All the news that happened while you were asleep.
Mass Effect: Andromeda multiplayer test is cancelled
EA has announced that they are cancelling their multiplayer tech test for players at home. In a blog post from develop Bioware, they said "While we will have live multiplayer at PAX East, there will no longer be a multiplayer tech test for players at home. Thank you to everyone who signed up. We look forward to seeing you in Andromeda." Bioware has given no explicit reason as to why the multiplayer tech test for the game was cancelled. BioWare confirmed that Andromeda would have a multiplayer mode in November of last year, with the developer allowing people to sign up for the pre-release play period on its website, which now no longer will take place. Andromeda's multiplayer will tie into the game's campaign. In terms of gameplay, you can expect to be on the move more often than in Mass Effect 3. Whereas that game often saw players often stay in a fixed location they could defend, Andromeda will throw new enemy types at you that force you into or out of cover. For more information, see the full story on GameSpot.
The Nintendo Switch will sell 5-million consoles this year
Research firm Superdata has released a report today saying that Nintendo will sell 5-million Switch consoles within 2017. Superdata have suggested that there could be a slow start with the company pointing to a lack of must-buy software leading to a slower adoption rate. Superdata say specifically that the high price point, the lack of a bundled game and "absence of strong launch titles" could lead people to perceive that there is a higher barrier to entry than the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. This data may have already been proven false, with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the Nintendo Switch's biggest launch title, receive multiple perfect 10 ratings from online reviewers and being called one of the best launch titles of all time. If Superdata's figures are correct, it will indicate a slow start in comparison to the PlayStation 4, which sold 5.3-million units in less than three months, but would be a better start for Nintendo then their last console, after the Wii U moved just 5.86-million units in the consoles first 14 months. For more information, see the full story on Develop-online.net.
6.8-million people participated in the Ghost Recon: Wildlands beta
Ubisoft has stated that over 6.8-million players took part in the Ghost Recon: Wildlands, an internal record for the company, beating the previous record hold The Division. Ubisoft proudly boasts that the total playtime on the beta was 34.3m hours, which equates to about 5 hours per person on average. Although betas are primarily designed to prevent launch issues for ambitious online games, another advantage for publishers doing one so close to release is the potential marketing impact. Titles such as The Division and Destiny benefited hugely from their betas, driving up pre-orders and ensuring both games would break records for sales of a new IP. For more information, see the full story on Gamesindustry.biz.
Gearbox show's off new tech to be used in Borderlands 3
Gearbox has shown a number of new techniques that they will be using for game making during a panel at GDC, with it being heavily hinted that it will be used on Borderlands 3. Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford noted more than once that what was being shown is a tech demo, rather than an actual game. The talk provided some insight into the approach Gearbox has used previously to build the Borderlands games' distinct, cell-shaded look. In two different scenes, a Borderlands-looking character is shown off. The first time, her back is to the viewer, while the second sees her conveniently positioned with her shoulder pad blocking her face. Pitchford said, "Don't worry about the character," but acknowledged that it was no coincidence that her face was obscured. That would seemingly suggest it's a returning character from a previous game. Pitchford went on to say "This is not a video game; this is a technology demonstration of some ongoing research and development at Gearbox Software. Some or all of the technologies that I demonstrated may be utilized by future Gearbox Software video games." For more information, see the full story on GameSpot.