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Microsoft Closes Victoria Studio

MicrosoftLogoPhoto 06 Dec

Microsoft has closed down it studio in Victoria, Canada as part of a plan to consolidate its resources, according to the Times Colonist.

“This was not an easy decision, but one guided by our desire to centralize development in our Vancouver studios,” Microsoft said in a statement provided to the Times Colonist. “We are working closely with all employees affected by this change to identify open positions in other studios, and we remain committed to doing business in British Columbia.”

The studio was working on an unannounced project at the time of closure, however Microsoft has confirmed to Polygon that none of the projects Microsoft Studios Victoria was working on will be affected. “We did not cancel any projects rather we centralized our development efforts in BC to our Vancouver offices,” the Microsoft representative said.

Valve Joins The Linux Foundation

TheLinuxFoundationLogo 05 Dec

Nonprofit organisation dedicated to accelerating Linux growth, The Linux Foundation, has signed up three new members today including Valve, Cloudius Systems and the HSA (Heterogeneous System Architecture) Foundation.

“Joining the Linux Foundation is one of many ways Valve is investing in the advancement of Linux gaming,” Valve’s Mika Sartain said. “Through these efforts we hope to contribute tools for developers building new experiences on Linux, compel hardware manufacturers to prioritise support for Linux, and ultimately deliver an elegant and open platform for Linux users.”

“Our membership continues to grow as both new and mature entities embrace community development and open technologies,” The Linux Foundation COO Mike Woster added. “Our new members believe Linux is a strategic investment that allows their markets to evolve as quickly as possibly to achieve long-term viability and competitiveness.”

(via GI International)

‘Battlefield 4’ Expansions Halted Until Game Is Fixed

Battlefield4Screen 05 Dec

An Electronic Arts spokesperson has confirmed to Polygon that the expansions for Battlefield 4 have been put on hold until DICE can fix the issues the game currently has.

“First, we want to thank the fans out there that are playing and supporting us with Battlefield 4,” the spokesperson said, in part. “We know we still have a ways to go with fixing the game — it is absolutely our No. 1 priority. The team at DICE is working non-stop to update the game.”

The spokesperson said that while the company will fulfill its promise to deliver China Rising this week, “we’re not moving onto future projects or expansions until we sort out all the issues with Battlefield 4. We know many of our players are frustrated, and we feel their pain. We will not stop until this is right”

Yesterday, China Rising launched with issues such as players being booted, and unable to connect to servers after installing the expansion.

(via Polygon)

‘Battlefield 4’ Expansion Causes Issues For Some Players

Battlefield4ChinaRising 03 Dec

Battlefield 4‘s expansion pack China Rising has been released today for Battlefield Premium members. According to EA’s support site, the launch is causing issues for some players.

“Some PC players of Battlefield 4 China Rising have found themselves getting kicked from servers within seconds of joining,” the support page reads, in part. “DICE have identified the issue and is implementing a solution to the problem. This fix will take some time to be fully completed, but players should be noticing normal gameplay behavior soon.”

Some Xbox 360 players are also unable to join China Rising servers after downloading and installing the expansion. “We’re investigating this issue and will provide updates as quickly as possible,” EA states.

DICE has released the PC update which addresses multiple issues in Battlefield 4 including the one-hit kill bug. The studio announced today that the PS4 patch to fix the same issues has been delayed. “The PS4 game update that was originally meant to go live Dec 3 is undergoing some additional testing and will be rescheduled for a later date,” DICE said. “We will get back with final details as soon as we have verification that the update is good to go.”

(via Polygon, CVG)