With E3 2018 just around the corner, we look back at world’s biggest gaming convention, and see where it’s come over the last two decades.Call of Duty campaign completion data has shown that many players finish less than half the story,
A report from TrueAchievements has revealed that, on Microsoft platforms, Call of Duty players have a low ‘Story Participation Average’.
This is defined as “the average percentage of unlocked story-line achievements for gamers that have started the game”.
Of course, these statistics must be taken with a pinch of salt, as achievement systems in the 13 games studied operate very differently, especially in earlier titles where the focus was levied on the single-player campaign. They also fail to take into account Steam or PSN trophies.
Following a leak earlier this week, Microsoft today officially announced a new Xbox controller designed for people with limited mobility. The Xbox Adaptive Controller, as it’s called, will launch later this year priced at $100 US.
In a blog post, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said the new Xbox One and PC controller takes into consideration the needs of gamers who may not be able to hold a controller for a long time or reach all the triggers and buttons. “On our journey of inclusive design, we have taken a wider view of our fans and a more inclusive approach to designing for them,” Spencer said.
“By taking an inclusive design approach and considerations of gamers who might not be able to reach all the bumpers and triggers or hold a controller for an extended period of time, for example, we were able to design a controller that provides a way for more fans to enjoy gaming,” Spencer added. “On our journey of inclusive design, we have taken a wider view of our fans and a more inclusive approach to designing for them.”
Microsoft designed the controller in collaboration with The AbleGamers Charity, The Cerebral Palsy Foundation, Craig Hospital, SpecialEffect, and Warfighter Engaged. “We worked closely with them and directly with gamers who have limited mobility to assist in our development. Our goal was to make the device as adaptable as possible, so gamers can create a setup that works for them in a way that is plug-and-play, extensible, and affordable,” Spencer said.
The controller has two big buttons built in that can be reprogrammed to work as any of the inputs on a standard controller using the Xbox Accessories app. Additionally, the Xbox Adaptive Controller supports external inputs from a range of third-party manufacturers, including PDP, Logitech, and Quadstick (you can see a full list here).
Spencer went on to say that Microsoft has been working on the Xbox Adaptive Controller for “years” already–and it may not be the last piece of kit that Microsoft creates with inclusivity in mind. “We realize that this is only one step along our journey of inclusive design and that we have more work ahead,” Spencer said. “This has been a passion project for people around the world, both inside Microsoft and beyond.”
The Xbox Adaptive Controller will be sold exclusively through the Microsoft Store. Microsoft will announce more details about the controller during E3, while pre-order availability details will also be shared in due time.
For more on the Xbox Adaptive Controller, check out the video above and read the full blog post on the Xbox Wire. You can also read this story from GameSpot sister site CNET in which editor Ian Sherr goes inside Microsoft’s design lab to find out how the controller was made. Further still, you can check out CNET’s video above to hear Spencer speaking directly about the Xbox Adaptive Controller and Microsoft’s social responsibility to help support gamers.
With just a few hours to go before Activision is set to formally unveil Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, what appears to be the game’s box art has leaked online.
CharlieIntel spotted the art, which shows three characters, including one in the middle who appears to be wearing some kind of exo-suit. The character in the middle bears some kind of resemblance to former San Francisco Giants pitcher Brian Wilson before he cut his hair.
…Box Art for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 LEAKED pic.twitter.com/uFcg6N4SX3
— charlieINTEL.com @ #BlackOps4 Reveal (@charlieINTEL) May 17, 2018
All should be revealed soon, as Activision will officially reveal Black Ops 4 during an event scheduled for 10 AM PT on May 17. The event will be streamed live and you’ll be able to watch the entire thing here on GameSpot. We will of course also have a full rundown of all the big news as it is announced, so keep checking back for more.
Black Ops 4 launches on October 12 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Ubisoft has confirmed a closed beta for The Crew 2 will be conducted from May 31 to June 4 across PS4, Xbox One, and PC. If you want a chance at an invite, Ubisoft is taking sign-ups now at thecrewgame.com/beta.
The publisher notes players who are selected for the beta are encouraged to make use of the ability to pre-load the build, which will be available from May 29.
The closed beta will cover The Crew 2’s first level of its progression system and feature races across the four initial disciplines: street racing, rally raid, powerboat, and aerobatics. Ubisoft also notes that players will be able to make full use of the vehicle transformation feature during the beta, dubbed Fast-Fav, and instantly switch between car, plane, and boat at the push of a button.
State of Decay 2’s open-world battle for survival against a zombie menace is the right kind of post-apocalyptic fun. It creates plenty of high-stakes moments, punctuated by the relative calm of foraging for supplies while always looking over your shoulder. It’s a potent mixture for a while, until the combination of repetitive missions and annoying bugs eventually dulls the joy of squashing heads, even when your co-op entourage rolls deep.
Just like in 2013’s original State of Decay, in State of Decay 2 you can freely switch between randomly generated survivors in your post-apocalyptic community – and you’ll regularly have to, because they can only be pushed so far before their stamina starts to give out. Or worse, you did something stupid and got someone permanently killed, taking their unique traits and whatever leveled-up skills they’ve acquired with them. You’re not able to customize their names or looks at all, which is a shame, because if XCOM has taught us anything it’s that it’s fun to tell your friends and co-workers how you got them killed. But that fear of loss (you can’t reload from an earlier save!) adds some significant weight to the struggle that plays out on one of three open-world rural maps, as you scavenge the region to build a shelter and work to cleanse the land of a disease known as the Blood Plague.
Xbox has unveiled a new controller, specifically designed for gamers with limited mobility or conditions that make gaming with traditional controllers difficult.
Dubbed the Xbox Adaptive Controller, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has explained the device has been years in the making.
“For gamers with limited mobility, finding controller solutions to fit their individual needs has been challenging,” said Spencer on Xbox Wire. “The solutions that exist today are often expensive, hard to find, or require significant technical skill to create. A number of individuals and organizations are creating custom solutions, but it has been often difficult for them to scale when most rigs need to be so personalized.”
This season’s top 10 most popular shows on network TV in the US have a predominantly older audience.
According to a report from the The New York Times, major networks like CBS, ABC, and NBC are struggling to attract younger audiences, who are instead choosing to consume their entertainment media on streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu.
The outlet made a list of the “top 10 entertainment shows during the 2017-2018 television season,” which shows the median age of the viewer. Check out the list in order from oldest to youngest below: