of Forza 5

Troy Crumley — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:16:18 -0700

Tomorrow morning (in the U.S., at least), we'll finally learn what Microsoft has in store for the next Xbox. One of the possible launch titles could be Forza 5, and it may have a feature that's been recently trademarked by Microsoft. The listing is for something called Forzavista, which is "a feature of interactive video game software which allows players to obtain statistical information of internal and external features of a vehicle and to virtually navigate and operate those vehicles."

In Forza Motorsport 4, there is a mode called Autovista that lets gamers explore high-detail models of various cars while Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson provides narration. Forzavista could be the evolution of that mode to show off the next-gen graphics present in Forza 5. It'd also be a good way to show what the next Xbox can do at launch, and maybe serve as a comparison down the road. Hopefully it keeps Clarkson on narrating duties, but we'll just have to see if anything is mentioned at tomorrow's reveal.

The Xbox event is planned for a 10:00 AM Pacific start time tomorrow, May 21. You can watch the stream on Xbox.com, through your Xbox 360, or just keep it tuned right here to Neoseeker for all the information.

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Splinter Cell: Blacklist video introduces co-op and Sam Fisher's partner, Isaac Briggs

Lydia Sung — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:59:34 -0700

Even badasses need help now and then. Enter Isaac Briggs, Sam Fisher's co-op buddy in Splinter Cell: Blacklist.

A new Blacklist trailer offers us a glimpse of the two men working together to kill targets and.. climb walls. Yes. Sometimes, even Fisher needs a little boost to get over a concrete barricade. I'm digging Brigg's design, personally.

For those without a stable connection or prefer couch co-op, Blacklist will support split-screen as well as online play. An extra co-op mission is also being included with GameStop's pre-order bonuses, which isn't much of a surprise, really.

Anyway, check out the trailer, starring Fisher and Briggs. They can fight over who has the cooler name.

Co-op trailer - YouTube

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Rhode Island set to sell Kingdoms of Amalur assets in order to try and recover part of $130 ...

Troy Crumley — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:41:53 -0700

It looks like Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning may have a new owner before long, as the state of Rhode Island is preparing to sell off the IP and all associated assets. Providence lawyer Richard J. Land confirmed the sale is going to take place, but didn't disclose which companies are interested in it. The sale is an effort to try and recover some of the $130 million debt after the closing of KoA:R creator 38 Studios.

Everything associated with Amalur, including concept drawings and art work, are being included in the sale. Land didn't try and guess what the value of the assets are, but seems positive it'll be sold: "Who knows what the value ultimately will be. But there is interest in the assets."

Once the Kingdoms of Amalur IP is in new hands, hopefully something can be done with it. Maybe there can even be a patch for the game to fix any outstanding issues that weren't resolved before the studios' collapse. Even though it never became a huge financial success and ultimately led to the closing of 38 Studios and Big Huge Games, KoA:R was generally well received by fans.

In other KoA:R related news, the suit against Curt Schilling and various executives is set to start on Wednesday. Rhode Island filed the lawsuit back in November, and now it's finally reaching the courts. The suit should be able to recover the majority of the debt, with the IP sale covering the rest.

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Watch Dogs pre-order incentives detailed, including some locked gameplay content and other perks

Lydia Sung — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:00:33 -0700

How about that Watch Dogs game, huh? Ubisoft today released pre-order details for North Americans who're planning to snag the game from Amazon.com or GameStop, encouraging consumers to reserve their copies in exchange for in-game perks. Those perks range from physical goodies to actual locked missions. Well, locked for anyone who doesn't pre-order.

Here's a breakdown of the content:

GameStop

The Palace Pack
- Single-player mission
- Investigation bonus: Unlocks exclusive investigation opportunities inside the network.
- ATM hack boost: Increases cash rewards when hacking into bank accounts.
Exclusive poster by Alex Ross

Amazon.com

Signature Shot Pack
- Exclusive single-player mission
- Biometric Assault Rifle
- Black Viceroy's outfit

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It's possible some of this stuff will be released later (or at launch) as paid DLC, for anyone who would rather not reserve the game but still wants the bonus stuff. No promises, though.

Watch Dogs will be out for Xbox 360, PS3, PC, PS4, and Wii U on November 19. Ubi also mentions availability for "other next generation consoles," so we're thinking that includes the next-gen Xbox as well.

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Shadow Warrior announced, reimagining of 3D Realms' classic FPS from the Hard Reset developers

Rory Young — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:03:47 -0700

Shadow Warrior, the cult classic FPS from 3D Realms, is back. A reimagining is being made by Hard Reset developers Flying Wild Hog, but lets hope they leave out the stereotypes and racism. Lo Wang returns (okay, off to a bad start already) to acquire the legendary blade Nobitsura Kage, and then battle the horde of demons he likely unknowingly unleashes. Sword, gun, magic -- all in a day's word for Lo Wang (guh).

Devolver Digital CFO Fork Parker dropped this gem in the press release, knowing full well most people would read that far:

"If you read this far you should know that you tangle with twin female assassins and slice off demon heads to use as weapons. It’s super ****ing rad."

Some of the unique features in Shadow Warrior will allow players to dual wield a katana and a demon's head, or swap to a "formidable arsenal" of awesome guns. There's magic too, because what's the point of acquiring a legendary sword if it isn't magic. And of course, it's all upgradable through Shadow Warrior's "Variable Upgrade System."

The original Shadow Warrior was released in 1997, almost sixteen years ago, and while it does have its own cult following it's also just as well known for the controversy over claims the game was straight up racist. Basically, it was 3D Realms using the cred they got from Duke Nukem to build a game with virtually no respect for Asian culture.

It's not 1997 anymore, Flying Wild Hog is not 3D Realms, yet here's Shadow Warrrior's announcement trying to capitalize on the Asian protagonist's name being a penis joke. "Who Wants Some Wang?" is the first line I read after the title. Guys, you've got some killer action that, judging from the trailer, feels like a Kill Bill game. Go with that. Don't go with the stereotypes and tangling with, "twin female assassins."

Shadow Warrior is planned for release on PC and other digital download services this fall, with a next-gen console release in 2014.

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Batman: Arkham Origins debut trailer adds Deadshot to the mix, odd Queen Industries reference

Rory Young — Mon, 20 May 2013 09:23:26 -0700

Warner Bros. dropped the debut trailer for Batman: Arkham Origins on us today. It's 100% cinematic, no gameplay or anything, but I doubt fans of Batman or the Arkham series will be too disappointed with that. As we know already, Black Mask has hired a number of assassins to hunt down the Bat in Arkham Origins. We know about Deathstroke already, but today's trailer adds Deadshot to the mix.

That's not all, of course, as there's at least one reference in the trailer that should have fans scratching their heads. Queen Industries pops up on a bomb, which could either be a heavy-handed Easter Egg or could imply that we'll see Green Arrow's introduction to the Arkham universe. I'm sure there's more details to uncover in the trailer, as well as the new screenshots below. Let me know if you see anything particularly exciting.

While I understand it's a trailer for a video game and that it demands action, intensity -- something to keep bros eyes focused onscreen -- I had some pretty severe cognitive dissonance seeing Batman dive right into a fight with Deathstroke. Batman's a detective, Deathstroke's an assassin, but instead of preparing traps or being wary of the enemy's traps? Nah, lets fight one on one in this factory yard. Oh, Deadshot decided to shoot Deathstroke's sword instead of Batman's head? What an odd choice.

Batman: Arkham Origins will release on PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U on October 25 later this year. This is the first Arkham not made by Rocksteady Games, instead by Warner Bros. Games Montreal, but I bet we'll never even notice a difference.

PS, yes, one of the screenshots has the Joker in it.

Official trailer - YouTube

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PlayStation 4 teaser features a blurry black box, "See it First on 6/10/2013"

Rory Young — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:55:53 -0700

It's the day before Microsoft's next-gen Xbox reveal, Sony had to do something, right? And so they have, releasing a 40-second teaser trailer for the PlayStation 4 console reveal. The trailer features a blurry black box on a white background with flashing images of the DualShock 4 and its camera. Then at the end the promise we've been waiting for: "See it First on 6/10/2013."

In my mind Sony and Microsoft are two office buildings across from each other and today's teaser is just enough to make Microsoft open the blinds and glare. Sony, returning from a coffee break, turns and lifts his cup. "Good luck tomorrow," Sony yells before turning and laughing. Microsoft will close the blind in a rush, all the while muttering, "Oh that Sony, they'll see. They'll see! Won't they everyone?"

The reality of the situation is that most everyone involved in the PlayStation 4 and next-gen Xbox announcements is probably so busy they could care less about what the other side is doing. And a good thing too! Console generations don't come around so often anymore. Let's make sure this time is better than ever.

Tune in for Sony's full reveal of the PlayStation 4 console itself on 6/10/2013, during the company's E3 press conference. It starts at 6PM PST and you can "RSVP" to see it on the PlayStation website.

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The New Xbox: How would you improve Xbox LIVE?

Lydia Sung — Mon, 20 May 2013 03:23:18 -0700

How long has the current gen been current? We stand now on the precipice of a new generation in gaming, and always-online seems more prevalent than ever. Thanks to services like Steam, Origin, and Xbox LIVE, gamers find themselves connected to each other and games in new ways. I'm not just talking about multiplayer or anything, because as we all know, these services -- free and paid -- provide so much more than just a means for playing online.

With the next-gen Xbox (a.k.a. the Durango) reveal just a day away, let's focus on Microsoft's wildly successful Xbox LIVE service. This reveal will be the Xbox brand's leap into next-gen, making it the perfect opportunity for Microsoft to show off what they've got in store for LIVE. With this in mind, I turn to the community and ask this very simple question: what do you want from Xbox LIVE?

Now, I'm not the pickiest person in the world. Usually. So when it comes to my personal wants, the list doesn't stretch very long. I've had Xbox LIVE Gold for years now, maybe since 2006, just for Halo and Burnout. Over time, that library expanded, and Xbox LIVE continued to evolve alongside my gaming tastes. Unlike most everyone I speak to, I never had any issues with the major visual makeovers, and I've had few complaints that I can really recall. Oh, I've got my gripes. The recent Kinect-centric one could use some tweaking, and Avatar items are way overpriced. Microsoft's focus on turning the Xbox into a broader entertainment machine may also be cause for worry, namely due to a concern that they might shift focus away from actual games.

[image1 link=yes width=650 height=331]
Don't own a Kinect? Too bad, suckahs.

That's a concern I can relate to, as someone who uses Xbox LIVE primarily as a gaming machine, to play games on and interact with other gamers. Okay, so I watch DVDs on it too, and I know enough people dig the Netflix service. I'm not saying services and apps should be done away with, especially with how much I've been using the Twitch.tv app for League of Legends streams, but the gaming aspect should be prioritized.

Oh, I've already got a few ideas for how the LIVE service can improve. I should probably mention that all this pertains to Gold membership, since that's the paid version.

1. Game of the Month program.

How about some more of this? I'm actually thinking of PlayStation Plus and Sony's free Game of the Month perk, because that's absolute genius, right there. Let paying consumers have a chance at scoring some freebies, which really aren't 100% free in the end, because we're still paying a monthly/annual subscription fee.

2. Avatar store sales.

The little things matter, and those "little things" ought to include a better Avatar Marketplace. Oh, don't laugh. You care about how your Avatar looks as much as I care about mine. I mentioned already that I find most of the Avatar content overpriced, sure, but their pricing wouldn't be nearly so bad if Gold members could get some proper discounts. I'm not asking Microsoft to lower the prices on a permanent basis. No, I understand the need to make money, especially if there are users out there sticking to Silver. But for those of us who shell out an annual subscription fee, getting a better deal on this sort of thing would be pretty great.

Heck, how about some free Avatar items? Can't imagine that hurts anyone's bottom line too much, especially if they're a limited offering and go back to being paid after a period of time.

Who doesn't want more of these? No one, that's who.

3. DISCOUNTS! All the discounts.

This goes with what I just talked about, but in a broader sense. Hell, we're forking over $60 a year (standard, anyway) for the ability to game online, which competitors already allow at no extra cost. How is Xbox LIVE to compete? Give us some more of those sweet-sweet discounts. More games, more DLC. Offering more subscription discounts would be amazing, as well. It'd certainly boost Microsoft's bottom line, too, because few consumers out there can resist any sort of ad with the words "X percent off!"

Microsoft should also push more aggressively to have service providers offer more deals, maybe monthly or periodic specials for Gold subscribers. I understand they also want to make money, so making services completely free to Gold users probably won't fly with the likes of HBO or any third-party provider. Not to mention things can get complicated when licensed content (i.e. music) comes into play.

4. More services.

Speaking of services, how about more of these? Granted, this is just icing on the cake, because I'm fairly certain Microsoft is already actively working on bringing in more services to LIVE. I was pretty dang excited about the recent addition of Twitch.tv, which I've been using more than any other third-party app or service on LIVE.

Twitch is also a favorite of mine because it's actually, well, gaming oriented. Netflix, Zune, and HBO Go are all well and good, but general entertainment shouldn't completely overtake Xbox LIVE. That's really a major reason I'm so excited for Twitch.tv -- it's actually relevant to my interests.

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Modern gaming is pushing consumers forward with all new ways to connect. Yes, that sounds completely hokey, but it's also true. Still, consumers are a wide-ranging and fickle bunch, and just because one person wants something doesn't mean we all want the same thing. At the end of the day, however, no one wants to be nickel-and-dimed.

So all that said, I leave the rest of this discussion to you, readers. What would you like from Xbox LIVE? How would you improve the service?

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Infinity Ward drops a Call of Duty: Ghosts teaser for next week's reveal at the next-gen Xbox event

Rory Young — Sun, 19 May 2013 17:10:25 -0700

Only two more days until Microsoft's big Xbox reveal, where Call of Duty: Ghosts will be shown live to the public for the first time. In order to keep the millions of fans of Call of Duty on the edge of their seat, Infinity Ward decided to drop a short teaser. The handful of frames packaged into a Vine video may not be what you're expecting, but for fans hungry for anything... it'll serve.

Rather than showing a brief moment of gameplay or story or... well, whatever, what they do show is Call of Duty: Ghosts' skeleton. A mish-mash of images taken from development showing off character frames and animations -- what's likely to be the engine behind the game. If Infinity Ward is showcasing its tech before its gameplay, they must really think they've got something special lined up for next-gen.

Call of Duty: Ghosts is planned for release on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 starting November 5. It'll then come to next-gen consoles, the PlayStation 4 and the next-gen Xbox, at a later date. Tune in Tuesday for the live reveal of the next Xbox and our first look at Call of Duty: Ghosts live.

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Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- announced by Arc System Works, Sol Badguy and Ky Kiske return

Rory Young — Sun, 19 May 2013 10:12:55 -0700

During the Arc System Works Festival taking place in Japan this weekend Arc System Works surprised fans (some fans may not have been surprised), announcing the next title in the hugely popular Guilty Gear franchise. Introducing the uniquely named Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-, which will be follow up the 2009 release of Guilty Gear 2: Overture. Set to a trashy Japanese metal tune, Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-'s announcement trailer should leave fans blown away.

"Are you ready to rock?" In Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-'s launch trailer we're once again introduced to the series' popular characters: Sol Badguy and Ky Kiske. The two tango, swinging sword and smiling the entire time. A bit of soft plot fills the introduction, followed by some sweet fighting game action. Mix in some, yes, fully 3D animation and combo moves, along with some anime cutscene and you've got a perfect Japanese fighting game trailer. Plus, a tease at the end!

Arc System Works proudly declares "A New Era Is Coming" with the announcement of Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-. Details are currently scant, and while the trailer has English subtitles, this game is clearly teased for Japanese audiences at this point in time. Hopefully we'll hear more information going into E3.

Thanks for the tip, A Person!

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Assassin's Creed movie, starring Michael Fassbender, coming to theaters Memorial Day 2015

Rory Young — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:12:50 -0700

A late Friday announcement has revealed that Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed will be coming to the big screen on Memorial Day, May 22, in 2015. Previously, we learned that Michael Fassbender would both be starring an co-producing the game-gone-movie and that filming was aimed to begin this summer. Not much else is known, the project doesn't even have a director yet, but the reality of this movie's existence is quite apparent.

Assassin's Creed is being made by Ubisoft's newly formed studio, formed only in January, Ubisoft Motion Pictures in conjunction with 20th Century Fox. UMP is also in the process of kicking off production of Splinter Cell and Ghost Recon movies. With this release announcement, Assassin's Creed appears to have taken the lead in development.

However, it should be noted that Ubisoft could be playing a very risky game with the Assassin's Creed movie. There's no argument that Memorial Day is one of the biggest weekends for movies in the year, but dear me there is going to be huge competition. Launching three weeks earlier will be Avengers 2, sequel to the highest grossing movie ever. Also expected to launch in the weeks prior to Memorial Day? The next Star Wars movie. Let's hope everyone wants to see a few movies on Memorial Day.

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag will be launching this fall, which should help us measure just how excited gamers still are about the Assassin's Creed franchise. Or will the success of the game going into 2015 even matter considering its overall success to date? Time will tell.

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Dust: An Elysian Tail hitting PC May 24, the Blade of Ahrah and the power it controls awaits

Rory Young — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:22:09 -0700

Praise be! Dust: An Elysian Tail's XBLA exclusivity window has come to an end and will be coming to PC, via Steam, on May 24. Yes, that's just one week away! One of the most brilliant 2D side-scrolling action games in years is finally spreading its wings on another platform. Oh, to finally experience Dust's hand-painted art in glorious resolutions only capable on a computer monitor.

For those who missed it the first time Dust: An Elysian Tail is the story of ... err, Dust, a mysterious figure and his powerful sword the Blade of Ahrah. The Blade empowers Dust with insane strength and so we get the intense "easy-to-learn, difficult-to-master" combat system therein. Basically, things start with genocide and every goes to hell from there. Dust: An Elysian Tail will surprise you, I promise.

Check out Dust: An Elysian Tail on PC, via Steam, starting May 24 for $14.99. Expect a small discount during launch week, however. It'd normally be a preorder bonus, but it doesn't appear that Dust will be taking preorders. That mean's you'll have to flag your calendar yourself! Don't let this one pass you by. Oh, here's a quick reminder, Dust: An Elysian Tail was made by one dude -- just one -- over the span of almost four years. Mind boggling.

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