Sony Confirms: PS4 Will Allow for Use of Your Real Name on the PSN Day 1

Sony has confirmed to Kotaku that you’ll be able to use your real name on the PSN starting day one with the PS4 launch (and not something to be patched in after launch). Since this is an optional feature, you aren’t required to use your real name and can opt for just your PSN ID to be displayed.

If previous information from PS4 developers stands true, you’ll be able to use your real name or username to send friend requests, choose exactly what you want to put for your first and last name (they don’t have to be your real ones, as Sony has confirmed), and you can display both your real name and PSN ID at the same time, as shown in the header image.

Will you be using your real name? Or some other pseudonym? Let us know in the comments below.

 

Riot Games president confirms Twitter hack

But is coy when it comes to leaked League of Legends: Supremacy art.

Riot Games president Marc Merrill has confirmed that his social networking account was compromised, but offered little comment on the images of an unreleased, unannounced card game that were leaked as a result.

Yup, someone got onto my Twitter account. Yup, someone shared some old screens from one of the many prototypes we’ve experimented with.

— Marc Merrill (@MarcMerrill) October 13, 2013

We’re always working on a variety of new ideas for League & beyond. Lots of experimentation that may never see the light of day 🙂

— Marc Merrill (@MarcMerrill) October 13, 2013

The hack was carried out by an individual calling themselves Jason and requested retweets in return for a look at artwork from League of Legends: Supremacy, which Jason reported was a standalone, fully completed title.

It’s worth noting that Riot Games did file a trademark application for League of Legends: Supremacy on May 22, 2012, with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The hacker later rescinded control over the account, allowing Merrill to delete the tweets and clear up any confusion relating to the episode.

 

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Twitch is another step closer to becoming the Netflix (NFLX) of the video game world.

The popular video game footage streaming service will be available on Sony’s next-generation PlayStation 4 when it’s released Nov. 15 in the U.S. and Canada. By tapping the new “share” button on the PS4 controller, users will be able to broadcast gameplay directly to Twitch. Microsoft announced similar Twitch integration earlier this year for its upcoming Xbox One.

“We’ve been clear with all our partners that we love gaming and the gaming industry, and we think our reason for being as a company is to be the ubiquitous platform,” said Emmett Shear, co-founder and CEO of San Francisco-based Twitch. “For us, it was really important to be able to work with every platform because Twitch is something that every gamer should have access to.”

Twitch, originally part of the streaming video site Justin.tv, was spun off in 2011 and has become one of the most popular ways for gamers to share footage online. Currently, more than 600,000 broadcasters — ranging from everyday “Minecraft” builders to professional “League of Legends” players — are watched by more than 38 million viewers a month.

Over the past two years, Twitch has transformed into an ESPN for video games. The site’s live and recorded broadcasts include comically narrated clips of game footage, streamed matches from seasoned e-sports veterans and so-called “speed runs” — clips of players plowing through mostly old-school games in record time. There are also commercials. Lots of them.

Shear said he expects the number of Twitch broadcasters to grow exponentially with PS4 and Xbox One integration. He also anticipates that game publishers and e-sports organizers will more readily stream content with Twitch because it won’t require any additional technology, such video capture hardware, because it’s all built into next-gen systems.

“If you go back to the beginning of video games and look at pictures of people in arcades, most of them aren’t actively playing a game,” said Shear. “They’re standing there watching and waiting their turn, but they’re having a good time watching. I think that type of spectating has always been and continues to be a big part of video game culture.”

Sony previously announced that the PS4 would allow users to share gameplay experiences on the social networking site Facebook and video streaming service Ustream. Meanwhile, Microsoft demonstrated streaming a match from the “Killer Instinct” fighting game on Xbox One with Twitch during its Electronic Entertainment Expo presentation in June.

 

http://www.twitch.tv

 

 

IGDA may establish harassment support group

Developer organization considering assistance to creators who receive threats, hate from players

With the advent of social media, game developers are more accessible to gamers than ever before. And while that connection allows for things like crowdfunding campaigns and open communication, it also exposes creators to more negativity than ever before. Speaking with Polygon for a feature on the trend, International Game Developers Association executive director Kate Edwards said the group is looking into establishing a support group specifically to assist creators targeted for online harassment.

“It’s gotten onto our radar,” Edwards told the site. “We’re getting to a point where we’re thinking, ‘Yeah, it’s becoming something we’re going to need to talk about. It might be time to consider doing a more explicit support group or mechanism to help people who are dealing with this sort of thing.”

Edwards fears the prevalence of such harassment from players will have longer-term impacts on the industry, driving those who experience it away from the profession, and discouraging others from ever getting into making games in the first place. Edwards pointed to Star Wars creator George Lucas, who stepped into semi-retirement recently, asking why he would ever make something again when everything he does now precipitates such hatred from people.

“If someone as successful as George Lucas, someone who has been arguably both creatively and financially successful, is basically hanging it up because he’s tired of hearing the negative feedback, that’s a pretty serious thing,” Edwards said. “He is such a prominent person and to have him so publicly talk about that particular issue, it kind of resonates with a lot of people.”

The game industry has already lost some creative talent due in part to such hostility. Fez developer Phil Fish recently cancelled the sequel to that game and walked away from the industry entirely, saying, “I’m getting out of games because I choose not to put up with this abuse anymore.” Polygon also reports that BioWare co-founder Dr. Greg Zeschuk acknowledged fan negativity over the ending of Mass Effect 3 played a part in his decision to leave the industry last year.

 

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“WONDER” – It’s Like Facebook or Twitter, But for Japanese Geeks!

 

Meet Wonder! As social networking sites go, it’s pretty darn nerdy. Cosplay, figurines, mecha, anime drawings—you name it, Wonder! seems to have it.

Just launched by Yahoo! Japan, the site does have a decidedly otaku (geek) focus and an unnecessary exclamation point. Wonder! is image heavy, which I personally prefer for social networking sites (and is probably why I enjoy Instagram).

As IT Media points out, Wonder! is similar to Facebook and Twitter: you can upload images, “like” other people’s uploads, and follow them.

If you want to become a member, you’ll need either a Yahoo! Japan ID, a Facebook ID, or a Twitter ID (fyi: an iPhone app is planned by year’s end). Currently, the site only seems to be in Japanese, but that has never previously stopped those who don’t know the language.

The site does have a never-ending page, which does seem to cause load time to crawl the further you go. And once you click on something, it takes you back to the top of the page. That’s annoying! (necessary exclamation point)

Here’s a sample of what you can find (warning: skimpy cosplay outfits):

 

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Most of the content varies between mecha or hero figurines (or models) and female cosplayers. Over time, expect it to become more varied and slightly more inclusive. If you are into Japanese subculture stuff, Wonder! is worth checking out.

Wonder! [Official Site via IT Media]