I’ll be trying to complete my “good” playthrough in inFamous: Second Son (I’m having a blast!), and probably check out some of the indie titles on PSN. There are so many! Other than that, I’ll be enjoying the season in a variety of ways. Performing at a concert tonight, should be fun! And Charlene (my wife) and I will be traversing the beautiful Island of St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands.

What are you good people up to? Care to share? Do so and have a great weekend! Happy Easter!

You feel my pain, right? I’m sure you do! Have a great weekend, friends! And whatever you do, be sure to game a little.

Yes, we have the multiplatform titles, but for some reason none, so far, has been able to “wow” us. And yes, Titanfall and inFamous: Second are great games, but that’s it? Where’s Naughty Dog? Where’s Sony Santa Monica? Where is 343 Industries? Of course these studios are working on great titles, but the wait is a bit frustrating. 

Thankfully Watch Dogs comes out in May, and Bungie’s Destiny comes out in September, two great titles we’re now more than ever looking forward to.

So, what are you playing this weekend? Let me know in the comments and have a great weekend!

Now, Valve’s former VR specialist Michael Abrash has joined Oculus as Chief Scientist Officer, and said in a statement that VR will be the platform to end all platforms. Lofty talk, to say the least.

“We’re on the cusp of what I think is not The Next Big Platform, but rather simply The Final Platform – the platform to end all platforms – and the path here has been so improbable that I can only shake my head,” Abrash wrote. He continued, “A lot of what it will take to make VR great is well understood at this point, so it’s engineering, not research; hard engineering, to be sure, but clearly within reach. For example, there are half a dozen things that could be done to display panels that would make them better for VR, none of them pie in the sky.”

Because of Facebook, Abrash said, “VR is going to happen in all its glory…I now fully expect to spend the rest of my career pushing VR as far ahead as I can.”

Abrash concluded, ”It feels like it did when I went to Id, but on steroids – this time we’re working on technology that will change not just computer gaming, but potentially how all of us interact with computers, information, and each other every day. I think it’s going to be the biggest game-changer I’ve ever seen”

So what do you guys think? Are you interested in VR? Let me know in the comments, and have a great weekend, everyone!

The independent development scene has been blazing its own trail on PC for years now, but the new consoles — especially PS4, has seen a new era come to life, with indie games thriving alongside big-budget titles. Simply turn on your PS4 and head to the indie section and you’ll see a plethora of free-to-play, as well as standard sale titles doing well there. You’ll also find the most unique and innovative experiences in the indie segment.

It’s a realization that Sony came to when forging the new console, lead by lead architect Mark Cerny, that if a next-gen console were to survive, it would need the backing of everyone who makes games. It was a good call.

So turn on your console, look at the indie titles on hand and give at least one a go. You’ll have a blast. Enjoy your weekend, friends.

Will the console break all kinds of records in Japan like it did in the West? No, I don’t think so, as Japan’s console market has shrunk considerably over the years, and the nation does not retain the influence it once had on the games industry when Square-Enix, Capcom, Konami and others were the top videogame publishers. But I do expect modest numbers for PS4 in its home turf, probably around 500k first week sales — not near the numbers it managed in the U.S. and Europe, but strong enough to hail it at the leading brand in Japan.

And that leads to me to explaining my headline, or more accurately, trying to justify it. Has the PlayStation brand captured its staying power back? Not that it ever lost it, but last generation the Xbox 360 dominated (mostly U.S. and UK), and those territories were enough to put the console on top — and although PS3 exclusives still stand as the best-looking games in the last generation, multiplatform titles almost always performed better on Xbox 360.

Now the tables have turned drastically, and PS4 has already doubled Xbox One sales globally, and all games look and run better on Sony’s latest console. Oh how quickly things change. Not too long ago many thought Microsoft would dominate this generation — something that now seems so ludicrous that I’m still trying to wrap my head around the perfect storm which lead to Microsoft’s many troubles with Xbox One, and the perfect conditions — and executions, that lead to Sony’s global triumph with PS4.

Anyway, that’s my take on the situation, I’d like to hear yours in the comments. 

On the gaming front, I won’t be playing anything, really, as I’m waiting on some new titles to land on my PS4. Battlefield 4 is a broken, frustrating mess, I’ve already deleted Killzone: Shadow Fall, and while I enjoyed Call of Duty: Ghosts campaign, I’ve never availed in the game’s multiplayer, so I won’t return there.

Have a great weekend, friends.

This weekend will be awesome, I predict — at least for me, as I’ll be all over the place having a great time, performing, hosting a radio show, and going to the Annual Agricultural Festival in the United States Virgin Islands, St. Croix.

I’ll get some time for gaming of course, but there’s not a whole lot to play at the moment, as the big guns will be coming all in March.

If you’re an Xbox One, Xbox 360 or PC owner, Titanfall will be the hot number, and if you’re on PS4 or PS3, you’ll be treated with inFamous: Second Son and Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (the latter will also be available on Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC).

Meanwhile on either of the consoles, there’s the usual suspects: Call of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4, FIFA 14 and other titles — but like I said, some of us are already tired.

What about your weekend, what are you up to? Share it, and have a great one!!

This means there are many gamers out there who’ve been enjoying their brand new gaming machines with the launch titles that have been released, and great new features like PS4′s livestream.

Also, the naysayers of the console gaming scene, those who predicted that the home console market would shrink because of the rise of mobile gaming, must be in denial as both PS4 and Xbox One broke all kinds of records, with PS4 being the first home console to sell 1 million units in 24hrs, and Xbox One not performing too bad itself, beating out Xbox 360′s launch numbers by miles.

So two months later, there are not that many games to play (it’s called the launch drought), but with the arrival of inFamous: Second Son for PS4 and Titanfall for Xbox One, things will pick up soon. The power difference between the consoles have also been magnified all the more, with the recent resolution-gate situation taking aim at Square-Enix’s Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, with the PS4 version of the game rendering at 60fps and 1080p, while Xbox One only manages 30fps and 1080p.

All-in-all, however, things are looking great for the new consoles, and I can’t wait for the new games start coming in more frequently. Games like Uncharted 4, the next God of War. The Order: 1886. Watch Dogs, The Division and other great IPs. I say bring them on!

Have a great weekend, friends. 

But you can’t really blame us. Nintendo, ever since it left the GameCube and released the Wii, the company, ostensibly, effectively neglected the people like me, who love regular gaming (with a regular controller), and went for the casuals. Ever since then, even if the Wii turned out to be a success story, most of the hardcore crowed left Nintendo.

We left because Nintendo had divorced us for its younger crowed which saw most multiplatform big games not coming to the Wii. Then, when the Wii’s fad faded, Nintendo announced another console, one that went deeper down the casual road, putting a nail in an already well boxed coffin. Publishers and developers left en mass, leaving Nintendo mostly with its games to sell, and that’s simply not enough.

Furthermore, the company’s habits are alien and stone age. It has no venerable online network to compete with PSN and Xbox Live. It’s fist party range of titles, although vast, isn’t enough to satisfy the hardcore crowed, and it all culminated on Friday, when company CEO Satoru Iwata admitted he had misread the markets and hadn’t issued “the appropriate instructions.” He said the company needed to change and “propose something that surprises our customers.”

“The way people use their time, their lifestyles, who they are—have changed,” Mr. Iwata said. “If we stay in one place, we will become outdated.”

Mr. Iwata noted that Nintendo’s sales in Japan were better than they were in the U.S. and Europe, and said the company needed a better way of keeping in touch with trends abroad.

“In Japan, I can be my own antenna, but abroad, that doesn’t work,” he said.

Is it too late for Nintendo to make a comeback? I don’t know — and even if they did, it’d not be in the same form, meaning their games would have to be released on other devices — at least mobile, to bring the company back to respectable profits.

I don’t even believe releasing a new console would “save” Nintendo, as most gamers will be satisfied with with PS4 and Xbox One for years to come.

Maybe if the new console is more powerful than both PS4 and Xbox One, and Nintendo unveils some new Mario and Zelda titles that make full use of the more powerful hardware, then probably we’d be “wowed” and forced to buy the new system. But as of now, barring a miracle, I don’t know how Nintendo can survive the Wii U’s dismal sales numbers… It’s sad but true. And I’m not predicting the firm’s closure here, all I’m saying is it’ll be a lesser company in terms of clout, presence and influence, if things don’t change drastically and quickly.

Have a great weekend, friends.

And I cannot wait! Especially since I’m not playing my PS4 that much these days, because I’m already tired of Call of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4 is a broken game, I haven’t played Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, and Killzone: Shadow Fall is the worst in franchise history. Take my word for it.

But again, I’m not in despair at all, I’m looking forward to inFamous: Second Son, a PS4 exclusive that will surely push the new console to bring new experiences to gamers. And who can forget Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes, coming in March, that’s sure to leave memorable moments engraved in the minds of gamers for months — if not years.

Xbox One isn’t looking too shabby either, with Respawn Entertainment’s promising title, Titanfall, looking to revolutionize the way we play shooters forever. And these are just a few of the great titles coming to next-gen consoles promising to shake things up somewhat. There’s the new Witcher game from CD Projekt, DriveClub from Evolution Studios, Uncharted 4 from Naughty Dog, a new Halo from 343 Industries, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain from Kojima Productions, a new, unannounced title from Media Molecule, The Order: 1886 from Ready At Dawn, a new unannounced title from Guerrilla Games, Remedy’s Quantum Break — and a host of other games — being developed exclusively for next-gen consoles.

So to say I’m optimistic about this new generation is an understatement because I’m absolutely delighted on the prospect of PS4 and Xbox One, and the games that will undoubtedly leave their mark on said consoles.

Happy new year, everyone. And enjoy the weekend.

Whether it be wealth and riches, it’s been done before, travesty and poverty, it’s always been here. Struggles and triumph have lived side-by-side for centuries — and your determination will determine on which side you make your abode. As long as I’ve lived, the story’s never diverted from this truth: those who play hard win the race. Those who play hard with persistent grace and unfailing passion live by the riverside, in a land flowing with milk and honey with triumph.

And those who play soft, easily give up when the oceans rage and the night’s darkness gets too dark, abide bitterly and in distress in the desert with struggles. The decision, as ever, rests with you.

Game hard, friends of Gamesthirst, don’t allow life to take the upper hand, instead grab hold of everything that concerns you and win this thing just as you’d win a Call of Duty, Battlefield, Halo or Killzone battle.

Like Master Chief taking down hordes of enemies, fight hard when trying times surface. Like killing your way through a seemingly impossible armada of tangos in Call of Duty — yet making it through successfully, take hold of the matters of life that try to overwhelm you and beat it at its own game. Like the Helghast in Killzone trying to take what is yours, stand in the face of your enemies and let your life’s eventual success story do the fighting. And like a game of Conquest in Battlefield’s multiplayer, take your weaponry which, in this case is your mind and skills, and conquer all that’s set before you with swift determination.

Because at the end of the day life’s a very long game that throws all sorts of balls at you whether you like them or not, but no game has ever been impossible to beat. There must be a way, with a bit of luck, to conquer this thing. So play to win, persistently.

Have a blessed weekend.

So you’re now at your house, checking out your new console — you’ve probably even played a few games, or maybe not. Maybe you’ve been one of the many who couldn’t log into PSN because of the great influx of gamers.

Maybe you’re playing right now and simply paused to take a look at your favorite games website. Tell me, then, how’s your PS4 experience going thus far. Love it? Meh? Mild reaction? Or are you simply stunned by the beauty, prowess and power of Sony’s latest console?

It’s your turn to talk, Europe. Let us know how you feel about the PlayStation 4.

And enjoy your weekend!!!

In the middle of the transition, we caught glimpses of new, exciting games we can’t wait to play. We got promises of surprise hardcore games joining Wii U‘s lineup. We got news that some targets for next-gen are met, some aren’t.

But most importantly, we saw that the bigger one is, the harder the fall will be, especially when your enemies are motivated to go stronger because of it.

And here we are, with the last Weekend Quencher before the next-gen of consoles launches, and offers a chance to refresh the industry. PlayStation 4 is coming out next Friday (15/11) and Xbox One follows a week later (22/11). Will you be picking any?

I might have struck a deal with my retailer to get an early Xbox One for review purposes, and thus, I might have a review up at or shortly after launch. Ernice will handle the PS4 review, while my bundle will arrive in early December.

So, what are you doing for the weekend? Keep in mind, BlizzCon is ongoing, and Games Thirst will be giving you the news out of the show; if you’re interested in Blizzard’s games, be sure to check our website every now and then until the convention’s last day, which is tomorrow.

I’ll go old-school on some Ocarina of Time 3D on my 3DS, Pokemon X, some Arkham Origins Blackgate on the Vita, and tons of Black Flag and Battlefield 4 on the PlayStation 3. Let’s hear you, Gamesthirstians!

On November 11th, 2013, according to popular games journalist Geoff Keighley, Sony will have some world premier PlayStation 4 announcements. That’s just 4 days before PS4 launches. Then, Mark Rein, Epic Games boss tweeted this pic, hyping PS4 even more. Mark Rein, by the way, he and the other Epic Games guys, are the makers of Gears of War.

On November 13th, Sony will be hosting a PS4 event called, “Inside the PlayStation 4: Building the best Place to Play,” with Dominic Mallinson, senior vice president, Software at Sony, keynoting.

Lots of great events happening before and round the launch of PlayStation 4, as the reality of next-gen is upon us.

Only one question remaining, then: how excited are you? Let us know in the comments below, and have a great, great, great weekend!

Oh, and we’ll be having some great Xbox One coverage identical to what we’re doing with PS4 right after Sony’s new console launches.

The greatest time to be a gamer is now.

The eightth generation of consoles begs me to ask this question: who could have thought, 40 years ago, that we’d get eight generations of gaming-specific hardware and that the industry would be the giant it is today? It’s not easy to outsell blockbuster movies and music, yet each year, games like Grand Theft Auto V and Call of Duty manage to break any and all records and make it seem like a walk in the park.

That’s what I’m hoping for when the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 drop. An increase in quality, an increase in sales, and the relevance of gaming in the world to remain as it is, if not grow bigger.

What are your plans for the next-gen anyway? This week was rich in news, and surely something must have drawn your attention. Maybe claims that one next-gen version of Battlefield 4 will be “definitely better” than the other? Or Microsoft’s stance with the Xbox One’s price? Let’s hear you out in another Weekend Quencher!