Popcap also working on updates for Peggle 2 "and new IP as well".
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare released on Xbox 360 and Xbox One this week to something of a surprisingly warm reception - while there was nothing to suggest a shooter-based spin-off of a popular family-friendly series would be bad, it was understandable there was a fair amount of trepidation behind the release. Good news then, as it seems more is on the way and if reports are to be believed, for free.
Reports indicate GCHQ discussed potential uses for Kinect "with interest".
Oh dear. After leaked documents back in December indicated that the US government may have been spying on Xbox Live members, it seems a fresh set of leaks indicate the British agency GCHQ was also looking into the possibilities of taking images from the Xbox 360's Kinect.
March-ing in with our weekly collection of links.
March is here, and I hope both your consoles and wallets are ready. After a brief post-Christmas lull, we've got quite the packed month ahead of us, with three new games this Friday just gone, and South Park Stick of Truth and Titanfall rushing towards us close behind. Better clear some space in that schedule.
"We've tried to iterate and enhance almost everything to make it better than in the previous parts".
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt looks set to be one of the first must-have RPGs for release on Xbox One, and the series certainly has pedigree after a great showing on the Xbox 360. In the transition to more powerful systems, CD Projekt wants to make sure the latest iteration takes full advantage of the new hardware.
GAME offering two years of golden gaming goodness for under #163;60.
How's your Gold subscription as of late? If you're coming close to renewal, but you want to get a huge chunk of time for your money, you may be in luck as UK retailer GAME are now offering subscriptions that last a whopping 2 years - or 24 months, if you prefer.
Previously shown teaser trailer a "concept around Master Chief's journey".
You have to feel for Microsoft's Phil Spencer. No sooner does he state that more Halo news will be coming at E3, he gets bombarded with questions from eager Twitter followers trying to eke out some formation. Let's take a look:
Alleged promotional material raises bat-signal for Rocksteady's return.
It's been three years since Batman: Arkham City was released - the most recent game in the Caped Crusader's series developed by British studio Rocksteady. Since then they've remained largely in the shadows with development duties for prequel Arkham Origins passed to Warner Bros Montreal.
We're liking the sound of this update...
Friends, Romans, Audiophiles. Lend me your ears! We promise to give them back, especially as reports have come in that the upcoming Xbox One March update will finally allow you to utilise the popular Dolby Digital standard via optical cable - allowing those of you with Dolby headsets to enjoy full surround-sound loveliness.
Second expansion promises to "explore the military side of the zombie apocalypse".
Earlier in the week, Undead Labs told us there was plenty of life left in the Xbox 360. To back up their rhetoric, the team have now revealed some more juicy details on the upcoming second expansion for their downloadable open-world zombie hit entitled State of Decay: Lifeline.
Boats! Another boat! A really big boat! Crikey, helicopters!.
EA has released the first screenshots of Battlefield 4's Naval Strike DLC, which is due on Xbox Live in "late March". If you find large boats terrifying, you may wish to look away now.
Top-notch Firaxis strategy effort and RPG-defence hybrid are the latest giveaways.
Attention all armchair generals: it is a good time to be an Xbox Gold subscriber. March's free Xbox 360 games with Gold are Civilization Revolution, a turn-based empire building sim from Firaxis, followed by class-based multiplayer RPG Dungeon Defenders. The first is free from across 1st-15th March, the second from the 16th till the end of the month.
"We want it to be relatable. That's what makes the world interesting.".
Respawn Entertainment wants to have its TitanCake and eat it. That's to say, it wants to create a real-feeling, "relatable" and "grounded" game in which you can punch a man out of a giant robot's chest, then explode out the top of your own robot's head because it's faster than taking the stairs.
"We'll definitely see more of them, and I think it's happening quietly.".
If you're holding out for a "serious" homosexual videogame protagonist, you're in for a long wait. That's according to Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon writer Lucien Soulban, who argues that publishers are too worried about losing sales to greenlight such a character. The times appear to be changing, however.
"We don't know if it's going to be possible for us to publish it on Xbox One.".
Warsaw, Poland-based Crunching Koalas is now a registered ID@Xbox developer, but the company's Tomasz Tomaszewski isn't sure whether its current projects will ever appear on Xbox One. The reason? That day one release parity clause, revealed by Nuclear Throne developer Vlambeer last year.
Can't confirm exactly what its ID@Xbox game might be, however.
Rebellion has announced that it will bring Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army - a ghoulish spin on hit military sim Sniper Elite V2 - to "consoles". Exactly which consoles remains unclear, as "conversations" are on-going with the platform holders. Still, you might make deductions from the fact that Rebellion is now a registered member of Microsoft's ID@Xbox program.
A few snaps from the preview build.
Eager to get hold of March's Xbox One system update? You'll probably want to check out the below, off-screen shot of a preview build, then. Go ahead - pour it across the face of your desperation, as a man pours a glass of seawater over the prow of a beached galleon.
"Mr Crusher! Go plant a mine by that doorway at Warp Factor Mark 2.".
Feel like you're not getting enough use out of your Kinect? Always dreamed of telling Wesley Crusher off Star Trek: The Next Generation to go laser somebody's elbows off? You might be interested in There Came an Echo, a voice-controlled real-time squad tactics game that's pencilled in for Xbox One this year.
"Extended" version of the game may include PC level and updated graphics.
Smudged Cat Games plans to develop an Xbox One version of Xbox Live Arcade hit Gateways!, a 2D laboratory platform-puzzler originally released in 2012. The Xbox One edition would include a "Back to the lab" level developed for the PC version after the Xbox 360 game's release, plus updated graphics.
Phil Spencer says 343 Industries "has a great plan in place".
Microsoft Studio boss, Phil Spencer, has tweeted that news on the next Halo game will be incoming at E3 this year. Whether he's referring to Halo 5 or Halo 2 Anniversary remains unclear.
In talks with Warner Bros. to make a movie based on the game.
Mojang boss and creator of Minecraft Marcus Persson aka Notch, has just revealed that he's working with Warner Bros. to create a Minecraft movie.
