Today is a very special day for those who are looking forward to the Halo 5: Guardians beta test, as it marks the moment where this test actually kicks off. Well, Microsoft also has every intention of informing you that the game itself is also available for pre-order via several retailers, and this non-limitation is a good thing since everyone has their very own retailer whom they are comfortable with. Do expect Halo 5: Guardians to arrive in a trio of different packages in which we will check out in further detail after the jump.
First of all, there is the $59.99 Standard Edition that will feature a copy of Halo 5: Guardians in addition to an exclusive poster, and this poster is only available to those who place a pre-order. Up next would be the $99.99 Limited Edition bundle, where it comes with all that the Standard Edition has in addition to new digital content that helps enhance Spartan combat and exclusive items which arrive wrapped in a uniquely designed steel book.
Folks who are feeling flush can look forward to the $249.99 Limited Collector’s Edition, which will sport everything that the Limited Edition already has. Of course, there is more – and we are looking at additional content including a commemorative numbered statue that was specially designed by 343 Industries.
PlayStation Network and Xbox Live are still repeatedly going offline and experiencing problems, so if you're itching to try out a new Christmas gift game, you may have to wait.
Some Xbox One users may currently be experiencing issues signing into Xbox Live. Please see http://t.co/99xfLNN0o8 for more info. AD
- Xbox Support (1-5) (@XboxSupport) December 26, 2014
Our engineers are continuing to work hard to resolve the network issues users have experienced today. Thanks for your continued patience!
- Ask PlayStation (@AskPlayStation) December 26, 2014
An inane hacking group called "Lizard Squad" is taking responsibility for the service problems and insisting that people RT their tweets before they'll fix them. There's no confirmation that this group is definitely responsible, but they've been teasing plans to screw up these networks for weeks. Lizard Squad is already infamous in the gaming world for its history of random attacks. This past August, it gained notoriety attacking Runescape and League of Legends, so this latest attack would be a continuation of its dipshit activities.
There are a number of different Twitter accounts claiming to be this hacker group, and it looks like at least one of them made a deal with Kim DotCom to end the hack, as Mashable pointed out:
Thanks @LizardMafia for stopping attack on XBOX Live & PSN. Let everyone play with their Xmas gifts. Your Mega vouchers have been approved!
- Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) December 26, 2014
Yet the 3000 MegaPrivacy vouchers Kim Dotcom tried to use as an olive branch, people are still having a hard time using Xbox Live and PSN, so perhaps the hackers were not satisfied with their bounty. It's whatever the opposite of a Christmas miracle is.
But As of Latest Update Xbox And PS Network Engineers Working very hard to resolve the situation Before New Year...
E-sports attract huge crowds - but can it become and Olympic sport?
Competitive video gaming -
known as e-sports - should be included in the Olympic Games, the
creator of World of Warcraft has told the BBC.
Rob Pardo, who until July was chief creative officer at Blizzard Entertainment, said "sport" now had a broad definition.
"Video games are well positioned to be a spectator sport," he told Afternoon Edition on BBC 5live.
Professional e-sports events currently attract audiences of millions.
A recent major final held in Seoul, South Korea, filled a
stadium of 40,000 people - with many more watching either online or at
meet-ups around the world.
"There's a very good argument for e-sports being in the
Olympics," said Mr Pardo, who was also lead designer on Starcraft: Brood
War, a game often credited with kickstarting the e-sports phenomenon.
Millions watch the most popular games, both at stadium sized events and online."I think the way that you look at e-sports is that it's a very
competitive skillset and you look at these professional gamers and the
reflexes are lightning quick and they're having to make very quick
decisions on the fly."When you look at their 'actions per minute', they're clearing over 300."
However, he conceded that video gaming faced a cultural battle to win over those who followed more physical sports.
"That starts getting into how you define sport," he said.
"If you want to define sport as something that takes a lot of
physical exertion, then it's hard to argue that video games should be a
sport, but at the same time, when I'm looking at things that are
already in the Olympics, I start questioning the definition."
'Mind sport'
Having new sports admitted into the Olympic roster is a
long-winded process and, since the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
capped the number of sports allowed in the Games, has become
increasingly difficult.
Even if e-sports were to be recognised as an Olympic sport,
that does not mean they would be included in the Games - it merely means
a case can be presented to the IOC.
Take chess, for instance. Supporters of the game have long called for its inclusion the Games, but the IOC has been reluctant, considering it a "mind sport" and therefore not welcome in the Games.
Video games face the same hurdle, but have done their best to at least act like a sport, by adding measures such as an anti-doping programme.
Mr Pardo argues that e-sports could be visually appealing to a broad audience.
"You can do whatever you want with the graphics, you can make it be really exciting and competitive," he said.
Thousands turned up for the League of Legends World Championship in Seoul.
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