SteamOS Devices Drop 2014, Beta Testers Get 'Em Early

So...SteamOS. I was a little confused about the system early on, but now we've got a few new details about the set up. Starting in 2014, different manufacturers will drop devices with SteamOS on shelves, with a range to choose from.

Additionally, Valve is also pushing beta devices for a select 300 gamers. On the Steam Machines page, they write:

"While these products are still in development, we need your help. As always, we believe the best way to ensure that the right products are getting made is to let people try them out and then make changes as we go. We have designed a high-performance prototype that’s optimized for gaming, for the living room, and for Steam. Of course, it’s also completely upgradable and open."

We've been doing how-to's here in the Journalism lab, so here's another one to get signed up to the Beta, straight from Valve.

Before October 25, log in to Steam and then visit your quest page to track your current status towards beta test eligibility:

1.  Join the Steam Universe Community Group
2. Agree to the Steam Hardware Beta Terms and Conditions
3. Make 10 Steam Friends (if you haven't already)
4. Create a public Steam Community profile (if you haven't already)
5. Play a game using a gamepad in Big Picture mode.

Good luck. 

-- Valve via VG247

YES! - South Park: The Stick of Truth Arrives this December

Aw, yeah. After wading through a bankrupt publisher, staff layoffs, and a new publisher that seemed to be remiss in its existence for a while, we now have a solid release date for South Park: The Stick of Truth.

Ubisoft has posted a December 10th release date for the title, and also announced a special edition (because of course they did). Snark aside, The Grand Wizard Edition actually looks pretty boss - it comes with a six-inch Wizard Cartman figure from Kidrobot, a physical map of South Park, and the Ultimate Fellowship Pack that's free with a pre-order of either version of the game. All of this is priced at $79.99, which is a steal as far as Kidrobot prices are concerned. The UFP comes with Elf, Necromancer, Sorcerer, Necromancer, Rouge Assassin and Ranger costumes for the main character, each with their own abilities.

This is sweet. Everything I've seen of the game looks brilliant, and the heavy influence of the show's creators makes it even more worth it. Definitely hyped to see this finally drop.

-- Destructoid

$1 Billion in Sales Makes GTA V the Fastest Selling Game Ever

Consider this - when Call of Duty: Black Ops II came out last year, it hit a billion in sales within the first 15 days of it's release. Not bad, not bad...

Grand Theft Auto V did it in three.

In a press release dropped last week, GTA publishers Take-Two Interactive said that the game raked in $1 billion in sales worldwide within the three days it was released. To be precise, that is 16.5 million units moved during that timeframe.

"We believe that this marks the fastest that any entertainment property, including video games and feature films, has reached this significant milestone," Take-Two said in the release. Strauss Zelnick, Chairman and CEO of the publisher said that the game, "is a cultural phenomenon (ahem), and Rockstar Games continues to redefine what can be achieved in interactive entertainment."

Just...wow. I can kinda agree with the sentiment on the whole "fastest selling entertainment property," bit as well, as I haven't found anything to the contrary as far as games or movies go. My brother picked the game up the other day, and so far I'm having a blast. Definitely renewed my faith in the series after the thing that was GTA IV.

The only credible threat to the title of "fastest selling" is Call of Duty: Ghosts. Gamestop has said that it's "the most pre-ordered game of the year." We'll see what happens when that hits shelves, but in the meantime: Bravo, Rockstar. Bravo.

-- Engadget, Forbes, Joystiq

Valve Announces New SteamOS For Living Room PC

In the first of a trifecta of announcements, Valve loosed the covers on "SteamOS," an operating system based around Linux for living rooms. The system is designed to stream game libraries from the Steam client on one computer to a living room based PC or device connected to a television.

On the SteamOS website, Valve writes that with the "openness" of the operating system, hardware developers can, "iterate in the living room at a much faster pace than they've been able to."

"Content creators can connect directly to their customers. Users can alter or replace any part of the software or hardware they want. Gamers are empowered to join in the creation of the games they love. SteamOS will continue to evolve, but will remain an environment designed to foster these kinds of innovation."

Valve also stated that they already have "hundreds" of games running on the software, with triple-A titles to be announced in the coming weeks. The 3000-plus titles already on the client will be streamable to the OS, including Mac-based games. 

I'm certainly interested as to seeing this work, I'm just confused as to how. Valve does mention living room PC, so I'm wondering: Are we talking about another PC connected to a television opposite a person's main comp? Smart TV's or a Linux rig? Or (cue AH-HA! style voice) the Steam Box. There are two more announcements to come from the company, so we'll see what goes down in the coming days. At the very least, they may announce Half-Life 3 (doubt it).

-- SteamOS

Nintendo Legend Hiroshi Yamauchi Passes Away at 85

The man who took Nintendo from card games to video games has passed away. Former Nintendo head Hiroshi Yamauchi died of pneumonia today at the age of 85.

Yamauchi steered the company into the realm of video game with the NES, and was responsible for the SNES, Nintendo 64, and the GameCube. Handheld games were also brought to gamers through the GameBoy under his eye. He vacated his post as president in 2002, but stayed on as an executive advisor.

Without this man, Nintendo and gaming would not be what it is today. Shigeru Miyamoto wouldn't have happened to Nintendo without Yamauchi, and we would not have some of the best games ever in our hands. So thanks, Yamauchi. Thanks.

-- Reuters via Joystiq

Egads, Man: Grand Theft Auto 5 Rakes in $800 Mil in One Day

Of course it did, but it's still no small feat.

Take-Two Interactive announced that Grand Theft Auto V has brought in a cool $800 million in worldwide sales on launch day. Cultural phenomenon, people. Cul-tur-al phen-om-en-on.

This is the biggest launch day sale for the GTA series, and also the biggest in Take-Two's publishing history. What's even more impressive is that GTAV beat out Call of Duty: Black Ops II's previous record of $500 million in first-day sales.

Congrats to Rockstar and Take-Two, honestly. Although the series fizzled out for me after Vice City, it's always a sight to see something like this. I kinda feel like checking the game out, myself.

Oh, hello Redbox text alert, telling me I have one free game rental today. Time to go hunting.

-- VG247

Meet the new CEO of Electronic Arts

EA decided to reach from within, and picked up Andrew Wilson to be their new CEO. Wilson will vacate his post as executive Vice President of EA Sports to take the chair left by John Riccitiello back in March. He was also the head of Origin, the company's digital distribution service.

In a statement, Wilson said, "I envision EA as the World's Greatest Games Company."

"This is not about what we are aiming for or what we will become. Rather, it is about an unfaltering commitment to what we will be every day. This is an attitude that must drive our culture as one team.

"I also believe EA's strategy is sound. Our focus on our talent, our brands and our platform together with our investment in next-generation consoles, mobile and PC free-to-play, as part of our ongoing transition to digital, is right. But we have plenty of work ahead to ensure our collective success."

Wilson also said that he will continue to follow the company's current business plan for this fiscal year, and said that he would focus on, "delivering amazing games and services across platforms."

So in a nutshell, it'll still be business as usual. With the orange blob that is Origin, and the whole "games as services" thing with mountains of DLC and content cut from games to be repackaged as DLC. I'd love to be optimistic about this and hope changes will be made, but...nope. 

Ah well, at least we have Mirror's Edge 2 to look forward to. 

Oh wait, it's just Mirror's Edge, the reboot. Riiiight.

-- Games Industry