Sony is apparently surveying its users, asking about possible changes to their PS4 services. As you can see in the screen shots making their way around the internet, they are asking about many possibilities. Topics range from changing your PSN ID, to chatting with users on other Sony platforms, and the ability to invisibly lurk on PSN without others knowing you’re online. Full disclosure, I have been involved with similar surveys from Sony in the past, but have not been invited to participate in this particular questionnaire.
Zombie Studios is disappointing many fans looking forward to “Daylight.” They are delaying the game to fine-tune the scares, but it’s not bad. The new release date is April 29, 2014. The launch price is still $14.99, though PS Plus members will be able to save $5 for the first two weeks.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has issued a formal release date for “Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor.” This non-canon tale of the resurrected spirit of a Ranger will be coming October 7, 2014. Along with the release date comes the pre-order bonuses. Ordering before release will get you the Dark Ranger Character Skin (“embodies Talion’s darker side”), a “Test of Power” challenge mode (earn runes by defeating Sauron’s captains), and “Access to Leaderboards” (which is apparently something you can’t get if you buy later?).
The next four tables in Zen Studios’ “Star Wars Pinball” collection is set to release “soon.” The “Heroes Within” package includes a Han Solo table, a Droids table (featuring C-3PO and the saga’s true star, R2-D2), a table based on the original Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, and a Masters of the Force table that features the strongest Force users in the saga (good or bad). You can bet I’m itching for a release date on this one and I’ll report it as soon as it’s confirmed. I can’t wait to play some Artoo pinball.
While on the topic of Star Wars, we finally get to report some good news in the staffing end of the games business. After her recent departure from Naughty Dog, Amy Hennig has joined EA subsidiary Visceral Games to work on their Star Wars project. Visceral’s VP, Steve Papoutsis, writes “As both a colleague and friend, I’ve always admired her approach to creative development – focusing on nailing down the soul of a game first, and then making sure the writing, the gameplay, the design and the art comes together to form a unified, interactive experience for the player. This fits in perfectly with what we’re trying to do here at Visceral and Amy’s going to help us continue in our pursuit to make the most thrilling, immersive games in the world.” Amy seems like a natural fit. Her work on the “Uncharted” series pays glorious homage to Lucasfilms’ Indiana Jones films and her humor should fit right into the saga. As if a new Star Wars game wasn’t an automatic buy already, now it’s got one of the best writers in the business contributing to its success.
Telltale Games has finally confirmed the release of the third episode of “The Wolf Among Us.” In what’s becoming a trademark move, they aren’t confirming anything until it’s practically out already. This episode, titled “A Crooked Mile,” is coming next week. If the promo art is any indication, Bigby’s getting even angrier this time around.
News doesn’t get much better than that, so we’ll let it lead into your weekend. Come back on Tuesday.