You Now Have to Pay to Unlock All of Steam’s Features
You now have to spend at least $5 in the Steam store in order to unlock all of the available features.
Valve announced these measures were to protect its customers against spamming and phishing.
Users who have not spent the $5 will not have access to features such as sending friend invites, voting on Greenlight, or submitting content on the Steam workshop.
Simply activating a retail game on Steam does not remove the restrictions, you have to either add $5 to your Steam Wallet or purchase a game worth at least that amount. If your Steam store is not in USD, the equivalent amount in your currency is tracked.
Werid Al Talks Taking Over an Issue of MAD
With "Weird Al" Yankovic taking over tomorrow's issue of MAD Magazine #533 as guest editor, we hopped on the phone with Weird Al and and MAD’s Editor-in-Chief John Ficarra to talk about what to expect.
MAD #533 Cover (Illustrated by Mark Fredrickson)
The pair talked about how this takeover came to be, the difference between written and musical humor, and what Weird Al has in mind for his next project after this (hint: it's musical but it's not another album).
TERA Reveals New Gunner Class and Steam Launch Date
TERA: Fate of Arun is set to get a new Gunner class in its next major update.
The patch, currently due for release on May 5, will add the fast-moving, ranged DPS class, will launch alongside the MMO's arrival on Steam.
The Gunner will bring run-and-gun gameplay to the title, with AoE attacks and arc-cannons serving as her two most defining features. Summoned constructs will also play a big part.
You can check out IGN's thoughts on the first part of the Fate of Arun patch, which is "more of a good, free thing", and also be sure to look at why it's about time we rethink our irrational loathing of free-to-play titles.
Disney Infinity 3.0 Characters Leaked?
The next wave of characters set to come to Disney's popular toys-to-life franchise have reportedly been leaked, and will include the likes of Mulan, Olaf, and even Classic Mickey.
Infinity Inquirer managed to secure a number of images from Chinese retailer Taobao, which showcase a lineup of 11 new collectible toys based on Disney's vast library of beloved IP. The characters include Olaf from Frozen, Sam Flynn and Quorra from Tron: Legacy, and Mulan from, well, Mulan.
Microsoft Will Show Off a New Exclusive IP at E3 2015
Microsoft plans to show off a new exclusive intellectual property during E3 2015, according to tweets by Xbox head Phil Spencer.
“We should have new exclusive IP at E3,” Spencer tweeted. “I'm trying to make this E3 more about 1st party than past E3s.”
“This is going to be a fun year,” he added. “I think it might be our best 1st party content year ever.”
Last October, Spencer revealed that Microsoft’s development studios is working on a new IP that isn’t a “another military space marine game” or racing title. Microsoft is expected to show off more Scalebound, the action-adventure game from developer Platinum Games and game director Hideki Kamiya, during E3 2015 this year.
You Can Still Buy a Pizza From First Ever Web Commerce Site
The first ever online purchase was from Pizza Hut in 1994, and you can still order from the same website.
The URL has changed, but Pizza Hut's first web commerce site is still active.
A tweet from Pizza Hut claimed the first ever online purchase, and it has been backed up by Internet Archivist, Jason Scott.
How times have changed, as now ordering a pizza is as easy as shouting at your video game console.
DB Xenoverse’s Third DLC Has Some Cool Characters
Dragon Ball Xenoverse's third DLC pack, Resurrection of F, will contain Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Goku and Vegeta as playable characters.
Resurrection of F will be arriving in Japan sometime in April. Also in the pack will be Frieza's Golden Form, and Jaco and Old Kai will arrive as mentors.
Additionally, there will be 13 new skills, seven new Z-souls, and five new parallel quests. Players will also be able to use Gohan's green tracksuit and Tagoma's scooter.
To find out whether you should buy the base game, check out IGN's review of Dragon Ball Xenoverse.
Borderlands Writer/Director Leaves Gearbox
Matthew Armstrong has left Gearbox Software.
Armstrong, who was credited as a writer and game design director for the original Borderlands, has announced he left Gearbox Software on his Twitter account.
His tweet read: "Things changed. No longer working at @GearboxSoftware. I will always love Gearbox, but it's adventure time."
Armstrong's tweet came the day after he offered condolences for the recently closed 2K Australia studio. "The 2K Australia guys were amazing to work with, and there's not one of them I wouldn't work with again. Good luck, my friends."
Nathan Lawrence is a freelance writer from Sydney who very much enjoyed his co-op time in the Borderlands. Track him down on Twitter.
Two New Jurassic World Posters Focus on Ferocity
Two new posters have emerged on the eve of the Jurassic World's next trailer.
Both are more animated than the chilling one-sheet Universal dropped on Friday (featuring the Indominus Rex getting ready for her close-up). The first stars Chris Pratt's Owen Grady on a motorcycle, with his somewhat contentious 'trained' velociraptors racing alongside him. The second poster is more interesting, offering us another glimpse of the mosasaurus at...shudder...feeding time. Check 'em out below.
via Universal Pictures.
Aussie Kids to Create New Education Games
The Australian STEM Video Game Challenge is now open for registrations.
Upper-primary and secondary-school students (Years 5-12) around Australia are being encouraged to register interest in the Game Challenge that tasks them with creating "an original educational video game that includes STEM content or themes."
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics topics which, according to a press release, are crucial areas of education for the future success of businesses. Reportedly, interest in STEM topics from Australian students is waning, which is where the Video Game Challenge hopes to increase engagement.
There's also a push "to encourage the participation of key groups that are traditionally underrepresented in STEM areas, particularly girls and students from low-socioeconomic areas."