Morning DLC: Video Games News And Rumors 1/6/14
By Nick Tylwalk
"Microsoft Studios corporate vice president Phil Spencer has praised Sony’s PS4 strategy in a new interview with OXM.Asked what he’s learnt from his rivals, the Xbox executive said Sony has “done a nice job with PS4”. While Xbox One’s launch campaign was initially bungled, Spencer pointed to Sony’s clear PS4 messaging from the console’s reveal last February through to its launch in November.Spencer also had kind words for Nintendo, bigging up the company’s catalogue of first party properties."
"The victor in the silly next-gen “war” is far to early to call; The Xbox One is only available in 13 territories, and the PS4 has yet to be released in its native Japan. It’s expected though, that as per usual, Sony’s machine will clean up in Japan and Europe, with Microsoft’s console taking its own home crown in the North Americas. It appears – at a cursory glance – though, that Sony may have won gamers over, and currently enjoys a sales advantage.According to market analysts Baird and Co (via VG247), who’ve rifled through GameStop sales date and then very probably jumped to conclusions, The PlayStation 4 has a slight sales advantage in the US, despite the system’s lack of general availability in the region."
"Once upon a time, DICE’s Battlefield series could confidently lay claim to the status of Most Devilishly Handsome Game, but the next generation switchover has stirred up a horde of equally attractive competitors, such as Bungie’s Destiny and Crytek’s Ryse.Still, DICE’s executive producer Patrick Bach is happy about how the Frostbite engine stacks up to rivals – and Need for Speed: Rivals senior producer Jamie Keen argues that the engine is a “constantly evolving animal”. Battlefield 5 (rumoured to be in development at Dead Space studio Visceral) should be a sight for sore eyes, then.“We’re still, I would argue, one of the best looking next gen games – I don’t want to say the best-looking next gen game, but we have an engine that truly takes advantage of the next gen machines.”"