It seems petty to forbid a company from advertising a game for its own console, but kids, that's just the world we live in. Due to PlayStation's association with Destiny Microsoft's been restrained from marketing the open-world shooter for Xbox, but this week it found an interesting way to bypass the problem.
It launched a spoof website for a Destiny perfume - 'The new fragrance by Xbox'.
The page appeared www.destinyfragrance.com and contained the following: "Okay so here's the lowdown. Destiny is actually an epic new first-person shooter, available on Xbox. Thing is, we didn't have the permission to run adverts for the game. So we didn't. Thanks for smelling that something was up. Now get the game and become a legend."
Unfortunately all that has now pulled and replaced with some words asking visitors to check with retailers for some "great Xbox One offers" with no specific reference to the game.
But you have to hand it to Microsoft, its little marketing ploy was pretty admirable. We do wonder what that fragrance would have smelled like. Probably unchanged underwear and lawsuits.
Gear VR
You also can't help but respect Samsung's ability to find space on the wall of ideas at which it ceaselessly throws ideas in the hope of making them stick. This week it was Gear VR, its play in the burgeoning virtual reality market. In fact, it looks like Samsung's Gear will be the first big consumer-ready VR device since the 'rebirth' of this category.
Though powered by Oculus, Samsung's Gear VR is merely a vessel for the Galaxy Note 4, which slots into the headset and provides the display.
We had a play with it ourselves at IFA 2014 and it were surprisingly more impressive than we had expected. But it's best to think of it more as a neat Note 4 add-on rather than comparing it to dedicated devices such as the Oculus Rift.
So long as Samsung continues to aggressively expand the catalog of games and other experiences for VR (and we expect it will) then this could be a key factor in bringing virtual reality to the mainstream. And you know what? It's not the most ridiculous-looking thing you can strap onto your face.
Well…
You've got a date with death
No, literally. The Sims 4 launched this week, and as you'd expect there were still a few bugs in the system - including one where you could date the Grim Reaper. There was also a bizarre glitch that would see babies "incorrectly hibernating within household inventories". They sort of became one with the furniture. [CVG]
Anyway, EA has released a day one patch to fix these and other problems. Another of our favs was: "Babies no longer multiply if left in the Household Inventory while editing the lot via Manage Worlds"
But not addressed in the patch notes is the little matter of DEMON BABIES. Some players have been experiencing a strange phenomenon where babies come out all gangly and possessed. We really hope EA's fix has also exorcised whatever entity has been causing this to happen.
So what does everyone think of the game? Unfortunately a review embargo has meant the jury is still out for now. Buy many fans of the series have been disappointed by the omission a number of familiar elements, including swimming pools. Expect the verdicts to start rolling in next week.
