Konami today announced that Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes can be released sometime in “Spring 2014.” The sport would be released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 consoles. Boxed copies for current-generation consoles will cost only $30, while digital versions will sell for $20. Digital copies for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will cost $30.

The company is describing Ground Zeroes as an “entry experience and prologue” for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, the bigger entry into the Metal Gear cannon. Players will enter a Cuban prison camp on a rescue mission. The events that happen through the prologue will propel the events of The Phantom Pain, rather like other Metal Gear Solid game prologues.

The content will supposedly introduce players to the hot gameplay elements in an effort to be seen in Metal Gear Solid V. Specifically, the preview will act as a “bridge” between previous Metal Gear Solid titles, that have been largely linear, and The Phantom Pain, which incorporates a large open-world environment.

“The advanced capabilities of the FOX Engine have allowed me to inform the brand new story in a brand new way,” said Hideo Kojima, creator of the Metal Gear Solid games. “There shall be a big difference in what Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain brings to the series, so we wish to ease players into the recent open world environment and its potential. As such, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes was designed to introduce key elements, permitting them to fully get pleasure from all that the recent game will offer.”

For years now, the decision of Duty series has famously been marketed using live-action trailers. Rather than actual gameplay, which doesn’t vary a whole lot from year-to-year, the trailers feature normal people and celebrities fighting it out in massive battles. Last year’s live-action trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 was directed by Guy Ritchie and featured Jack Black, Zach Galifianakis, and Robert Downey, Jr.

This weekend Activision released the official live-action trailer for this year’s Call of Duty iteration, Call of Duty: Ghosts. Titled “Epic Night Out,” the trailer features four normal-looking guys in increasingly ridiculous combat situations, including combat in space. The fame appearances were scaled back to at least one out-of-place cameo from former Transformers actress Megan Fox.

This year’s video was directed by James Mangold, who’s best known for guiding movies akin to Identity, Walk the road, 3:10 to Yuma, and The Wolverine.

In December of last year, Nintendo of Canada released an ideal cheap version of the Wii called the Wii Mini. It will need to have been a hit as Nintendo have been slowly rolling it out to other parts of the sector throughout 2013, and now it’s finally making its thanks to the U.S.

Nintendo announced today that the Wii Mini will finally hit the U.S. sooner or later this month. There’s no specific date set yet, however the company expects to have it out on store shelves by the center of November. The Wii Mini can even pack in a duplicate of Mario Kart Wii.

Unfortunately, that duplicate of Mario Kart Wii can only be played locally because the Wii Mini strips out the unique Wii’s Wi-Fi antennae. In other words, the Wii Mini can’t log on so people who buy it can’t access online multiplayer or the Wii Shop Channel. The system also lacks component video output and an SD card slot.

So, what’s the purpose of the Wii Mini? It sort of feels style of pointless when it lacks such a lot of features of the unique Wii. Nintendo obviously hopes that the low cost of $99 and a line of $20 titles, like Super Mario Galaxy and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, will encourage folks that never bought a Wii seven years ago to take action now.

If you’re attempting to find something a touch more sophisticated this holiday season, Nintendo is additionally pushing numerous Wii U bundles. It’s newest console, which features HD output and a slightly screen controller, is now available for $299 in several configurations, including a brand new Super Mario Bros. U bundle and Skylanders Swap Force bundle.

[Image: Nintendo]
[h/t: Polygon]

You can have heard that DriveClub can be missing the PS4 launch as it’s been delayed until early 2014. You have also heard that this throws Sony’s PS Plus plans at the PS4 into disarray because it hoped to provide to a freemium version of DriveClub to members. To make up for it, Sony will now offer Contrast at no cost alongside Resogun at launch.

So, what’s Contrast? It’s a 3D/2D platformer set within the 1920s where players will navigate 3D environments as you will in the other platformer, but it surely has a 2D hook. The player character can become a shadow after which the sport becomes a 2D platformer because the player traverses the shadows to arrive new areas. It doesn’t look half bad and its jazz-infused soundtrack is already sounding delightful.

To answer to any extent further questions you will have in regards to the game, here’s a snappy video of the team at Compulsion talking concerning the game’s world, mechanics and music:

Contrast will launch November 15 with the PS4 and be available totally free to all PS Plus members. The sport can also be available on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

[Image: PlayStation/YouTube]

It’s been almost two years since Skyrim came out and devoured what little free time you had. Now you discover the sport somewhat boring though, and also you don’t return to it as much anymore. Unfortunately, there won’t be from now on DLC released for it, but you could soon experience Skyrim in a completely new way in Minecraft Xbox 360 Edition.

At Minecon 2013, Mojang and Besthesda jointly announced that Minecraft Xbox 360 Edition will be getting what they The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim mash-up pack. As its name implies, it’s a conversion pack for Minecraft that changes the textures and character models to peer more just like the world of Skyrim.

That’s not all either because the pack will contain a lot more. Here’s what the official release has to mention:

Developed by 4J Studios, “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” Mash-Up features an exclusive Skyrim-themed texture set, 40 character skins, themed menus and user interface, craftable items, and greater than 20 iconic selections from “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” original game soundtrack. The great pack also incorporates a stunning pre-made world, recreating the memorable areas of Whiterun, Riverwood, and Bleak Falls Barrow.

The most appealing component of this pack is that it encompasses a pre-made world that appears to recreate Skyrim in Minecraft. There have surely been projects that experience already aimed to take action, but what may be more fun than deconstructing the area of Skyrim in everybody’s favorite brick laying simulator?

Unfortunately, there’s no release date for the pack just yet. It will become playable this weekend at Minecon in Orlando, Florida though.

[Image: playxbla]

I’m not one to criticize Nintendo for what it does, but it surely still baffles me why the corporate chose to release its first Mario Party of this generation at the Nintendo 3DS rather than the Wii U. Sure, the hand-held has a bigger install base, but Mario Party is supposed to be enjoyed around a TV with the four people you adore hate the foremost.

Nintendo might be disregarding this notion for its next Mario Party title because the company might be releasing Mario Party: Island Tour at the Nintendo 3DS this month. The sport will play like the console Mario Party titles, but would require you to assemble three friends and 3 3DS handhelds to really benefit from the hectic, and friendship destroying, gameplay that the series is so renowned for.

Despite my feeling that this game could be at the Wii U, it appears like an attractive grand time for those that can be capable to gather the buddies essential to play it. If not, you’ll be stuck playing Mario Party alone like that weird kid eating alone inside the cafeteria at lunch that simply so happens to go looking like yours truly. You don’t desire to be that guy, do you?

Mario Party: Island Tour could be released on November 22 for the Nintendo 3DS.

[Image: Nintendo/YouTube]

The online pass is all but dead. Long live the season pass.

That appears the rallying cry of the games industry nowadays as increasingly publishers abandon the much maligned online pass in favor of something that, a minimum of at the surface, looks to be consumer friendly – the season pass. Of course, you’re basically pre-ordering upcoming DLC for the sport rather than being punished for purchasing it used. It appears like an excellent deal, but some people aren’t fans. Well, the practice isn’t going anywhere anytime soon as Microsoft has announced that its Xbox One flagship title – Ryse: Son of Rome – would be getting a season pass.

In today’s announcement, Microsoft says the multiplayer component in Ryse: Son of Rome may be getting spruced up with various content over the process its life. That content will hopefully turn what appears like a gorgeous standard horde mode into something more exciting.

The Ryse season pass will include four add-on packs that come with 14 new multiplayer maps, a brand new game mode, six player skins, new level events and a brand new tier of weapons and armors. All of this may increasingly be offered to players for $19.99 upfront which Microsoft claims is a 25 percent discount versus buying each pack separately.

Oh, and to further incentivize into buying content that doesn’t exist yet, Microsoft will throw in an in-game sword and shield with bonus attributes to be used in multiplayer. So even though something happens and Crytek can’t deliver your season pass content; you’ll at the very least have a sparkly new sword and shield that cost you $20.

[Image: Xbox Wire]

John Carpenter’s Halloween is likely one of the most fondly remembered and successful horror films ever made. It probably wouldn’t make a great game though. Anybody keep in mind that awful Friday the 13th game for the NES?

Well, because it seems, it sounds as if the fellows over at Pig Farmers Productions have finally found out find out how to make a successful game adaptation of Halloween. By targeting low budget early 90s polygon models and controls ripped straight out of Resident Evil, the team has made a game that recreates the strain and fear that includes surviving an evening trapped inside a home with Michael Myers.

Check it out:

Unfortunately, it seems that the developers at Pig Farmer Productions were slapped with a Cease and Desist letter despite their Halloween game being freeware. At the developers official Website, it says that “some games, images and videos had been removed recently. Not far more to assert, just acknowledging that their gone.” This appears in connection with their Halloween game because it can not be found at the site.

It’s a shame really that copyright can kill this sort of creative tackle a beloved franchise. Rather than sending the hounds after people like this, those that own the rights should work with the developers to assist make projects like this a reality. an awesome game in response to a beloved property would truly help boost sales of the film due to people unfamiliar with the film checking it out after playing the sport. Now those that loved the sport will just avoid the film out of spite.

Despite the Halloween game’s untimely demise, horror fans should have a look at Pig Farmer’s other games. They target to successfully recreate games in line with slasher flicks from the 80s, and that sounds absolutely delightful whatever the way you stab it.

[Image: GameNewsOfficial]

Back in September, Nintendo announced that Wii Fit U would finally be launching on November 1. It won’t be hitting retail stores at that time, however, as Nintendo desires to experiment with alternative pricing schemes at the eShop first.

For this week’s Nintendo Download, Nintendo notes that Wii Fit U remains on schedule to launch on November 1. With this eShop launch, Nintendo is offering a one month free trial to everybody who owns the Wii balance board that came with the unique Wii Fit. Additionally, if you are going to buy the Wii Fit U Fit Meter for under $20 in the course of the month, you’ll be capable of keep Wii Fit U forever after syncing it with the eShop version.

The other big game hitting the Nintendo eShop this week is LEGO Marvel Super Heroes for the Wii U. The newest LEGO game puts players within the role of over 100 of Marvel’s finest characters as they struggle off threats from Loki and Galactus.

As for the virtual console, the Wii U is treated to the SNES classic Super Castlevania IV. It’s especially appropriate for Halloween because the game features a few of the darkest aesthetic design of the series.

On the 3DS virtual consoles, gamers can download Milon’s Secret Castle. That’s also appropriate for Halloween but for a completely different reason as Milon’s Secret Castle is likely one of the hardest NES games ever made.

Here are the alternative games coming to the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShops within the coming week:

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: Universe in danger – (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
Angry Bunnies (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
Arcade Classics 3D (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
Ben 10 Omniverse 2 (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
Ben 10 Omniverse 2 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
Beyblade Evolution (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
PAC-MAN and the Ghostly Adventures (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
Saban’s Power Rangers Megaforce (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)

On a last note, Nintendo says that Shin Megami Tensei IV would be $10 off inside the 3DS eShop from November 4 throughout the 11. Additionally, BIT.TRIP Presents… Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien for the Wii U might be 33 percent off from November 1 during the 7.

[Image: Nintendo]

Last year, Sony launched a brand new sort of game called Wonderbook that combined the AR capabilities of the PlayStation Eye with a PS Move controller to bring books to life on a television screen. Sony smartly launched it with Book of Spells – a game set in the Harry Potter universe and written by J.K. Rowling. Now Sony is readying three more titles for this holiday season.

Sony announced today that it’s bringing back J.K. Rowling for a second round of Wonderbook magic with Book of Potions. Like Book of Spells before it, this game will allow players to engage with the area of Harry Potter like never before by permitting them to create the potions seen within the books and flicks.

Book of Potions alongside the Wonderbook peripheral could be available as a bundle on November 12 for $30.

Book of Potions isn’t the sole Wonderbook game popping out on November 12. Sony can also be partnering with the BBC to release Walking with Dinosaurs – a game in keeping with the hit series and upcoming theatrical film of the similar name.

Walking with Dinosaurs can also be available as a bundle on November 12 for $30.

Sony can be finally releasing Diggs Nightcrawler – a game it announced for Wonderbook last year. This PSN-only title will put players into the role of insect detective Diggs Nightcrawler as he solves mysteries around Library City.

Diggs Nightcrawler shall be available at the PSN on November 12 for $14.99.

[Image: PlayStation/YouTube]