In early 2017 Microsoft released their own streaming service called Beam to rival Amazon’s giant, Twitch. Beam was a streaming service that was only available on the Xbox One and Windows PC platforms. Microsoft announced today that they would be re-branding their service while also adding some new key features. The new service is called Mixer and is already available to use on PC and Xbox One.
A feature that Microsoft has created for Mixer is the ability to engage in a “Co-Stream” with friends. According to the Microsoft announcement, this mode will allow up to four separate players to combine their streams into one while playing any game. Also added in the announcement is that Co-streaming can be done even if the four friends are playing different titles. Mixer is also set to have less of a latency issue like other streaming services, so viewers should can see players streams in real-time without much lag.
With this launch, Mixer brings a new ability for players to interact with the streamers and help them make decisions in whatever game they are playing at the time. Matt Salsamendi is the engineering lead on the Mixer platform and he wrote about what players can expect from the service. “Viewers can actively participate in what’s happening on screen instead of just watching from the sidelines. With Mixer, you can influence everything from quest selection to tools to movement, mixing it up with your favorite streamers to create a new kind of gaming experience.” stated Salsamendi.
Microsoft also has plans to integrate the Mixer service and its features directly into some of their first party titles. Salsamendi’s post mentions the Minecraft dev team and their work on integrating Mixer into the title. He added how the Minecraft players were able to have enemies and items summoned into the game by viewers watching the live stream.
Finally, there is an IOS and Android app available that is titled “Mixer Create” and will allow self-broadcasting through smartphones and eventually the streaming of mobile games. This and the app for Xbox One and PC are already available to download and use today.
Since the excellent Baldur’s Gate 3 has been out in the wild for a while, interesting data can be gleaned, such as how players choose to play an innovative new RPG from home. Stats from developer Larian Studios and posted on the PlayStation Blog show that most people want to play as a stealthy archer like in Skyrim when given nearly limitless options.
According to a fascinating graph, Rogue/Ranger is the most popular multiclass build, with over 175,000 players using it to snipe unsuspecting enemies from range. The next two builds reveal similarly. 150,000 played Barbarian/Fighter because they loved pummeling things, and 109,00 played Barbarian/Paladin, which lets players talk to their victims before beatings.
More sense emerges as you descend. If the Paladin/Warlock/Sorcerer/Bard has high Charisma, any combination can be interesting. Charisma helps these classes cast spells and abilities and interact with NPCs outside of combat.
Playing a single class through Baldur’s Gate 3 feels great, which is what most players do. A pure Fighter or Wizard becomes so powerful by game’s end that we don’t blame you for not mixing things up!
Play as a Tiefling Oathbreaker Paladin, Dark Urge Origin (which you must resist), or Bard for real moral dilemmas. You could also play pseudo-Aragorn again.
Techland is continuing to release Dying Light 2 content as part of its long-term support. This is surprising since the meaty Good Night, Good Luck update was released a few months ago. It’s nice to know what’s coming, but no timeline was given.
IGN-exclusive roadmap trailers reveal more co-op missions, board quests, a tower raid, and replayable GRE anomalies. Executions and finishers may be added to the April Gut Feeling update, which overhauled melee mechanics. Graphical options, weapon repair, gear, and mod dismantling are always welcome.
Knives, polearms, and more enemy variants are coming, including a Nightmare difficulty. Changes to NG+ include firearms. Players can finally dress to their hearts’ content with new cosmetic options.
Has Techland’s Dying Light 2 support lured you back? Would you rather focus on something new?
Epic Games expanded the Fortnite V-Buck “pricing alignment” after laying off almost 900 employees, citing “inflation and currency fluctuations”. Fortnite’s premium currency will rise in international markets, including the largest.
Epic Games will raise the price of V-Bucks and real money content packs in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Eurozone countries, Hungary, Japan, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, and the US (including all US Dollar storefronts) on October 27.
Raising the price of this fictitious currency was successful when the company trialed it in the UK, Canada, and Mexico, so it was decided to announce it worldwide now. These USD increases range from $1 (1000 V-Bucks, previous $7.99) to $10 (13,500 V-Bucks, previous $79.99).
How do you view Epic’s timing and pricing increase?
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