News
36 CommentsOrigin update embraces powerful PCs, tweaks interface, achievements and more
By Dave Tach on May 09, 2013 05.09.13
An update for Origin, Electronic Arts' digital distribution service, adds options for powerful computers, tweaks the interface, achievements and more, according to an update posted on the official website. Origin version 9.2.1 adds a new "multilauncher" for 64-bit systems that gives "additional options for taking advantage of your hardware when starting supported games." Origin's Application Settings menu has also been revamped, and users can now track achievements and the Origin Points they earn from playing Battlefield 3, Mass Effect 3, and Dead Space 3 on their profile page. Finally, those who broadcast their gameplay now have the option to automatically archive it. If you'd like to install the update for Windows PC or Mac now, you can sign up for the Origin beta program. Those...
News
8 CommentsBattlefield 3 and Battlelog DDOS attack continues, upcoming double XP event postponed
By Alexa Ray Corriea on May 09, 2013 05.09.13
DICE and EA are still working to resolve issues with servers for Battlefield 3 and the Battelog service resulting from an ongoing denial-of-service attack, according to posts on the Battlelog forums. Severs for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC versions of the game crashed late Tuesday night after an attack aimed at them by an outside party. DICE temporarily took the servers offline to reconfigure and perform "emergency maintenance," but the issues have persisted since they have been put back up. "The current Battlefield 3 outages are a result of activity that appears to be aimed at overwhelming our back-end infrastructure," a representative for EA posted on the forums. "We are working on a variety of solutions to address this problem and are focused on resolution as quickly as...
News
6 CommentsBattlefield 3 and Battlelog suffer temporary outages in attack aimed at servers
By Alexa Ray Corriea on May 08, 2013 05.08.13
EA temporarily took down servers for Battlefield 3 and the Battlelog social service last night in the wake of an attack on its servers by an outside party, according to the franchise's Twitter account. Late yesterday servers across PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC crashed as "a result of activity that appears to be aimed at overwhelming our game servers," according to official tweets. The current BF3 and Battelog outages are a result of activity that appears to be aimed at overwhelming our game servers. — Battlefield (@Battlefield) May 8, 2013 According to the server status site for Battlefield 3, all three groups of servers are now back online as of this morning. The Battlelog service has also been restored. We have reached out to EA for more details on the nature of these...
News
10 CommentsEA reports income drop for fourth fiscal quarter but jump for the year
By Samit Sarkar on May 07, 2013 05.07.13
Electronic Arts reported its fourth-quarter and full-year financial results today, showing a 19 percent drop in net income for the fourth fiscal quarter, but a 28.9 percent jump in net income for its 2013 fiscal year. The earnings report covers EA's fourth quarter — the three-month period that ended March 31 — as well as its entire 2013 fiscal year, which ran from April 1, 2012, through March 31, 2013. EA's net revenue was down in both the fourth quarter (by 11.6 percent, from $1.37 billion to $1.21 billion) and the full year (by 8.4 percent, from $4.14 billion to $3.80 billion). But net income for the full year was up 28.9 percent, from $76 million for 2012 to $98 million for 2013. The increase appears to have resulted in large part from a rise in digital revenue, and from the...
Deals
1 CommentSerious Sam games half off on Xbox Live this week, Battlefield 3 DLC half price next week
By Samit Sarkar on May 07, 2013 05.07.13
This week's slate of sales on Xbox Live Marketplace includes half-price discounts on the Serious Sam series, Microsoft's Major Nelson announced today. From today through May 13, the four Serious Sam games on Xbox Live Arcade are each available for 400 Microsoft Points ($5), 50 percent off their usual price. That includes Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter, Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter, Serious Sam 3: BFE (screenshot above) and Serious Sam Double D XXL. Jewel of the Nile, the add-on for Serious Sam 3: BFE, is also on sale for the same price. This week will also see the release of two skin packs for 4J Studios' Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition, the 1st Birthday Skins Pack for free and the Battle 'N Beasts Pack for 160 Microsoft Points ($2). And Pocketwatch Games' Monaco: What's...
Deals
12 CommentsOrigin sale discounts Battlefield 3, Tomb Raider, Assassin's Creed 3, more through April 30
By Samit Sarkar on Apr 25, 2013 04.25.13
EA's Origin is currently running a sale on a variety of action games and their DLC, including Battlefield 3, Tomb Raider and Assassin's Creed 3. The sale includes physical copies on Windows PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 as well as digital copies sold through Origin; the discounts are as high as 50 percent off. Here are some of the highlights: Battlefield 3: $9.99 (PC download), $19.99 (PC, PS3, 360 retail) Battlefield 3 Premium Edition: $29.99 (PC download), $34.99 (PC, PS3, 360 retail) Tomb Raider: $24.99 (PC download) Tomb Raider Survival Edition: $28.99 (PC download) Assassin's Creed 3: $24.99 (PC download) Dead Space 3: $29.99 (PC download), $39.99 (PC, PS3, 360 retail) Darksiders 2: $24.99 (PC download) Saints Row: The Third - The Full Package: $24.99 (PC...
Deals
11 CommentsOrigin's Player Appreciation Sale includes discounts on Dead Space 3, Crysis 3 and many more
By Dave Tach on Mar 19, 2013 03.19.13
Origin's Player Appreciation Sale is live, offering discounts on more than 200 games on EA's storefront over the next week, according to the sale's website. The discounts apply to downloads and packaged games available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows PC, Mac, Wii and Wii U. Front page deals include: Assassin's Creed 3 for $34.99 as a PC download (regularly $49.99) Battlefield 3 Premium Edition for $29.99 (regularly $59.99) Crysis 3 for $29.99 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and on Windows PC as a download or a physical copy (regularly $59.99) Darksiders 2 Deluxe Edition for $18 as a PC download (regularly $59.99) Dead Space 3 for $29.99 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and on Windows PC as a download or a physical copy (regularly $59.99) Hitman: Absolution for $15 as a PC...
News
10 CommentsBattlefield 3 players will need 1.92 GB End Game multiplayer update
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Mar 12, 2013 03.12.13
Battlefield 3 players who plan on picking up the latest downloadable content, End Game, will need to download a 1.92 GB patch, according to a tweet from Xbox Live director of programming Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb. End Game adds new modes, maps and vehicles, including a dirt bike, to Battlefield 3's multiplayer content. The free patch includes a large number of tweaks and fixes. Teleportation glitches, camera flips, invisible helicopters and much more line the lengthy list, which you can read here. The list also includes download instructions for PlayStation 3 and PC owners. End Game launched in North America March 5 for Battlefield PlayStation 3 Premium members, while Xbox 360 and PC launched today. All regular members will have access to End Game March 19. Read our report on B...
Report
21 CommentsEnd Game: The dirt bikes, dogfights and new modes of Battlefield 3's final piece of DLC
By Tracey Lien on Mar 04, 2013 03.04.13
Speaking to Polygon, Mcleod says the logic behind DICE's DLC for Battlefield 3 is to release "whole new experiences" with each expansion, as opposed to just releasing new maps that don't encourage new styles of play. Back to Karkand — the first piece of premium DLC for Battlefield 3 — eased players into the premium DLC with something familiar. Close Quarters was a more infantry-focused shooter. Armored Kill had the biggest maps of any Battlefield game. Aftermath took players into a city setting for close-range combat in tight streets littered with debris, and now End Game — the final piece of DLC — will explore fast gameplay, a dedicated mode for dogfights and the re-introduction of Capture the Flag mode. "This is our fifth and final expansion pack and it's all about speed and...
Deals
0 CommentsAmazon winter deals include Sleeping Dogs for $29.99, bundle with Limbo, Trials HD and 'Splosion Man for $10.70
By Samit Sarkar on Feb 12, 2013 02.12.13
Amazon is offering hundreds of discounts on video games and accessories right now, including 40 percent price cuts on games such as Sleeping Dogs and Hitman: Absolution. Both those Square Enix-published action games are on sale for $29.99, along with Just Dance 4 and the non-Premium version of Battlefield 3. A one-year Xbox Live Gold membership, Assassin's Creed 3 and Halo 4 are each available for $39.99, a 33 percent discount. Gears of War 3 is discounted to $14.18, a price cut of more than 50 percent. And a retail disc bundle of three Xbox Live Arcade games — Limbo, Trials HD and 'Splosion Man — is being sold for $10.70. Accessories like headsets and controllers are also on sale. Discounts on a variety of Tritton and Turtle Beach gaming headsets range from 13 percent to 35...
