Minecraft Update 1.20 Today on PS4, PS3 & PS Vita Adds Doctor Who Skin Pack, Fixes Frame-Rate Issues

Available now in Europe, with North America and Japan getting it later today (Update: It’s out now in North America), Minecraft update 1.20 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita adds support for the new Doctor Who Skin Pack, while also fixing a couple of issues, including a memory leak that caused frame-rate problems.

Here’s the full list of patch notes for today’s update, which apply to all platforms unless otherwise noted:

Additions

Added Doctor Who Skin Pack Bundle trial content.
Fixes

Fixed a memory leak causing frame-rate issues.
Fixed an issue causing signs to go blank for network players.
Updated trophies to include all those already on other platforms. 23 added in total. (PS3 only)
Discussing the future of big Minecraft updates on consoles, developer 4J Studios said earlier this month:

No news yet, other than we’re working on it. The next few updates will be small, while we get the 1.8 update ready.

If you’re looking to purchase the Doctor Who Bundle, it’s available through the PlayStation Store for $5.99 (PS4, PS3, PS Vita).

Here’s the description:

Launch yourself on an epic adventure in space and time with this bundle of Minecraft Doctor Who Skins Volume I and Volume II. With the combination of these two skin packs you will have over 100 characters from all eras of the show’s history including all the Doctors, Amy Pond, Clara Oswald, Rose Tyler, Zygons, The Master, Weeping Angels, the Daleks, Davros, Donna Noble, Captain Jack Harkness, K9, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, the Sea Devil and the Cybermen.

You can check out some screenshots in the gallery below.

As Telltale Games and Mojang announced recently, Minecraft: Story Mode is coming to PS4 and PS3 this October through digital and retail stores.

Beyond: Two Souls, Heavy Rain PS4 Release Dates Coming Soon

The release dates for the PlayStation 4 versions of Beyond: Two Souls and Heavy Rain will be announced "soon," developer Quantic Dream said on Twitter earlier today. The games were originally announced only for Europe and PAL regions, but laterconfirmed for release in North America.

The games will be available digitally as individual downloads. Alternatively, a two-game bundle featuring both will be offered as a download or on a disc. Pricing has not been announced.

The PS4 versions of Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls wereannounced back in June. We still don't know much about the new editions, however, though better visuals are to be expected. No footage of either game's new PS4 version has been released so far.

Hear how much quieter the 2nd generation PS4 really is.

We are fast approaching the holiday season where many a gamer will be considering a new games console purchase, and many kids will be asking for them for Christmas. For the PS4 this poses a bit of a problem because we are in a state of transition.

In Japan, Sony is shipping the latest model, the CUH-1200, which comes with a number of changes. The two biggest being the fact ituses a fifth less power and is quieter. In the US and Europe, we have small amounts of stock of the new model appearing for sale, but many of the bundles still use the older model, as does the 1TB version of the PS4.

So, is it worth ensuring you get the new, CUH-1200 model? If a lack of noise is important while you game then the answer is definitely “yes.”

Eurogamer has done an extensive review of the new PS4 and compared it to the old. Their conclusion is that there’s not enough changes to warrant replacing an existing PS4, but if you’re on the market to buy one then certainly ensure you get a CUH-1200.

In terms of noise level differences, though, I haven’t found a better comparison than the video below.The old model used in the video (CUH-1004a) is loudest during gameplay, and it’s noisy (75 decibels). You’d hear it from inside a TV cabinet, and up close it sounds like a jet taking off. Even so, it’s not an annoying noise, just fan noise. However, the CUH-1200 model is in a different league, never going above 62 decibels. The one compromise you make for that noise reduction seems to be a slightly higher running temperature, but not high enough to cause concern.

So, if you are considering a PS4 purchase, then it’s worth searching out a CUH-1200 model. If you’re asking someone else to buy it, then that complicates things a little. But if it’s a Christmas present just ask them to wait until early December when the new model should (hopefully) be widely available.

BioShock PS4 And Xbox One Remakes On The Way?

Irrational Games may no longer be in business but 2K Games could still make good on their BioShock series with remastered ports to the Xbox One and PS4. That's what some reports are indicating after a South African retailer accidentally listed that the BioShock Collection would be arriving for Sony and Microsoft's systems. 

Gamespot is reporting that South African retailer Raru leaked that the BioShock Collection is due to go live on November 27th for the Xbox One and PS4. That actually makes a lot of sense. 

However, there's one caveat: 2K Games hasn't announced anything... yet. 

This doesn't seem surprising given that we've seen plenty of remastered editions get leaked in the past and they actually do turn out to be true, such as Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition or the biggest worst kept secret of the century, GTA V coming to PC, PS4 and Xbox One. 

Remastered editions have become a huge selling point for some franchises throughout this eighth generation of gaming. In fact, there have been more remastered games remade for the Xbox One and PS4 than there have been new IP exclusively made for each respective console. The publishers are effectively reselling games from the Xbox 360 and PS3 with higher frame-rates and resolution for $60, and in some cases just one year later sort of like GTA V and The Last of Us: Remastered. 

Of course, there's probably going to be very few people complaining about getting the BioShock trilogy on the eighth-gen consoles. I mean, this is probably one of the best reviewed and one of the most beloved, narrative-driven, first-person shooter brands on the market. 

The first two BioShocks would be cool to see at 1080p and 60fps, but I would actually, personally, love to see BioShock: Infinite running at higher resolutions and with better draw distances on the home consoles. There are a few segments in that game that would look absolutely marvelous with upscaled graphics. Of course, PC gamers don't have to worry about that because they automatically get to see the game running clean and pristine and at its best (assuming they have the hardware to do so). 

Anyway, BioShock was oftentimes highly regarded for how well it was able to convey narratives and characters that were more than just two dimensional cutouts. It was a series that also introduced a lot of difficult decision making between exercising altruism and attempting to become a Nietzschean Ubermensch. These kind of ontological dilemmas were wrapped around a sort of action-horror thriller where iconic characters and images like the Big Daddy and Songbird helped shape unforgettable and beautifully designed worlds. 

Rapture still holds up quite well as this creepy, art deco city built underwater where everything drips and there's this distorted depiction of decadence at the center of it all. The city of Columbia is also a real sight to behold. Irrational Games traded the dreary underwater cityscapes for a bright, patriotic city in the sky. The aerial railways are also one of the coolest things featured in the game. 

Of course, there's no guarantee that a collection of BioShock games is actually on the way, but given the accuracy of previous leaks regarding remastered games from retailers, I wouldn't put it past 2K Games to have something primed and ready for the consoles this November. 

PS4 VR Headset Is a "Hugely Powerful Weapon" for Game Devs, Sony Says

PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida has spoken out to talk about the how revolutionary he thinks virtual reality technology like Sony's own Project Morpheus PlayStation VR will be on the gaming industry. In a new interview, he says the head-mounted tech is like the "ultimate weapon" for developers big and small.

"Using VR tech, it's so easy, it's almost unfair," he told Stuff at the Tokyo Game Show. "It's like an ultimate weapon. I think it's going to be a hugely powerful weapon for game developers to create new and exciting experiences for consumers."

Yoshida went on to say that developers, even those on small budgets, can find success with VR, provided they can come up with a compelling enough idea.

“You can create totally amazing experiences with very very limited resources if you have the right idea," he explained. "One of the examples is a soccer game called Headmaster. Its developed by a small indie developer, but everybody still really enjoyed it."

PlayStation VR will launch in the first half of 2016. Sony will haveat least 10 titles available at launch, but they have not been announced. Concerning cost, PlayStation boss Andrew House recently said the device will be priced similarly to a new console.

During Sony's Tokyo Game Show briefing this week, the company officially announced that PlayStation VR would be the name of the device, replacing Project Morpheus.

What are your thoughts about PlayStation VR? Share them in the comments below.

PS4 Games Release Dates: FIFA 16, Blood Bowl 2, Soma & More Coming Out This Week

This week's crop of PS4 games is filled to the brim with action and horror that is sure to keep PS4 gamers on the edges of their seats.

These are the following PS4 games coming out this week, as listed on the official PlayStation blog site:

1. "Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma Volume 1"

2. "Arcade Archives Mr. Goemon"

3. "Battle Trivia Knockout"

4. "Blood Bowl 2"

5. "EA Sports FIFA 16"

6. "Extreme Exorcism"

7. "Laserlife"

8. "LEGO Jurassic World (Demo)"

9. "Penarium (+ Trial)"

10. "Pumped BMX+"

11. "Rally Copters"

12. "Skylanders Superchargers"

13. "SOMA"

All aforementioned games can be purchased on the PlayStation Store starting this week while "Bloodbowl 2," "EA Sports FIFA 16," "LEGO Jurassic World (Demo)" and "Skylanders Superchargers" will also be available for retail.

Older generation console users shouldn't worry since "EA Sports FIFA 16," "Extreme Exorcism," "LEGO Jurassic World (Demo)" and "Skylanders Superchargers" will also be available for the PlayStation3 while PlayStation Vita users can pick up "Rally Copters," a platform game that lets players maneuver a helicopter through 27 perilous courses.

The marquee title from the latest batch of PlayStation 4 games is "SOMA," a sci-fi survival horror game developed by Frictional Games. "SOMA" is perfect for gamers seeking next-generation horror storytelling. Gamers will have to deal with real-world science and abstract philosophies while being thrust into a labyrinth infested with supernatural beings, broken thoughts and unspeakable horrors.

For gamers looking for a different kind of thrill, they can grab "Bloodbowl 2" instead. The game pits Humans, Orcs, Skavens, Dwarves, High Elves, Dark Elves, Chaos and Bretonnians against each other in a not-so-friendly game of American Football. The game's single mode campaign focuses on the rise of the "Reikland Reavers," a once mighty team of humans.

Click here to know more about "Bloodbowl 2," courtesy of Gaming Bolt.

Gamers can finally play as women in an EA Sports soccer game. This year's "FIFA 16" will feature 12 of the top ranking Women's National teams. They are Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, England, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Sweden and the U.S.

Not only that, fans of the "FIFA" series can expect more control on the defensive end as Game Stop has reported of 25 new features that have been added in "FIFA 16" to increase defenders' agility and accuracy in tracking down attackers.

"FIFA 16" also has the new "No Touch Dribbling" option, which was developed with inputs from Lionel Messi himself. The option gives players the ability to choose when to touch the ball, this in turn can translate to more accurate crosses and crisper passes.

Rounding up this week's titles are racing games, platformers and action-adventure titles.