Sony working closely with Bethesda to get Skyrim PS3 DLC ready

As you may have heard, Bethesda is having quite a bit of trouble getting their expansion packs to function acceptably on the PS3, and it has caused numerous delays. While Dawnguard released for PC and Xbox 360 back in June, it is still missing in action on PS3.

Similarly the latest pack, Hearthfire, is available on 360, but there's no release date in sight on PS3 (and PC for that matter.) However, according to Sony, they haven't abandoned the idea of getting the DLC on PS3 eventually, and they are currently working on resolving the issues with Sony's PS3 developer support teams.

"We work with all of our partners to try and solve their problems," Sony vice president Adam Boyes told Kotaku. "We have a big, broad dev support team that works closely with Bethesda--and with all of our partners--to work with them to solve that any sort of issues they have along the way. Of course, I always want everything to work always for everyone. I can't promise any kind of resolution or timeline but can say that everyone involved is trying their best to get this stuff working."

Last month, Bethesda reportedly said that there was a possibility that the PS3 may never get Skyrim DLC, but apparently they (and Sony) aren't willing to give up without a fight.

Source : gamesradar[dot]com

Sony ‘Working with’ Bethesda for PS3 Skyrim DLC

Sony is “working closely” with Bethesda to bring Skyrim’s downloadable content to PlayStation 3. In a recent interview, Sony vice president Adam Boyes said Sony’s development support team collaborates with all third party publishers to fix technical issues, and that includes Bethesda.

"We work with all of our partners to try and solve their problems," Boyes told Kotaku. "We have a big, broad dev support team that works closely with Bethesda, and with all of our partners, to work with them to solve that any sort of issues they have along the way. Of course, I always want everything to work always for everyone. I can't promise any kind of resolution or timeline but can say that everyone involved is trying their best to get this stuff working."

Previously, Bethesda said it was “not yet satisfied with Dawnguard’s performance on the PS3.” The publisher later suggested that the downloadable content might never hit PS3 at all, adding “this is not a problem we’re positive we can solve.”

Skyrim’s Dawnguard and Hearthfire content have technically never been announced for PlayStation 3, despite Dawnguard being available on Xbox 360 and PC and Hearthfire recently hitting Xbox Live.

Keep checking back to IGN for updates on the situation as it continues to develop.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following him on Twitter or IGN.

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com

Bethesda Not Yet Convinced by Wii U

Bethesda Softwork's VP of PR and marketing has revealed the company is unsure whether it will support Nintendo's Wii U.

In the latest issue of MCV, Pete Hines explained that Bethesda has traditionally "put our games out on all of the platforms that will support them.

"So far the Wii hasn't fitted into that. Whether Wii U does down the road is TBD."

“

I don’t think the current generation of consoles are holding us back. There is still plenty that we are able to do visually, technically and from a story-telling standpoint.

Despite admitting that Bethesda is clearly looking to the future in terms of consoles, Hines did reveal that he disagrees with the likes of Ubisoft's Yves Guillemot, Square Enix's Julien Merceron and EA's Frank Gibeau who have claimed that the current console generation has lasted too long. In fact, he thinks the transition to the next wave of consoles could cause a whole new set of problems.

"I don’t think the current generation of consoles are holding us back," he said. "There is still plenty that we are able to do visually, technically and from a story-telling standpoint. And there’s this huge built-in audience now.

"For me the problems with new consoles are two-fold. The developers are trying to hit a moving technical target, because the platforms are being built. A new console doesn't just show up a year before launch and is exactly what it will be when it comes out.

"It moves and iterates along the way. And introducing something like that to games that are in development is always a bit tricky. And that is obviously an element of risk.

"The second point is that your install base always starts at zero," he continued. "Then it comes out and suddenly a certain number of people buy it but it won't be the same number as the current gen. So you have divided your audience.

"It's then a case of: Are we just making it for the next gen? Or next gen and current gen? And how many people from the current gen that I'm targeting have moved over to the next gen? It does complicate things a little bit."

"Obviously the changes they are going to make technologically, in terms of the things we will be able to do, are exciting. But it comes at a price."

Cheers, Videogamer.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com

Bethesda admits Skyrim Dawnguard DLC might never get PS3 release date, due to potentially insurmountable technical issues. Yeah, that again

I can't help but consider at this stage that it might have been a whole lot less work, stress and heartache for all concerned if Bethesda had just decided to steer clear of the PS3 this generation. Between Fallout 3, its DLC, and the notorious port of Skyrim, its games have never had a smooth relationship with Sony's console. And now it seems the tradition continues with Skyrim's first big add-on. Here we go again...

While it had already discussed the already delayed Dawnguard PS3 release date in a previous post in early August (during which it admitted to being "not satisfied yet with Dawnguard’s performance on the PS3"), Bethesda has now come out to warn PS3 players that this could be a wait that they're in for the long-haul. And when I say "for the long-haul", I actually mean "on a potentially permanent basis".

Sayeth the new statement from Bethesda:

"We have tried a number of things, but none of them solve the issue enough to make Dawnguard good for everyone. The PS3 is a powerful system, and we're working hard to deliver the content you guys want. Dawnguard is obviously not the only DLC we’ve been working on either, so the issues of adding content get even more complicated. This is not a problem we’re positive we can solve, but we are working together with Sony to try to bring you this content."

The problem? No-one is saying for definite, but if I had to guess then I'd guess at some resurgence of the frame-rate apocalypse that struck the PS3 version of Skyrim so dramatically. And Fallout 3's DLC. And Fallout 3. ie. Yet more implication that Bethesda's current-gen game engines just do not play nicely with the PS3.

But I am of course guessing. It's entirely possible that a dragon just ate Bethesda's homework and it's now having to redo it all. Fingers, eyes and limbs crossed, people.

Source : gamesradar[dot]com

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim -- Hearthfire Announced

Bethesda has revealed the next major downloadable content for Skyrim, called Hearthfire. Unlike the vampire-hunting focus of the last add-on, Dawnguard, Hearthfire doesn't seem to do much to enhance combat. Instead, with Hearthfire you'll be able to purchase a piece of land in Skyrim and build your own house.

Within the custom living space you'll be able build kitchens, greenhouses, libraries, alchemy labs and trophy rooms to show off your accomplishments. Outside it sounds like you'll be able to set up gardens, fish hatcheries and beehives to make resource collection a little more convenient. You can also hire a steward to help out with household tasks.

Hearthfire will also allow you to adopt children and take care of them while they live at your home. Bethesda has set the price of Hearthfire at 400 Microsoft Points and plans to release it on September 4 on Xbox Live.

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com

Skyrim: Hearthfire confirmed as next DLC pack in debut video

With Dawnguard in Bethesda's rearview mirror, attention has shifted to the next downloadable content pack for Skyrim, and today we finally have hard information on what that will be. It's called Hearthfire and features a focus on personal dwellings and families. Of course, players already have access to housing in Skyrim, but this DLC ratchets that up about 16 notches.

http://www.gamesradar.com/skyrim-hearthfire-confirmed-next-dlc-pack-debut-video/

According to the video, Hearthfire will be arriving on September 4th on Xbox Live, but no word on a release date for the other platforms.

Source : gamesradar[dot]com

Skyrim Easter Egg: Metal Guitarist Honored

Apparently, a few of the folks at Bethesda Softworks are big fans of Swedish metal bands. For the uninitiated, there's a quest in Skyrim called "Darkness Returns" in which the player is sent out to retrieve Nystrom's journal -- a reference to Katatonia's guitarist Anders Nystrom. Within the text, it reads, "He also mumbled some nonsensical phrases like 'night is the new day' and how he was the 'ghost of the sun.'" Night is the New Day is actually the title of the band's most recent album, while "Ghost of the Sun" is a featured track on another one of their albums, Viva Emptiness. A new album, Dead End Kings, is set to hit US stores on August 28th.

Since this connection was first discovered, many fans have wondered just how this in-game nod came to be. Recently, IGN spoke with Nystrom to discuss how he initially found out about the reference.

"Yeah, it's so bizarre. I have no idea, actually," Nystrom said. "One day I just logged on to the computer, checked the emails and everything -- and I think it was one of our fans on Facebook that had posted something on our wall, directing us to the Wikipedia describing the whole mission [for 'Darkness Returns']. I just started reading it, not really knowing what I was reading, until I actually discovered it was from Skyrim. I didn't put two and two together because it was so bizarre with the whole character/riddle thing and how they intertwined the titles. Then when it dawned on me that it was actually an objective inside the game, it was just like, 'Wow, how cool is this?'"

As a post script, Nystrom said that he eventually got in touch with the Bethesda developer who had written the journal. "The writer who put me in there, he contacted me," Nystrom continued. "He turned out to be a big fan of Katatonia. He said our music had helped him through a lot of working hours late at night, and this was just his way of paying respect and giving something back, which was totally cool."

It just goes to show you that if you ever want to get the attention of your favorite band, just throw 'em into your video game. Luckily, Nystrom was -- and still is -- a huge gamer himself. "I try to keep track of the video game industry -- I've had [IGN] bookmarked for ages," he said. "My favorite game ever -- it has to be a tie between Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and the first couple of Silent Hills. I was also really, really into the Syphon Filter series. I loved that one, with Gabe Logan... So many great games."

But the real question still remains: is Nystrom a fan of Skyrim? "I haven't had the time yet actually, but [Bethesda] sent me the game... As soon as we go back on tour, there's a lot of time for that kind of stuff. I think I'll just buy another copy and bring it with me and dive into that. I can't wait to play the section with me in it!"

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com