When Resident Evil 4 debuted, it changed the survival horror genre for years. Though the sport received fantastic reviews, fans of the old-school Resident Evil and Silent Hill games were greeted with a more action-oriented experience and the introduction of diverse quicktime-event cutscenes – traits that could only intensify in further sequels. Though much of the sport was creepy, it was missing the sense of dread and helplessness that hung over early survival horror titles.

In recent years, titles comparable to Amnesia and Outlast have brought atmosphere back to the survival horror genre. However, those games swung in a wholly wrong way than the newer Resident Evil games, giving players no tools or weapons with which to fight off the horrors that surround them.

Now, Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami is back to separate the adaptation with the approaching The Evil Within. With claustrophobic surroundings, disturbing enemies, and the rare ammo box, Mikami is promising the “perfect blend of horror and action.”

Earlier this week publisher Bethesda streamed live gameplay of The Evil Within from the EuroGamer Expo. Today it released the highlights of that stream in a protracted 12-minute gameplay video. Without giving much of the tale away, the video shows exactly why fans of Resident Evil 4 may well be all in favour of Mikami’s new game:

EA Sports, the publisher behind games reminiscent of Madden 25 and NCAA Football 14, this week announced that it’ll not be releasing a university football game next year. Developers who were engaged on the project were shuffled around to other positions within EA Sports, making it unlikely that the publisher is even engaged on a future replacement for the NCAA-branded football series.

The announcement comes just months after the NCAA announced that it’d not be renewing its contract with EA Sports for using its name and logo in NCAA Football titles. The organization cited “the current business climate and charges of litigation” as an element in its decision. The NCAA is currently coping with legal disputes surrounding using student athlete names and likenesses in NCAA-branded products. Though the names of players weren’t utilized in the NCAA Football titles, their jersey numbers, physical stats, or even hair colors were utilized in the games.

EA Sports GM of yankee Football Cam Weber cited similar reasons for today’s announcement, calling the publisher’s decision “profoundly disappointing” for both developers and fans. From Weber’s statement:

We was stuck in the course of a dispute between the NCAA and student-athletes who seek compensation for taking part in college football. Identical to companies that broadcast college games and those who provide equipment and apparel, we follow rules which are set by the NCAA – but those rules are being challenged by some student-athletes. For our part, we’re working to settle the lawsuits with the coed-athletes. Meanwhile, the NCAA and a couple of conferences have withdrawn their support of our game. The continuing legal issues combined with increased questions surrounding schools and conferences have left us in a hard position – one which challenges our ability to deliver an authentic sports experience, that’s the very foundation of EA Sports games.

Though there’ll be no college football games from EA within the foreseeable future, the publisher has promised to continue supporting NCAA Football 14.

Back in July, a Chinese newspaper reported on a proposed policy that might lift the long-time Chinese ban of online game consoles. The plan reportedly had the backing of the Chinese Premier.

This week, China officially announced that it has ended the console ban – but with a couple of caveats. The Wall Street Journal today reported that game consoles can now be sold inside the free-trade zone in Shanghai. Each console manufacturer that desires to sell its hardware in Shanghai should seek approval from the Chinese Ministry of Culture.

The Shanghai free trade zone itself is new, and can grow over the subsequent three years. Consistent with the Journal report, the Chinese government gave no specific date for when consoles can be available within the zone.

China’s console ban went into effect 13 years ago. On the time, the ban was promoted as a result of political and violent content seen in some games. There isn’t any word on whether the Ministry of Culture might demand censorship in some games, as other countries corresponding to Australia have done.

Though consoles are banned within the country, the prohibition has made the country’s black market console sales one of the most highest on the earth. More relaxed rules on official console sales inside the country could deal a blow to this black market and will help switch more Chinese gamers (who play games totally on PC) to console gaming.

Before Grand Theft Auto V came along last week to wreck records, The Last folks was the main hit of the summer. With near-perfect reviews and millions in sales, developer Naughty Dog’s latest game thrilled PlayStation owners with its dark horror setting and intense story.

Now that the vacation game (and console) releases are at the way, new content was announced for The Last people. Naughty Dog today revealed its future plans for DLC over at the PlayStation Blog by announcing the “Abandoned Territories Map Pack” for the game’s multiplayer mode. The map pack is the 1st of 3 planned DLC add-ons coming for The Last folks.

“Abandoned Territories” will feature four new multiplayer maps: Suburbs, Bus Depot, Hometown, and Bookstore. Suburbs features dynamic dust storms, and Naughty Dog mentioned that wild giraffes would be part of the Bus Depot map.

In addition to the hot maps, the opposite two DLC add-ons were previewed. The second one DLC may be the much-anticipated single-player add-on. Naughty Dog promises that the recent story is “ambitious” and is tightly concerning the major game’s story. It’s currently scheduled to hit the PlayStation Store sometime in December or January.

The third DLC add-on is, just like the first, multiplayer-related. Though no information about it has been revealed, Naughty Dog is planning on releasing it sometime in the course of the first half 2014.

OMGPOP is the poster child of the only-hit wonder in mobile gaming. After finding successful with Draw Something, Zynga bought the developer and tried to strike gold twice. It didn’t exercise routine and the social games giant killed off OMGPOP in June. The best thing that’s left now could be their game portal – OMGPOP.com – and Zynga goes to kill that off too.

Zynga announced late last month that OMGPOP.com will shut down on September 30. After that date, just about all the games and services at the site will not be available. As for the true games affected, you won’t be capable to play Cupcake Corner, Gem Rush, Pool World Champ or Snoops after the positioning is shut down.

Of course, Zynga remains going to maintain around Draw Something, its sequel and its precursor – Draw My Thing – after the location is closed. These games will continue on as Zynga products. They are going to be available via the primary Zynga portal and numerous mobile devices.

OMGPOP was only the newest in a string of studio closures that saw Zynga shedding hundreds of employees and closing down numerous games. Now the developer/publisher goes to stay involved in its own brands because it tries to interrupt its way into the increasingly competitive mobile market. It hasn’t exactly had a section hit just yet, however the company is now under the guidance of former Xbox boss Don Mattrick. Zynga’s former CEO Mark Pincus thinks that Mattrick will turns things around, but unfortunately, OMGPOP won’t be around for the ride.

If you might want to make your peace before OMGPOP.com is shut down forever, you may get in a couple of more games of Putt My Penguin here. After that, the OMGPOP name will only be heard in hushed tones on some YouTube ripoff of VH1′s One Hit Wonders.

[h/t: TechCrunch]