Grand Theft Auto Online gameplay trailer released, see the GTA 5 multiplayer in action

The epic new GTA 5 online multiplayer

Rockstar has launched the Grand Theft Auto Online trailer, showcasing the GTA 5 multiplayer gaming options.

Revealing how the GTA 5 online multiplayer will function, expect to see the same experience offered by the Red Dead Redemption multiplayer but with a Grand Theft Auto twist.

“Grand Theft Auto Online brings the freedom of the Grand Theft Auto experience to multiple players in a dynamic shared world”, said Rockstar Games.

Based on the GTA 5 engine, Grand Theft Auto Online is designed to be a separate entity from the GTA 5 storyline, constantly developing and expanding long after gamers have finished the main GTA 5 storyline.

“The game combines a persistent and continually expanding world full of personalities. With a wide array of redesigned mechanics, and a huge range of structured and unstructured activities for you to do.”

Grand Theft Auto Online offers all the single-player features offered by GTA 5, but for 16 online players.

“You can run around on your own making friends and enemies or band together and form a crew then tackle a heist, rob a liquor store or complete in classic online modes.”

Rockstar Games has added the option to completely customise the Grand Theft Auto Online character, making him or her look and behave as the player so wishes.

“You can spend petty cash customising your character: their outfit, weapon of choice or favourite vehicle. As you make some real money maybe you can buy an apartment so friends can stop by and hang out. Or buy a garage and fill it with custom vehicles and then take them racing by land, air and sea, or simply cruise around showing them off.”

Participating in Grand Theft Auto Online will allow gamers access to new characters, missions, rewards and other perks.

“Rockstar will be constantly developing more content for you to enjoy but you’ll also be able to design your own races and deathmatches using the content creator. Then you can share them with friends and the world, or try ones other people have made.”

Available to anyone purchasing GTA 5 for Xbox 360 and PS3 will be able to get Grand Theft Auto online for free, but won’t launch until around two weeks after the September 17 GTA 5 release date.

Next, read our pick of the best games to buy in 2013.

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Budget iPhone 5C leaks yet again this time in video form

New budget iPhone 5C leaks have once again claimed to show off the heavily rumoured mid-market Apple handset, with a yellow version of the now familiar plastic body caught on video.

Displayed alongside the full iPhone family from Apple’s original smartphone offering up to last year’s iPhone 5, the new budget iPhone 5C leak gives yet another glimpse at the rounded cornered, 4-inch form factor that is expected to be bestowed on the company’s first cut-price handset next month.

The newly leaked video, which has hit the web courtesy of tipster Sonny Dickson, offers a detail look at the ins and outs of the claimed iPhone 5C back housing.

Expected to boast a number of features passed down from the iPhone 5 just within a new, cheaper to manufacturer body, the iPhone 5C has been shown to support Apple’s new Lightning connector alongside a bottom-mounted 3.5mm audio port.

With a flash enhanced camera shown sitting on the phone’s rear, a side-mounted SIM card slot suggests that like past Apple handsets, the iPhone 5C will not feature a removable back panel or battery.

Budget iPhone 5C Rumours

Widely believed to be heading for launch alongside the similarly mooted iPhone 5S, the iPhone 5C is expect to rival the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini and HTC One Mini in the more affordable mid-market smartphone stakes. An iPhone 5C release date has been mooted for late September following a formal unveiling on September 10.

Dropping Apple’s usual black and white colour schemes to be made available in “6-8” colours, the iPhone 5C will reportedly miss out on the likes of Siri in order to free up space on its expected 8GB storage capacity.

With iOS 7 expected to run the show, the iPhone 5C specs sheet is said to be bolstered by Apple’s A6 dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and 4G connectivity options. It is not yet clear whether or not the company’s much loved Retina display will make the cut.

Despite the numerous leaks and countless rumours, there is still doubts around the existence of a budget iPhone 5C, with Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller recently claiming cheap phones would never be the company’s future.

“Despite the popularity of cheap smartphones, this will never be the future of Apple’s products,” Schiller said. “Every product that Apple creates, we consider using only the best technology available.”

Read More: iPhone 6 rumours

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Xbox One Season Pass Guarantee launched, 360 DLC rollover confirmed

Xbox One Season Pass Guarantee

Microsoft has lifted the lid on its Xbox One Season Pass Guarantee program, confirming Xbox 360 DLC will rollover to the Xbox One.

Anyone purchasing Xbox 360 DLC for a game coming to the Xbox One will automatically see their content transfer to the Xbox One with the new Season Pass Guarantee.

“With Season Pass Guarantee, you can purchase a Season Pass for a participating Xbox 360 title and automatically receive access to download the equivalent Xbox One Season Pass. It’s simple”, explained Microsoft on Xbox Wire .

With several of the biggest publishers already on board for the Xbox One Season Pass Guarantee, its seems that Microsoft is attempting to make the next-generation console gap a little smaller.

“Season Pass Guarantee makes transitioning from Xbox 360 to Xbox One an easier and smoother process, so you don’t have to worry about which console you’re playing games on or repurchasing your existing add-ons on Xbox One.”

Activision, Electronic Arts and Ubisoft are all lined up to take part in the Season Pass Guarantee program, which means DLC purchases made on Xbox 360 for Call of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4 and Assassin’s Creed 4 will all be available on the Xbox One for free.

Microsoft will be announcing further publishers and titles participating in the Season Pass program in the coming months, so expect to hear more on this as the Xbox One release date draws closer.

It seems like Microsoft has been making a lot of u-turns lately, especially on its Xbox One DRM and online checks-in and the latest abandonment of the always-on Kinect requirement for Xbox One.

Microsoft also announced this week that the Xbox One release date of November will now only apply to 13 countries rather than the 21 originally announced.

The Xbox One release date will be delayed to 2014 for eight countries – Russia, the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, Sweden, Finland and Switzerland.



Next, read our Xbox One vs PS4 comparison.

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Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch once again tipped for September 4 unveiling

Samsung Galaxy Smartwatch Concept

The Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch has become the focus of much rumour and speculation in recent weeks with latest rumours once again point towards a September 4 unveiling.

Set to enter the realms of reality alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 as part of Samsung’s pre-IFA 2013 Samsung Mobile Unpacked launch event, the Samsung Galaxy Gear is expected to be a wrist-worn peripheral which will communicate with users’ smartphones via Bluetooth.

Although it is currently unclear exactly how the Samsung Galaxy Gear will look, a number of leaked patent filings made by the South Korea based manufacturer have hinted that it could feature a curved, flexible touchscreen display and touch sensitive Android control buttons built into the strap.

Samsung ended much speculation earlier this year with Lee Young Hee, the company’s Executive Vice President confirming back in March that it was working on its own smartwatch product to pre-empt the heavily rumoured Apple iWatch.

He stated: “We’ve been preparing the watch product for so long. We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one of them.”

Hee’s comments were followed up in recent months by a Samsung filed trademark application which covered off the ‘Gear’ branding while referencing smartwatch devices.

According to the patent filing, the Samsung Galaxy Gear line will be a collection of “watches that communicate data to personal digital assistants, smart phones, tablet PCs, PDA, and personal computers through internet websites and other computer and electronic communications networks; watchbands that communicate data to [the same devices].”

Samsung has failed to confirm any plans to launch the Samsung Galaxy Gear at IFA 2013, however, invites to its Unpacked conference hinted heavily at the Galaxy Note 3 making its first formal appearance.

Alongside the usual timing and location details, Samsung branded its invites with the simple teaser “Note the date.”



Read More: Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours

Via: SamMobile

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BT Sport now available on Virgin Media

Virgin Media has just added BT Sport to its channel line-up, making it the only place to get all the sport under one subscription.

BT Sport has arrived on Virgin Media today for no additional cost on top of the usual subscription fees.

Landing alongside Sky Sports, the new BT deal means Virgin Media is the only place to watch all the major UK sports channels with just one subscription.

Sky Sports 1 and 2 in HD as well as all the SD Sky Sports channels have already made themselves at home on Virgin Media, but now viewers will have access to BT Sport as well.

“Virgin Media homes are kicking-off the new season with the most complete sporting line-up around in one simple subscription, from Barclays Premier League football and Aviva Premiership rugby to F1, live golf and the culmination of the Ashes series,” said Dana Strong, Virgin Media’s COO. “We’re excited to announce our deal with BT, making these fantastic new channels available at no extra cost to millions of Virgin TV viewers and in HD as standard.”

Anyone with a Virgin XL TV contract will automatically get BT Sport for no additional cost, while other can upgrade their contract to the XL TV package for £15 per month. This will mean they will get access to BT Sport 1, 2, ESPN and all the other HD channels.

With BT Sport on Virgin Media, viewers will now get 38 additional Barclays Premier League matches and Aviva Premiership rugby coverage. It will also provide coverage of European football matches, Women’s Tennis Association matches, the 2013/14 FA Cup and other sports matches.

BT Sport will also be coming soon to Virgin TV Anywhere, Virgin Media’s cloud-based entertainment service available on smartphones, tablets and desktop platforms.

This will mean Virgin XL TV customers will be able to take their BT Sport coverage everywhere with them.



Next, read our pick of the best TVs of 2013.

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Call of Duty: Ghosts multiplayer features revealed

The new Call of Duty: Ghosts multiplayer features have been unveiled at a dedicated Activision event in Los Angeles last night.

Activision has revealed the first details on how the Call of Duty: Ghosts multiplayer will function in an hour-long presentation.

The multiplayer reveal trailer showcased the new female soldiers, dynamic environments, remote controlled drones and the return of Riley the COD: Ghosts dog.

“In Call of Duty: Ghosts multiplayer, customise your soldier and squad for the first time. Level environments are more realists and immersive than ever before, and now the Call of Duty App lets you stay connected to the game wherever you go.”

The Call of Duty: Ghosts multiplayer will introduce a far greater level of soldier customisation than ever before, even introducing female soldier options. Gamers will be able to choose the head, body, hand-gear and equipment for their avatar, with over 20,000 possible combinations.

Activision has updated the Perks System giving players eight perk points to allocate. Each has a value from one to five. If gamers forfeit their second weapon they’ll also get 11 additional points.

There’s new Kill Streaks such as Helo-Scout, Vulture and Juggernaught Maniac to achieve as well.

Riley, the Call of Duty: Ghosts’ dog, also makes a multiplayer debut, attacking any nearby enemies or warning that they are inbound.

Gamers will also be able to create their own squad-mates and the AI has also been “vastly improved” according to Activision.

“This is the biggest overhaul of multiplayer since the original Modern Warfare. Things like Sub-D, Displacement Mapping, Real-Time lighting, and Dual-Rendering tech gives us the ability to build the most visceral gameplay experience we’ve ever created. And at 60fps across all platforms, there is nothing like Call of Duty Multiplayer.”

The actual Call of Duty: Ghosts multiplayer has been enhanced by a new engine, the introduction of tactical movement to redefine how the player manoeuvres themselves around the maps and a “revamped audio design.”

Activision has also added dynamic map events, which range from “player-triggered traps to map-changing killstreaks, the entire landscape can shift and require new tactics and strategies.”

There is also a new Call of Duty App to add a second-screen dimension to Call of Duty: Ghosts, allowing access to the game even when out of the house.

“The Call of Duty App includes some of the best and most popular features from Call of Duty Elite, such as tracking your career stats, as well as the ability to check out a friend’s or rival’s stats,” explains Activision. “Communicate via the Rally Up and Clan Chat feature, to keep in touch with your friends and Clan members.”

“Second Screen functionality is there to enhance your experience, and not get in the way. Pre match, you can edit your squad. In match, you have one-touch access to swap your loadout for your next spawn.”



Next, read our hands on with Battlefield 4.

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PS4 vs PS3 Video: How the Sony PS4 shapes up to its predecessor

We have managed to get our hands on the upcoming PS4, months ahead of its formal release and, to make sure you know what to expect, we have compared it with its predecessor, the Sony PS3.

The gaming industry has moved on dramatically in the seven years since the PS3 was originally released and the PS4 is testament to this on all fronts. From the radically overhauled spec to the reduced launch price and more streamlined design, the PS4 is a whole new beast.

Lining up the new PS4 alongside all three iterations of the outgoing PS3, the PS4 vs PS3 video below shows how Sony's upcoming Xbox One rival differs from its predecessor, both inside and out.

Considerably smaller than the PS3 launch model, the upcoming PS4 features a two-tone design with a single gloss panel sat atop a matt black base. A slightly boxy console, the new PlayStation, unlike the rounded PS3 before it, sees it upper half recessed slightly from the bottom portion, giving it the look of a slightly squashed or stretched square.

Roughly similar in size to the PS3 Slim, the PS4 is larger than the latest PS3 iteration, the PS3 Super Slim and will hit retailers on a currently undisclosed date later this year. The PS4 price has been set at £349 in the UK, £80 cheaper than the Xbox One.

On the inside things have been ramped up dramatically too. An eight-core CPU makes the cut built around custom X86 PC architecture. Alongside this, a 1.84 TFLOPS graphics processer and 8GB of zippy GDDR5 RAM features.

With a new console comes a new controller, and the PS4's DualShock 4 peripheral is arguably one of the console's biggest advancements, adding a new touchpanel interface, handy 'Share' button and redesigned size and shape.

Having had the chance to take a sneak peek at the upcoming PS4, we can’t wait to spend more time with the console and bring you our full PS4 review in the near future.

Read More: PS4 vs Xbox One
Read More: PS4 Pre-orders - Where you can buy it

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