The Biggest Gaming Convention Of The Year, E3! (And Other Gaming News You Should Be Aware Of)

Anyone who is anyone that loves video games knows about 2 things for sure: the ongoing console wars, and the upcoming E3 event. E3 is where all of the magic is going to happen. Think of it as a "pre-Christmas" for gaming nerds like myself. June 10-12 will be a madhouse of video games, gaming companies, gaming tech, cosplayers, and more all at the Los Angeles Convention Center in LA, California. I can only imagine how many new, and unannounced games that will be brought into the light. As a huge gamer myself, I'm way too excited to see what all is going to go down at this year's event. There is bound to be another extensive look at the PS4 and Xbox One. After all, this will be the first E3 event since both of the new platforms have dropped. We should expect all eyes to be on these two powerhouses.

The press conferences will basically tell us what we can expect in terms of the console wars. At least, in my eyes they will. You have to figure, it's always a business competition correct? Well naturally, each one of the three competitors (Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo) will be painting themselves in the best light. Notice I've not talked much about Nintendo or the Wii U. Don't get me wrong, I love Nintendo, and have loved them since I was playing "Super Mario" on the Super Nintendo back in the day. All nostalgia aside however, that doesn't negate the fact that Nintendo's sales and business performance have been less than extraordinary in comparison to both Sony's and Microsoft's systems. As much as some of us may hate, love, or find the Wii U strictly used for a light-hearted/family oriented gamer(s), as long as there are "Legend of Zelda" and "Mario" games out, Nintendo is going to be alive.

If you've been keeping up with the 2 "hardcore" systems/gaming giants, then I'm sure you're aware of the exclusive titles that are to be coming out. Where there are exclusive titles however, there are a laundry list's worth more multi-platform titles. Expect one of the top talked about games to be Bungie's new "Destiny" game. This one I'm very excited for just for how much hype it's getting due to the developers being the same people who who created the massive "Halo" franchise that essentially put the Xbox on the map. I feel that the new game "Watch Dogs" will be talked about quite a bit as well simply because of it's release date being so close to the E3 date.

"Watch Dogs" has been being hyped up now for quite a while. It's incredibly immersive open-world set in Chicago, IL is looked at to be the most dynamic open-world created in any game to date. The graphics look incredible so far. The gameplay looks amazing. It really looks to be an incredible game.

Other games such as the new "Uncharted" and "Titan Fall" will definitely be getting talked about as well. If nothing else, the press conferences will give us more fuel to fight with in terms of our favorite consoles. I'm definitely a Sony fanboy, is I'm rooting for Sony's press conference to make the biggest splash this year. Having said that, I know that Microsoft's Xbox fanbase normally outshines Sony's by a bit of a margin, so I wouldn't be shocked if Microsoft came out of the gates swinging.

Sony's PS4 is still ahead of the Xbox One in terms of sales, which is a big step for Sony, but that doesn't mean that Microsoft is down for the count. Nintendo also has the opportunity to catch everyone off guard. This year's E3 Conference could be anyone's game still, and I'm more than excited to see what we have to look forward to in the future.

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Mass Effect Trilogy Coming To PS4 And Xbox One (Rumor)

Gaming has come far over the years. Things like story, moral choices and connections to in-game characters have been at the forefront of some of the greatest games in recent history. No game has accomplished this quite like BioWare's Mass Effect series. Since the first game was released in 2007, players have been able to take their character through three unique adventures with choices from each game flowing over and having repercussions throughout the entire game's universe. Faced with a choice to kill an ancient alien queen in the first Mass Effect or keep her alive comes into play later on in the other games. Be mean to someone on the Citadel and they may very well come back and seek revenge in another game. The choices are endless and their repercussions are ever-influencing.

It's been two years since the final chapter in Commander Shepard's story was released and while the ending may have been met with mixed reviews, there is no denying that the series has forever changed the way people create and play games. Since the third game, news on the Mass Effect franchise has been pretty sparse. There was talk a while back about a new Mass Effect game that was in development, one that would see players take control of a new character with a new story line. This was before the new consoles were officially announced and a time when BioWare was going through some serious changes, namely the resignations of "The Doctors" Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk, the two leads on projects like Mass Effect and Star Wars: The Old Republic.

While there has still been little to no word on a new Mass Effect game, there are some rumors floating around involving the title. When Mass Effect was first released it was an Xbox 360 and PC exclusive and later got the trilogy treatment for the PS3 when all the games were released for the system simultaneously in a single pack. Well, if rumors are true then the same thing may be happening to next generation consoles. Recent images have popped up online from Zmart Games, a gaming retailer from Chile. A screenshot captured by NeoGAF user Rushersauce shows a Mass Effect Trilogy game case with the PS4 logo brandished on the top.

This is not, however, the first talk of a remastered version of the trilogy. Rumors first started circulating in March when BioWare Edmonton and Montreal Studios GM Aaryn Flynn stated that the topic had been "discussed". This isn't the first time a remastered version of a last gen game has been leaked by a retailer. A remastered version of The Last of Us was leaked by retailers not too long ago, though we must remember that these are still just internet rumors, though rumors with a little more credence than usual.

Should this rumor be true then it just might be enough to hold gamers over until the next game is released. From everything we know, BioWare is chugging along with development of the next Mass Effect. Like I mentioned earlier, details on the new game are very sparse. What we do know is that BioWare is set to release an update on the game sometime this year, probably during E3. Other than that we have a few teaser images of BioWare employees hard at work, a promise that this new game will be "fresh but recognizable," and that it may not have anything to do with Commander Shepard. I'm hoping the game doesn't involve Shepard, at least as a playable character.

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What do you think? Excited for the next installment in the Mass Effect franchise? Excited about the remastered versions of the game for current-gen consoles? Think it's enough to hold you over until the new game comes out or something that could get new fans into the series? I guess we'll just have to wait and see when (or if) these rumors play out.

Mario Kart 8 Coming For The Wii U

Everyone who is currently alive has probably played Mario Kart at some point in time. For lots of us, it is a real part of our childhood that we still enjoy. It had become an iconic party game, and has a fan base that is pretty much just as big as any other Mario game. Next month, the saga continues with Mario Kart 8 coming out for the Wii U, and there are a few things about it that have the internet going crazy.

Nintendo put out a few trailers for the new Mario Kart game, and people were already going nuts. The nostalgia was almost too much to handle for pretty much everyone between the ages of 20-40. What really got people going though, was the last trailer that Nintendo put out. This trailer showed some of the most famous Mario Kart tracks ever coming back for this new installment of the game.

Pretty much every track from the N64 days of Mario Kart have been revamped and re worked for the Wii U. Yes, this includes Toad's Turnpike and Rainbow Road. And they all look more stunning than ever.

These old tracks will be available as a part of a 32 track package, and the package also comes with new items and abilities. Some of the new abilities let you parachute over you enemies or use a Piranha Plant on the front of your vehicle.

Now that we have talked about all of the super cool stuff and got the 12 year old inside all of us going insane, it's time to get back to reality.

It is pretty neat that Nintendo is blending old stuff with new stuff, especially in this game. But, it's got me "face-palming" like crazy because that's the only thing that Nintendo ever does. It's no secret that Nintendo is in trouble and it's also not a secret that they think Mario Kart 8 may be something that could help dig them out of a hole. However, I see this as... digging the hole deeper. Although I am excited for the new Mario Kart, it's because I like Mario Kart, but I already have Mario Kart. So I guess once I get past the excitement, its really more of a bummer than anything.

Nintendo knows that the reason they aren't on top anymore is because they don't know how to do anything besides live in the past. I can't seem to figure out why the answer to the problem is putting out Mario Kart 64 with new graphics. But either way, I'll take it. I suppose I can't pretend like I'm not excited to play it.

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An Oculus Competitor That Works On Xbox One, Playstation 4, And PC

Almost 8 years ago, we were shown a virtual reality headset for the Xbox 360, but it never came out. Now, after Facebook purchased the top company in the VR world, it has finally come back.

True Player Gear has made a virtual reality headset the looks a lot like the Oculus one. It straps to your head, gives you a 1080p OLED display, you get the idea. The crazy thing though, is that this one device will work with the Xbox One, Playstation 4, Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC, and even MAC according to the company. This is huge news, and a big potential slap in the face to Facebook if it takes off.

This new device from True Player Gear is setting the bar in my opinion. It has some major differences than the devices being made by other companies. A few examples would be the face that you can use it with more than one platform (by a LOT), it supports older games that weren't even intended for virtual reality, the head-mounted display has its own lenses so that players can adjust the focus, meaning that they won't have to use their glasses or contacts while playing any of the games. That alone is a huge selling point that I'm surprised these other companies haven't thought of.

There are also two cameras so that users can see what's actually around them in the outside world at any given time. These cameras will also be used for future augmented reality games that the company will be putting out themselves. As if all of these awesome features weren't good enough, it even has it's own built in processor so that the console or PC doesn't have to take on the extra load. What else could you honestly ask for? Everything a 90's kid ever dreamed the 2000's would be like is finally here.

In case you were wondering, This device does not yet have a set in stone name, price, or release date yet. But this should all be announced soon. I'll keep you updated.

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Final Fantasy Tactics Designer Is Making A New RPG

Yasumi Matsuno is the original designer for the legendary game, Final Fantasy Tactics. He has put together a small but qualified team to tackle his new project, Unsung Story: Tale Of The Guardians. The game is basically looking like its going to be a Final Fantasy Tactics clone, or maybe a successor of FFT is a better way to put it. So far, everything is looking pretty awesome. He launched a Kickstarter to raise the funds, and ended up meeting the minimum goal of $600,000 to get the project started. The project hit the right media channels to go viral, and there wasn't much of a problem with meeting the goal.

The bad news is that even with the amazing idea and foundation, there is a huge possibility that this game is still going to be lacking severely in funding, which could make for a sub par game with a great idea behind it. The big goal that everyone was hoping for was $2.25 million for the game to be a huge success with all of the content and features the fans want. With the funds raised, it's looking like we are going to get a more casual game that will be mainly for Android gaming. Hopefully, the 2 million dollar difference wont make as much of an impact as we all think.

The whole team behind the game is made up of 6 people, and that is probably how the $600k will be divvied up. If there was more money involved, different aspects of the game could have been outsourced, which probably would have led to a few more features and assets which will now be on the shoulders of the 6 person team and will also probably sub-par or overlooked. Outsourced aspects of the game would have included localization, porting, and music. We all know the music is one of the biggest things for Final Fantasy games. All of these aspects would be what could make the game console worthy.

Now, we are certainly dealing with a very basic game that is clearly targeting the Android/iOS markets. There have been a few hints about side quests and add ons. The game will likely cost $30, or $20 on sale. This is probably going to hurt the game, because most smartphone gamers are used to spending no more than $10 on games, and $30 for something you can only play on your phone seems a bit absurd.

But, if they actually over-deliver on this game and give it a huge, amazing story line like every Final Fantasy game has had, then the hype may grow for this game. If buzz gets around, then people probably wouldn't have a HUGE issue paying this much for a great RPG. Everyone has high hopes for this. If you are going to announce that you are making a successor to any Final Fantasy game, you had better fully know what you are saying and understand what the fans are expecting.

This could be a huge win, or a huge fail just as easily. Only time will tell. But either way, it is very exciting news and gives us all something to look forward to.

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Will The New Steam Machine Takeout The New PS4 and Xbox One?

It seems like over the past 15 to 20 years, we have seen the top three contenders in gaming continue to make their rise. Sony's Playstion, Microsoft's Xbox, and the multitude of Nintendo's consoles. As of recently, we have seen Nintendo fall off where as Sony and Microsoft have taken the console wars head on. But then again, we also know how big PC gaming still is, and how ruthless PC gamers can be about their opinions on console vs. PC gaming. PC's are widely looked at as being more powerful than gaming consoles. Whether it be better graphics, better frame rate, better anti-aliasing, the ability to mod, etc., PC gamers are very adamant on their stance.

Console gaming is still very, very much alive, as the recent 4.2 million PS4 units sold has shown us. But now PC wants to move into the console world as well. Valve and Alienware have joined forces to see this dream lived through. Their new Steam Machine looks to make its own push on the console wars.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Steam and it's gigantic community, Steam is ran by the PC gaming company Valve. Steam is both an app and game store that offers a multitude of different games for your gaming pleasure. They even boast games that have been out of the loop for a while on normal console multi-player formats. Games like Team Fortress 2. The only catch is that it is PC only.

With the new Steam Machine, Valve and Alienware are now able to expand their app and game store to the living room where the other console heavy hitters reign supreme. The system itself is basically a smaller version of a normal gaming PC. It runs on the SteamOS that allows for the Steam App to run via standard console methods. Since it is looked at as a console, it is also designed to be hooked up to your TV. So should you have a brand new 4K TV and , essentially, a small gaming PC/console hybrid, you have the ultimate gaming set up.

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The controller for the Steam Machine is a bit different then what most console gamers are used to. Instead of  analog sticks and D-pads, you are met with a touch screen and two track pads. The controller is also compatible with almost all versions of Steam and Steam games. The touchscreen in the center of the controller is not to be confused with the touch pad idea that is on the current PS4 controllers. Instead, it is designed to keep players on track in terms of their game. While the touchscreen is in use, it will appear on your game as a visual overlay so you can see exactly where your finger is placed. The 16 total buttons might be a bit more than one most gamers may be used to as well.

The fact that the SteamOS was designed with streaming purposes in mind shows just what this new gaming machine could do. The OS is Linux based, and allows for Mac and Windows games to be streamed directly onto the machine, and then from the machine to your TV. All of your first person shooters, action adventures, online multi-player, and even MMO's will now be available from your living room instead of your bedroom desk. Should the application of this prove to be both easy and beneficial, Sony and Microsoft may have a whole new monster to worry about.

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Playstation 4 vs Xbox One

Both systems have been out for a while now. There has been plenty of time to do research, read reviews and also play hands on. Both companies have loyal fans that will stick by them no matter what for seemingly no reason at all, but for all of you ACTUAL gamers who want facts, here is the real breakdown of bot systems and why the Playstation wins forever. Design

With the design, we're going to look at the actual look of the system, the internal design, and the software design. In all of these fields, the PS4 takes the cake. The first thing you'll notice is the power supply. With the PS4, it is built into the box while the Xbox one still has the same big and goofy power brick that all of the Xbox's before sported as well. What makes it even worse is that even still, the Xbox manages to find a way to be bigger and chunkier than the PS4.

Another great thing about the PS4 is that the controller comes standard with a rechargeable batter, which is an optional accessory for the Xbox that you have to pay for AFTER you already spend $100 more on the system itself. The PS4 controller also has a motion controller to replace the Move, a built in speaker and also a headphone jack. For all of you people who like to show off video's of yourself "pwning n00bz", there is a share button directly on the controller so that you can post videos to your social networks instantly.

The operating system on both consoles seem fine. There isn't really a clear winner. On the PS4 you basically have an updated version of that found on the PS3. Neat, clean, easy to use. It supports multi tasking as well. The Xbox's user interface looks great and operates well, although the voice commands don't always work. It's kind of like when voice commands first came out on phone's before Apple perfected it with Siri.

Launch Titles

Well let's face it, neither system is killing it in this department at all. This is one of the reasons that a lot of people have held of on buying, me included, I don't even want one until I can play the new Final Fantasy coming in January. There really aren't even any great apps out for either system yet. Some people say that the Xbox has the edge with it's release titles, but honestly I don't think I could care even one tiny bit less about anything that has been put out on either.

A huge disappointment with both systems is that neither one of them are backward compatible. It was a pretty big deal with the PS3 and the Xbox 360, and at this point it is honestly just a huge slap in the face. To be honest, the graphic's aren't even that much better than the previous generation of the consoles. It would be nice to be able to play your "old" games still.

Features

One of the reasons that hard core gamers were hating on the new Xbox before it came out is the fact that it's not a gaming console, it's a home entertainment console. The reason it is called the "One" is because Microsoft want it to bring everything you would use together in one device. Living room entertainment like cable TV, gaming, streaming videos, listening to music, whatever, the idea is to put it all in one. That is basically the complete opposite of the Playstation approach, although the PS4 still does most of those things.

The PS Vita remote play is said to work VERY well. I haven't tried it because I do not own a Vita or have any interest in hand held gaming, as I am not a 12 year old playing Pokemon on the way to school in my mom's car, but it's there if you're interested. The optional camera you can get for the PS4 is pretty neat, offering facial recognition and sign in. The Xbox features seem a little bit more futuristic and neat, it just seems like they need to work on the software a little bit.

One big turn off about the PS4 is that it doesn't read files from USB drives or play 3D blu ray movies. The PS3 did both of these things. Why wouldn't the new system? I can only shake my head at this one.

Value

The first thing that you will notice is that the PS4 is $100 cheaper than the Xbox One. The Xbox one does come with a camera though, and the PS4 doesn't. But for $59.99 you can buy the camera for the PS4 which still puts it at about $40 less. The Xbox One can't really do anything unless you pay for the Xbox Live Gold membership for $60 per year, while the PS4 can still run apps like netflix without any membership. Neither system can be used for online gaming for free though, which is a shame. The Playstation Plus account required for online gaming will run you $50 per year. With the Playstation you also get a month long trial and a $10 store credit for purchasing games.

With system updates and new releases coming out, the war isn't over yet. There is still plenty of time to improve each one. But as it stands right now, I think the PS4 wins overall.