Google rumoured to be creating games console

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, software behemoth Google is planning to release a games console. The article claims that the console will be Android powered, and will act as a direct rival to Apple, who is allegedly making plans to launch a similar Apple TV device that will play games.

The report also suggests that, in addition to the console, Google is also working on a cutting-edge wristwatch, which will allow users to play media on the move. We already know that Google has a second version of the Android powered, Nexus-Q in development.

What does all this mean for us? Microsoft and Sony have both made it clear that their respective consoles are aiming to dominate the living room by being much more than just 'games players'. If this report is accurate, it looks like there will be a little more competition for space under your TV, although Google's console is unlikely to play true next-generation games--its Android architecture is currently built for tablet / phone style titles. Nintendo isn't safe either. A media-enabled wristwatch could provide competition for their handheld devices.

Even more intriguing, The Wall Street Journal piece suggests that one of Google's devices could be available as early as autumn 2013.

Both Google and Apple have declined to comment.

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American McGee and Spicy Horse Kickstart OZombie

American McGee and his Spicy Horse studio are turning their twisted fairy tale gaming machinations to the marvelous land of Oz. A single-player focused action-adventure, OZombie will star Dorothy's great granddaughter and her quest to liberate Oz from a mind-numbing regime led by the brain-hungry Scarecrow.

That's all well and good, but it also has a Kickstarter video starring McGee and Pandora Boxx of Ru Paul's Drag Race, who is apparently a big fan of the Alice games.

OZombie is "first and foremost a single player game:" players will work their way through the main story, recruiting memorable characters to the cause of Oz's salvation. That said, it will feature unlockable multiplayer with raids and tournaments.

It's also pay-to-play, unlike Spicy Horse's other recent freaky fairy tale, Akaneiro: Demon Hunters. Players need only pay once to access the single player campaign and multiplayer, though there may be an item shop of some kind.

Spicy Horse is looking for $950,000 to produce the game, and about $84,000 has been pledged as of its second day. A minimum pledge of $15 is required to get the game across PC, Mac, Linux, and mobile, loosely predicted to launch in March 2015.

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PS3 firmware update now safe to download

Sony has released a new firmware update for PS3. This follows a number of complaints that the previous version was bricking some consoles by totally removing the XMB. Obviously, you can't navigate through PS3's functions without the XMB... Whoops.

If you're one of the unlucky few who downloaded version 4.45 and lost your XMB, you can update your PS3 by downloading 4.46 to a memory stick, rebooting your PS3 in Safe Mode, and installing the new firmware from there. Here are the instructions on using Safe Mode via the official PlayStation website.

What is actually in the system update? Not much. General improvements to make your PS3 run more smoothly, and the option to turn off Trophy notifications.

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BioShock Infinite: Columbia's Finest pack is not that kind of DLC

BioShock Infinite has received its first morsel of DLC on Steam, and creator Ken Levine is assuring fans that more Columbia stories are coming. Columbia's Finest costs $5 and combines all the upgrades accessible from the pre-order only Industrial Revolution Pack, and the Ultimate Songbird Edition's Upgrade Pack.

With Columbia's Finest, players start the game with five extra lockpicks, 500 Silver Eagles, six new gear items providing unique passive bonuses, and two upgraded weapons: Comstock's China Broom Shotgun and Comstock's Eagle Eye Sniper Rifle.

Don't worry, Columbia's Finest doesn't count against the three-episode, $30 BioShock Infinite Season Pass. Ken Levine took to Twitter to confirm that development is proceeding on the post-release episodes.

DLC Update: We are working on it- have been since the game shipped. Things are going well, but plz understand: game development takes time.

— Ken Levine (@IGLevine) June 26, 2013

Given how long BioShock Infinite took to escape Irrational Games, we're not surprised by the wait.

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Plants vs. Zombies 2 delayed past July 18

Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time needs a little more time to bloom. Developer PopCap today announced on the free-to-play tower defense title's official Twitter account that the game will miss its original release date of July 18.

Plants vs. Zombies 2, originally slated for a July 18th release, will now be released later in the summer. Stay tuned for more details.

— Plants vs. Zombies (@PlantsvsZombies) June 26, 2013

Players can expect PvZ 2 to arrive on iPad "later in the summer." The original Plants vs. Zombies grew to encompass just about every platform short of Virtual Boy, so we can't imagine it will take much longer to appear on other systems.

Some peril is inherent in making a sequel's subtitle reference how overdue it is, we suppose.

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First screenshot for Dragon Age: Inquisition plans an attack

The debut trailer for Dragon Age: Inquisition gave us a tour of some impressive visuals, but it all went by so fast it was tough to pick out any details. Today BioWare released the first official screenshot for the third primary game in the fantasy RPG series.

It's a much prettier version of a scene we already saw in action--armored warriors watch as their leader draws out a battle plan. But now we can take a leisurely look at the smooth, Frostbite 3-powered visuals--and the kind-of-plasticky hair which at least indicates this is indeed an in-game shot.

The shot was included with a staff blog for BioWare programmer Matt Komsthoeft, who worked on Mass Effect 2 and 3 before moving on to Dragon Age: Inquisition.

"We are trailblazing with an engine that has never been used to make an RPG before yet already has a number of beautiful games using it," Komsthoeft wrote.

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