Heyo Pixelkiners. Club Nintendo is over. Nintendo’s loyalty program is being retired in favor of…a new loyalty program. Currently the details are pretty slim, but what you do need to know is that you can still redeem old Club Nintendo PINs until March 31st and get Club Nintendo rewards until the new program starts in July. Of course, none of the upcoming Nintendo games will be eligible for Club Nintendo. We’ll keep you posted as soon as we hear more about Nintendo’s plans.
Microsoft is finally giving us more information on Windows 10, including exciting news about game streaming capabilities. Gamers will be able to stream select Xbox One games to PCs and tablets with Windows 10, and Xbox head Phil Spencer also said they’re looking into the possibility of streaming PC games to Xbox. To do this they apparently need to “work with the physics of time,” so hopefully in the future you will find that the feature has been there all along.
They also announced Microsoft’s answer to augmented reality, or AR tech—the HoloLens. Microsoft says the headset could be used in games like Minecraft, along with other Windows applications. You’ll be able to see and interact with holograms and it’s going to be wireless, which is honestly the most exciting thing I’ve heard all day.
If you have Windows 7 or 8.1, you will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free up to a year after its release.
How do you get a game before it comes out? Early Access games can be a gamble: you’re paying to play a game that isn’t finished yet. For independent developers, this is a chance to get ongoing feedback on a game so that they can have a more polished big release. Is it worth it for the players? Find out in Nathan Meunier’s ultimate guide to Early Access games: where to get them, what they are, and how the system works. Check out that article on the site.
If you’re still not feeling 2015, check out our list of the year’s most anticipated family-friendly games. What are we looking forward to the most? Honestly it’s probably the second half of Broken Age from Double Fine. The first Broken Age ended on a bit of a cliffhanger and we’re ready to see the story through to the end. Another one we’re excited for is Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, which is coming out in February. We’ve got a preview of that up on the site right NOW, so don’t miss it. Check out the full list while you’re there.
I’m heading to PAX South in San Antonio this weekend, so I won’t be relaxing at all. Look out for me there and subscribe to our Youtube channel to stay on top of your family gaming news.
