2013 in video games
Titles with notable critical reception -- Critically acclaimed titles
Table:
Game	Publisher	Release Date	Platform	MC score	GR score

Grand Theft Auto V	Rockstar Games	September 17 , 2013	PlayStation 3	97/100	97.01%

Grand Theft Auto V	Rockstar Games	September 17 , 2013	Xbox 360	97/100	96.1%

BioShock Infinite	2K Games	March 26 , 2013	PlayStation 3	94/100	95.94%

The Last of Us	Sony Computer Entertainment	June 14 , 2013	PlayStation 3	95/100	95.09%

BioShock Infinite	2K Games	March 26 , 2013	Microsoft Windows	94/100	92.62%

Flower	Sony Computer Entertainment	November 15 , 2013	PlayStation 4	91/100	93.57%

Fez	Trapdoor	May 1 , 2013	Microsoft Windows	91/100	93.5%

Metal Gear Solid : The Legacy Collection	Konami	July 9 , 2013	PlayStation 3	93/100	93.33%

Super Mario 3D World	Nintendo	November 21 , 2013	Wii U	93/100	92.56%

Brothers : A Tale of Two Sons	505 Games	September 3 , 2013	Microsoft Windows	90/100	93.12%

Rayman Legends	Ubisoft	August 29 , 2013	Wii U	92/100	93%

BioShock Infinite	2K Games	March 26 , 2013	Xbox 360	93/100	91.89%

Deus Ex : Human Revolution - Director 's Cut	Square Enix	October 22 , 2013	Microsoft Windows	91/100	92.5%

Rayman Legends	Ubisoft	August 29 , 2013	PlayStation 3	91/100	91.81%

The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker HD	Nintendo	September 20 , 2013	Wii U	90/100	91.08%

The Legend of Zelda : A Link Between Worlds	Nintendo	November 22 , 2013	Nintendo 3DS	91/100	90.55%

Spelunky	Mossmouth	August 8 , 2013	Microsoft Windows	90/100	91%

Mass Effect 3 : Citadel	Electronic Arts	March 5 , 2013	PlayStation 3	90/100	90.67%

The Stanley Parable	Galactic Cafe	October 13 , 2013	Microsoft Windows	88/100	90.25%

Dota 2	Valve	July 9 , 2013	Microsoft Windows	90/100	89.27%

Based on the provided table plus the textual context provided.

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Grand Theft Auto V is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games . It is the first main entry in the Grand Theft Auto series since 2008 's Grand Theft Auto IV . Set within the fictional state of San Andreas , based on Southern California , the single-player story follows three criminals and their efforts to commit heists while under pressure from a government agency and powerful crime figures . The open world design lets players freely roam San Andreas ' open countryside and the fictional city of Los Santos , based on Los Angeles . The game is played from either a third-person or first-person perspective , and its world is navigated on foot or by vehicle . Players control the three lead protagonists throughout single-player and switch among them , both during and outside missions . The story is centred on the heist sequences , and many missions involve shooting and driving gameplay . A wanted system governs the aggression of law enforcement response to players who commit crimes . Grand Theft Auto Online , the game 's online multiplayer mode , lets up to 30 players engage in a variety of different cooperative and competitive game modes . The game 's development began soon after Grand Theft Auto IV 's release and was shared between many of Rockstar 's studios worldwide . The development team drew influence from many of their previous projects such as Red Dead Redemption and Max Payne 3 and designed the game around three lead protagonists to innovate on the core structure of its predecessors . Much of the development work constituted the open world 's creation , and several team members conducted field research around California to capture footage for the design team .
Rockstar Games , Inc. is an American video game publisher based in New York City . The company was established in December 1998 as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive , and as successor to BMG Interactive , a dormant video game publisher of which Take-Two had previously acquired the assets . Founding members of the company were Sam and Dan Houser , Terry Donovan and Jamie King , who worked for Take-Two at the time , and of which the Houser brothers were previously executives at BMG Interactive . Co-founders Sam and Dan Houser head the studio as president and vice-president for creative , respectively . Since 1999 , several companies acquired by or established under Take-Two have become part of Rockstar Games , such as Rockstar Canada ( later renamed Rockstar Toronto ) becoming the first one in 1999 , and Rockstar India the most recent in 2016 . All companies organized under Rockstar Games bear the Rockstar name and logo . In this context , Rockstar Games is sometimes also referred to as Rockstar New York , Rockstar NY or Rockstar NYC . Rockstar Games also sports a motion capture studio in Bethpage , New York . Rockstar Games predominantly publishes games in the action-adventure genre , while racing games also saw success for the company . One of such action-adventure game franchises is Grand Theft Auto , which Rockstar Games took over from BMG Interactive , which published the series ' original 1997 entry . The most recent game in the series , Grand Theft Auto V , has shipped over 110 million copies since its release in September 2013 , making it one of the best-selling video games of all time . Other popular franchises published by Rockstar Games are Red Dead , Midnight Club , Max Payne and Manhunt .
The PlayStation 3 ( officially abbreviated as PS3 ) is a home video game console developed by Sony Computer Entertainment . It is the successor to PlayStation 2 , and is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles . It was first released on November 11 , 2006 in Japan , November 17 , 2006 in North America , and March 23 , 2007 in Europe and Australia . The PlayStation 3 competed primarily against Microsoft 's Xbox 360 and Nintendo 's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles . The console was first officially announced at E3 2005 , and was released at the end of 2006 . It was the first console to use Blu-ray Disc as its primary storage medium . The console was the first PlayStation to integrate social gaming services , including the PlayStation Network , as well as the first to be controllable from a handheld console , through its remote connectivity with PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita . In September 2009 , the Slim model of the PlayStation 3 was released . It no longer provided the hardware ability to run PS2 games . It was lighter and thinner than the original version , and featured a redesigned logo and marketing design , as well as a minor start-up change in software . A Super Slim variation was then released in late 2012 , further refining and redesigning the console . During its early years , the system was negatively received , due to its high price ( $ 599 for a 60 gigabyte model , $ 499 for a 20 GB model ) , a complex processor architecture , and lack of quality games but was praised for its Blu-ray capabilities and untapped potential .
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft . As the successor to the original Xbox , it is the second console in the Xbox series . It competed with Sony 's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo 's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles . It was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12 , 2005 , with detailed launch and game information announced later that month at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo . The Xbox 360 features an online service , Xbox Live , which was expanded from its previous iteration on the original Xbox and received regular updates during the console 's lifetime . Available in free and subscription-based varieties , Xbox Live allows users to : play games online ; download games ( through Xbox Live Arcade ) and game demos ; purchase and stream music , television programs , and films through the Xbox Music and Xbox Video portals ; and access third-party content services through media streaming applications . In addition to online multimedia features , it allows users to stream media from local PCs . Several peripherals have been released , including wireless controllers , expanded hard drive storage , and the Kinect motion sensing camera . The release of these additional services and peripherals helped the Xbox brand grow from gaming-only to encompassing all multimedia , turning it into a hub for living-room computing entertainment . Launched worldwide across 2005-2006 , the Xbox 360 was initially in short supply in many regions , including North America and Europe . The earliest versions of the console suffered from a high failure rate , indicated by the so-called Red Ring of Death , necessitating an extension of the device 's warranty period . Microsoft released two redesigned models of the console : the Xbox 360 S in 2010 , and the Xbox 360 E in 2013 .
BioShock Infinite is a first-person shooter video game developed by Irrational Games and published by 2K Games . It was released worldwide for the Microsoft Windows , PlayStation 3 , Xbox 360 , and OS X platforms in 2013 , and a Linux port was released in 2015 . Infinite is the third installment in the BioShock series , and though it is not immediately part of the storyline of previous BioShock games , it features similar gameplay concepts and themes . Irrational Games and creative director Ken Levine based the game 's setting on historical events at the turn of the 20th century , such as the 1893 World 's Columbian Exposition , and based the story on the concept of American exceptionalism , while also incorporating influences from more recent events at the time such as the 2011 Occupy movement . The game is set in the year 1912 and follows its protagonist , former Pinkerton agent Booker DeWitt , who is sent to the airborne city of Columbia to find a young woman , Elizabeth , who has been held captive there for most of her life . Though Booker rescues Elizabeth , the two become involved with the city 's warring factions : the nativist and elite Founders that rule Columbia and strive to keep its privileges for White Americans , and the Vox Populi , underground rebels representing the underclass of the city . During this conflict , Booker learns that Elizabeth possesses strange powers to manipulate Tears in the space-time continuum that ravage Columbia , and soon discovers her to be central to the city 's dark secrets . The player controls Booker Dewitt throughout the game , eventually working with the AI-controlled Elizabeth . Like previous BioShock games , the player uses a combination of weapons , clothing called Gear that offer unique attributes , and psychokinetic powers granted through Vigors . Elizabeth 's powers can also be used to help fight hostile forces . In contrast to the limited spaces of the underwater city of Rapture , the openness of Columbia provides for more dynamic combat , including combat that takes place aboard the city 's Sky-Line roller coaster-like rail system . Downloadable content for the game includes a story-based mission , Burial at Sea , that links Infinite 's story to that of the original BioShock game .
2K is an American video game publisher based in Novato , California . 2K was founded under Take-Two Interactive in January 2005 through the 2K Games and 2K Sports labels , following Take-Two Interactive 's acquisition of Visual Concepts that same month . Originally based in New York City , it moved to Novato in 2007 . A third label , 2K Play , was added in September 2007 . 2K is governed by David Ismailer as president and Phil Dixon as COO . A motion capture studio for 2K is based in Petaluma , California .
The Last of Us is a 2013 action-adventure survival horror video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment . Players control Joel , a smuggler tasked with escorting a teenage girl , Ellie , across a post-apocalyptic United States . The Last of Us is played from a third-person perspective . Players use firearms and improvised weapons , and can use stealth to defend against hostile humans and cannibalistic creatures infected by a mutated strain of the Cordyceps fungus . In the online multiplayer mode , up to eight players engage in cooperative and competitive gameplay . Development of The Last of Us began in 2009 , soon after the release of Naughty Dog 's previous game , Uncharted 2 : Among Thieves . For the first time in the company 's history , Naughty Dog split into two teams ; while one team developed Uncharted 3 : Drake 's Deception , the other half developed The Last of Us . The relationship between Joel and Ellie became the focus , with all other elements developed around it . Actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson portrayed Joel and Ellie respectively through voice and motion capture , and assisted creative director Neil Druckmann with the development of the characters and story . The original score was composed and performed by Gustavo Santaolalla . Following its announcement in December 2011 , The Last of Us was widely anticipated . It was released for the PlayStation 3 in June 2013 , and for the PlayStation 4 in July 2014 .
Sony Interactive Entertainment ( SIE ) is a multinational video game and digital entertainment company that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Sony Corporation , managed through Sony 's American hub , Sony Corporation of America . Its main headquarters is Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC ( SIE LLC ) , based in San Mateo , California , United States , while Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. ( SIE Inc. ) is based in Tokyo , Japan . SIE Inc. was founded as Sony Computer Entertainment ( SCE ) in Tokyo in November 1993 to handle Sony 's venture into video game development for the PlayStation systems , while SIE LLC was founded in San Mateo in April 2016 . Since the launch of the original PlayStation console in 1994 , the company has been developing PlayStation home video game consoles , accessories and services lineup . Expanding into North America and Europe , the company quickly became Sony 's main resource for research and development in video games and interactive entertainment . In April 2016 , SCE and Sony Network Entertainment International was restructured and reorganized into Sony Interactive Entertainment , carrying over the operations and primary objectives from both companies . The same year , SIE moved its headquarters from Tokyo to San Mateo , California . Sony Interactive Entertainment handles the research and development , production , and sales of both hardware and software for the PlayStation video game systems . SIE is also a developer and publisher of video game titles , and operates several subsidiaries in Sony 's largest markets : North America , Europe and Asia . By August 2018 , the company had sold more than 525 million PlayStation consoles worldwide .
Microsoft Windows , commonly referred to as Windows , is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families , all of which are developed and marketed by Microsoft . Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry . Active Microsoft Windows families include Windows NT and Windows IoT ; these may encompass subfamilies , e.g . Windows Server or Windows Embedded Compact ( Windows CE ) . Defunct Microsoft Windows families include Windows 9x , Windows Mobile and Windows Phone . Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20 , 1985 , as a graphical operating system shell for MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces ( GUIs ) . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world 's personal computer ( PC ) market with over 90% market share , overtaking Mac OS , which had been introduced in 1984 . Apple came to see Windows as an unfair encroachment on their innovation in GUI development as implemented on products such as the Lisa and Macintosh ( eventually settled in court in Microsoft 's favor in 1993 ) . On PCs , Windows is still the most popular operating system . However , in 2014 , Microsoft admitted losing the majority of the overall operating system market to Android , because of the massive growth in sales of Android smartphones . In 2014 , the number of Windows devices sold was less than 25% that of Android devices sold . This comparison , however , may not be fully relevant , as the two operating systems traditionally target different platforms .
Flower is a video game developed by Thatgamecompany and published by Sony Computer Entertainment . Flower , designed by Jenova Chen and Nicholas Clark , was released in February 2009 on PlayStation 3 , via the PlayStation Network . PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita versions of the game were ported over by Bluepoint Games and released in November 2013 . An iOS version was released in September 2017 , and a Windows version was released in February 2019 , both published by Annapurna Interactive . The game was intended as a spiritual successor to Flow , a previous title by Chen and Thatgamecompany . In Flower , the player controls the wind , blowing a flower petal through the air using the movement of the game controller . Flying close to flowers results in the player 's petal being followed by other flower petals . Approaching flowers may also have side-effects on the game world , such as bringing vibrant color to previously dead fields or activating stationary wind turbines . The game features no text or dialogue , forming a narrative arc primarily through visual representation and emotional cues . Flower was primarily intended to arouse positive emotions in the player , rather than to be a challenging and fun game . This focus was sparked by Chen , who felt that the primary purpose of entertainment products like video games was the feelings that they evoked in the audience and that the emotional range of most games was very limited . The team viewed their efforts as creating a work of art , removing gameplay elements and mechanics that were not provoking the desired response in the players .
The PlayStation 4 ( officially abbreviated as PS4 ) is an eighth-generation home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment . Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013 , it was launched on November 15 in North America , November 29 in Europe , South America and Australia , and on February 22 , 2014 , in Japan . It competes with Microsoft 's Xbox One and Nintendo 's Wii U and Switch . Moving away from the more complex Cell microarchitecture of its predecessor , the console features an AMD Accelerated Processing Unit ( APU ) built upon the x86-64 architecture , which can theoretically peak at 1.84 teraflops ; AMD stated that it was the most powerful APU it had developed to date . The PlayStation 4 places an increased emphasis on social interaction and integration with other devices and services , including the ability to play games off-console on PlayStation Vita and other supported devices ( Remote Play ) , the ability to stream gameplay online or to friends , with them controlling gameplay remotely ( Share Play ) . The console 's controller was also redesigned and improved over the PlayStation 3 , with improved buttons and analog sticks , and an integrated touchpad among other changes . The console also supports HDR10 High-dynamic-range video and playback of 4K resolution multimedia . The PlayStation 4 was released to critical acclaim , with critics praising Sony for acknowledging its consumers ' needs , embracing independent game development , and for not imposing the restrictive digital rights management schemes like those originally announced by Microsoft for the Xbox One . Critics and third-party studios also praised the capabilities of the PlayStation 4 in comparison to its competitors ; developers described the performance difference between the console and Xbox One as significant and obvious . Heightened demand also helped Sony top global console sales . By the end of September 2019 , over 102 million PlayStation 4 consoles had been shipped worldwide , surpassing lifetime sales of the PlayStation 3 . On September 7 , 2016 , Sony unveiled the PlayStation 4 Slim , a smaller version of the console ; and a high-end version called the PlayStation 4 Pro , which features an upgraded GPU and a higher CPU clock rate to support enhanced performance and 4K resolution in supported games .
Fez ( stylized as FEZ ) is an indie puzzle-platform video game developed by Polytron Corporation and published by Trapdoor . The player-character Gomez receives a fez that reveals his two-dimensional ( 2D ) world to be one of four sides of a three-dimensional ( 3D ) world . The player rotates between these four 2D views to realign platforms and solve the game 's puzzles . The object of the game is to collect cubes and cube fragments to restore order to the universe . The game was called an underdog darling of the indie game scene during its high-profile and protracted five-year development cycle . Fez designer and Polytron founder Phil Fish gained celebrity status for his outspoken public persona and his prominence in the 2012 documentary Indie Game : The Movie , which detailed Fez 's final stages of development and Polytron 's related legal issues . Fez met critical acclaim upon its April 2012 release for Xbox Live Arcade . The game was ported to other platforms following the expiration of a yearlong exclusivity agreement . Reviewers commended the game 's emphasis on discovery and freedom , but criticized its technical issues , in-game navigation , and endgame backtracking . They likened the game 's rotation mechanic to the 2D-3D shifts of Echochrome , Nebulus , Super Paper Mario , and Crush . Fez won awards including the Seumas McNally Grand Prize and Eurogamer 's 2012 Game of the Year . It had sold one million copies by the end of 2013 , and it influenced games such as Monument Valley , Crossy Road , and Secrets of Rætikon .
Trapdoor Inc. was a Canadian video game developer based in Montreal . Founded in August 2008 by Ken Schachter , the company developed Warp and co-published Polytron Corporation 's Fez , both in 2012 . A third title , Heist , was cancelled mid-development . Trapdoor dissolved in December 2012 .
Metal Gear Solid : The Legacy Collection is a video game compilation released exclusively for the PlayStation 3 . It includes all of the mainline Metal Gear games directed and designed by Hideo Kojima that were released from 1987 through 2012 . Bonus content include motion comic adaptations of the Metal Gear Solid graphic novels illustrated by Ashley Wood and a 100-page booklet that catalogs numerous promotional posters , brochures and advertisement related to the games in the compilation . It was released in the Americas on July 9 , 2013 , in Japan on July 11 , 2013 , in Europe on September 13 , 2013 , and in Australia on October 3 , 2013 .
Konami Holdings Corporation [ nb 1 ] [ nb 2 ] is a Japanese entertainment and gambling conglomerate . It operates as a product distributor ( which produces and distributes trading cards , anime , tokusatsu , slot machines , pachinko machines and arcade cabinets ) , video game developer and publisher company . Konami has casinos around the world and operates health and physical fitness clubs across Japan . Konami 's video game franchisee include Metal Gear , Silent Hill , Castlevania , Contra , Frogger , Gradius , Yu-Gi-Oh ! , Suikoden and Pro Evolution Soccer . Additionally , Konami owns Bemani , known for Dance Dance Revolution and Beatmania , as well as the assets of former game developer Hudson Soft , known for Bomberman , Adventure Island , Bonk , Bloody Roar and Star Soldier . Konami is the twentieth-largest game company in the world by revenue . The company originated in 1969 as a jukebox rental and repair business in Toyonaka , Osaka , Japan , by Kagemasa Kōzuki , who remains the company 's chairman . The name Konami is a portmanteau of the names Kagemasa Kozuki , Yoshinobu Nakama , and Tatsuo Miyasako . Konami is headquartered in Tokyo . In the United States , Konami manages its video game business from offices in El Segundo , California and its casino gaming business from offices in Paradise , Nevada . Its Australian gaming operations are located in Sydney . As of March 2019 , it owns 22 consolidated subsidiaries around the world .
Super Mario 3D World [ b ] is a platform video game in the Super Mario series developed and published by Nintendo for their Wii U home video game console . It is the sixth original 3D platform game in the series and the sequel to the 2011 Nintendo 3DS game Super Mario 3D Land . The game follows Mario and friends attempting to rescue fairy-like creatures called Sprixies from Bowser , who invades the realm known as the Sprixie Kingdom . The gameplay is similar to previous installments of the series , with players passing through individual levels to reach Bowser . The game also introduces a power-up called the Super Bell , which turns the character being played into a cat , enabling them to climb walls and use a scratch attack , as well as a character selector . The game was critically acclaimed for its level design , presentation , replay value and soundtrack , though some reviewers voiced criticism on its unreliable camera during multiplayer . The game was a financial success , selling over 5 million units worldwide , and becoming the second best-selling game on the Wii U system .
Nintendo Co. , Ltd. [ a ] is a Japanese multinational consumer electronics and video game company headquartered in Kyoto . Nintendo is one of the world 's largest video game companies by market capitalization , creating some of the best-known and top-selling video game franchises of all-time , such as Mario , The Legend of Zelda , Animal Crossing , and Pokémon . Nintendo was founded in 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produced handmade hanafuda playing cards . By 1963 , the company had tried several small niche businesses , such as cab services and love hotels , without major success . Abandoning previous ventures in favor of toys in the 1960s , Nintendo developed into a video game company in the 1970s . Supplemented since the 1980s by its major divisions Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe , it ultimately became one of the most influential in the video game industry and one of Japan 's most-valuable companies with a market value of over $ 37 billion in 2018 .
The Wii U ( /ˌwiː ˈjuː/ WEE YOO ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii . Released in late 2012 , it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft 's Xbox One and Sony 's PlayStation 4 . The Wii U is the first Nintendo console to support HD graphics . The system 's primary controller is the Wii U GamePad , which features an embedded touchscreen , directional buttons , analog sticks , and action buttons . The screen can be used either as a supplement to the main display or in supported games to play the game directly on the GamePad . The Wii U Pro Controller can be used in its place as a more traditional alternative . The Wii U is backward compatible with all Wii software and accessories . Games can support any combination of the GamePad , Wii Remote , Nunchuk , Balance Board , or Nintendo 's Classic Controller or Wii U Pro Controller . Online functionality centers around the Nintendo Network platform and Miiverse , an integrated social networking service which allows users to share content in game-specific communities . The Wii U was met with a generally positive reception , which included praise for its innovative GamePad controller , improvements to online functionality over the Wii , backwards compatibility with existing Wii software and peripherals , and relative affordability . However , the Wii U was also criticized for the GamePad 's short battery life and issues with the console 's user interface and functionality . The Wii U was met with slow consumer adoption , with low sales that were primarily credited to a weak lineup of launch titles , limited third-party support , and poor marketing .
Brothers : A Tale of Two Sons is an adventure game developed by Starbreeze Studios and published by 505 Games for Xbox 360 , Microsoft Windows , PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , Xbox One , iOS , Android , Windows Phone , and Nintendo Switch .
505 Games S.p.A. is an Italian video game publisher based in Milan . It was founded in 2006 as a subsidiary of Digital Bros .
Rayman Legends is a platform video game developed by Ubisoft Montpellier and published by Ubisoft . It is the fifth main title in the Rayman series and the direct sequel to the 2011 game Rayman Origins . The game was released for Microsoft Windows , Xbox 360 , PlayStation 3 , Wii U , and PlayStation Vita platforms in August and September 2013 . PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were released in February 2014 . A Nintendo Switch port , titled Rayman Legends Definitive Edition was released in North America , Europe and Australia on September 12 , 2017 . Rayman Legends was announced at Electronic Entertainment Expo ( E3 ) 2012 for Wii U and was planned for release during the console 's launch window . However , the game was delayed and released several months later on multiple platforms , due to the financial failure of ZombiU . Rayman Legends received critical acclaim upon release . Critics praised the game 's visuals , level design , controls , soundtrack , overall gameplay , and the large amount of content . Some critics went as far as calling Rayman Legends one of the best platforming video games ever made , and the game won several awards from video gaming publications . The game experienced sluggish sales at the beginning of its release , but sold well and contributed to the company 's earnings just a year after .
Ubisoft Entertainment SA ( /ˈjuːbisɒft , -sɔːft/ ; French : [ ybisɔft ] ; formerly Ubi Soft Entertainment SA ) is a French video game company headquartered in Montreuil with several development studios across the world . It publishes games for several video game franchises , including Assassin 's Creed , Far Cry , Just Dance , Prince of Persia , Rayman , Raving Rabbids , and Tom Clancy 's . As of March 2018 , Ubisoft is the fourth largest publicly traded game company in the Americas and Europe in terms of revenue and market capitalisation , after Activision Blizzard , Electronic Arts , and Take-Two Interactive .
Deus Ex : Human Revolution is an action role-playing video game developed by Eidos Montréal and published worldwide by Square Enix in August 2011 for Microsoft Windows , PlayStation 3 , and Xbox 360 : a version for OS X released the following year . It is the third game in the Deus Ex series , and a prequel to the original Deus Ex . The gameplay - combining first-person shooter , stealth , and role-playing elements - features exploration and combat in environments connected to multiple city-based hubs , in addition to quests that grant experience and allow customization of the main character 's abilities with items called Praxis Kits . Conversations between characters feature a variety of responses , with options in conversations and at crucial story points affecting how some events play out . Set in the year 2027 , Human Revolution focuses on ex-SWAT officer Adam Jensen , who is employed as a security officer for Sarif Industries , a company on the leading edge of advanced and controversial artificial organs dubbed augmentations . An attack on Sarif Industries that apparently kills researcher and Adam 's ex-girlfriend Megan Reed also leaves Adam critically injured . To save him , company CEO David Sarif subjects him to an extensive augmentation procedure : six months later , now recovered and possessing advanced augmentations , Adam sets out to pursue his attackers and the shadowy organization behind them . The story explores themes of transhumanism , the growing power of megacorporations , and their impact on social class . It also uses the series ' recurring cyberpunk setting and conspiracy theory motif . Development of Human Revolution began in 2007 with a small team within the fledgling Eidos Montréal studio , after multiple aborted attempts to create a sequel at original developer Ion Storm following the 2003 release of Deus Ex : Invisible War . The two key influences were the myth of Icarus , a thematic element carried over from Deus Ex ; and the artwork and ideas of the Renaissance , which influenced the story , graphics , and music , while combining with the series ' typical cyberpunk elements . The open-ended nature of the gameplay was tricky for the team to achieve ; as a result , the boss battles were outsourced to another developer due to time constraints .
Square Enix Holdings Co. , Ltd. is a Japanese video game developer , publisher , and distribution company known for its Final Fantasy , Dragon Quest , and Kingdom Hearts role-playing video game franchises , among numerous others . Several of them have sold over 10 million copies worldwide , with the Final Fantasy franchise alone selling 144 million , the Dragon Quest franchise selling 78 million and the Kingdom Hearts franchise selling 30 million . The Square Enix headquarters are in the Shinjuku Eastside Square Building in Shinjuku , Tokyo . The company employs over 4300 employees worldwide . The original Square Enix Co. , Ltd. was formed in April 2003 as the result of a merger between Square and Enix , with the latter as the surviving company . Each share of Square 's common stock was exchanged for 0.85 shares of Enix 's common stock . At the time , 80% of Square Enix staff were made up of former Square employees . As part of the merger , former Square president Yoichi Wada was appointed the president of the new corporation , while former Enix president Keiji Honda was named its vice president . Yasuhiro Fukushima , the largest shareholder of the combined corporation and founder of Enix , became chairman . In October 2008 , Square Enix conducted a company split between its corporate business and video game operations . Square Enix reorganised itself as Square Enix Holdings Co. , Ltd. , a holding company , while its internally domestic video game operations were formed as a new subsidiary called Square Enix Co. , Ltd. During the 2014 fiscal year , the company made over ¥150 billion in revenue ( US $ 1.36 billion ) . In addition to its flagship subsidiary , Square Enix Holdings owns the arcade gaming corporation Taito , known for games such as Space Invaders , Bubble Bobble , and Darius .
The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker HD [ a ] is a 2013 action-adventure game for the Wii U , developed and published by Nintendo . It is a remastered version of the 2002 GameCube game The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker . The Wind Waker HD adds native 1080p resolution , an alternative lighting engine , and gameplay changes . The release marked the ten-year anniversary of the original , and was the first Legend of Zelda game released on the Wii U .
The Legend of Zelda : A Link Between Worlds is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS . It is the 17th installment in The Legend of Zelda series and the sequel to the 1991 Super Nintendo Entertainment System game A Link to the Past . Announced in April 2013 , A Link Between Worlds was released in Australia , Europe , and North America in November 2013 . A month later , it was released in Japan as The Legend of Zelda : Triforce of the Gods 2 [ a ] ( Triforce of the Gods being the Japanese title of A Link to the Past ) . Players play as a young adventurer , Link , who sets out to restore peace to the kingdom of Hyrule after the evil sorcerer Yuga captures Princess Zelda and escapes through a rift to the ruined world of Lorule . Yuga seeks to kidnap the Seven Sages and use their power to resurrect the Demon King Ganon . Link is granted the ability to merge onto walls as a painting after obtaining a magic bracelet and encountering Yuga , which allows Link to reach previously inaccessible areas and travel between Hyrule and Lorule . Concept development began with a small team in 2009 . During this phase , the game mechanic of Link merging onto walls was prototyped . However , development suffered several setbacks and ceased entirely in late 2010 as core team members were reassigned to different projects . A year later , development restarted and , after several failed pitches to series creator , Shigeru Miyamoto , the game entered full production in 2012 . Changing the established conventions of the series became a goal for the game 's designers ; this led to a change in the game 's structure , allowing players to clear the majority of dungeons in any order they choose , and the introduction of the item rental system .
The Nintendo 3DS [ a ] is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo . It is capable of displaying stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or additional accessories . Nintendo announced the console in March 2010 and officially unveiled it at E3 2010 on June 15 . The console succeeds the Nintendo DS , featuring backward compatibility with older Nintendo DS video games . Its primary competitor was Sony 's PlayStation Vita . The handheld offers new features such as the StreetPass and SpotPass tag modes , powered by Nintendo Network ; augmented reality , using its 3D cameras ; and Virtual Console , which allows owners to download and play games originally released on older video game systems . It is also pre-loaded with various applications including an online distribution store called Nintendo eShop ; a social networking service called Miiverse ( shut down in 2017 ) ; an Internet Browser ; the Netflix , Hulu Plus and YouTube streaming video services ; Nintendo Video ; a messaging application called Swapnote ( known as Nintendo Letter Box in Europe and Australia ) ; and Mii Maker . The Nintendo 3DS was released in Japan on February 26 , 2011 , and worldwide beginning in March 2011 . Less than six months later on July 28 , 2011 , Nintendo announced a significant price reduction from US $ 249 to US $ 169 amid disappointing launch sales . The company offered ten free Nintendo Entertainment System games and ten free Game Boy Advance games from the Nintendo eShop to consumers who bought the system at the original launch price . This strategy was considered a major success , and the console went on to become one of Nintendo 's most successful handheld consoles in the first two years of its release . As of December 31 , 2019 [ update ] , the Nintendo 3DS family of systems combined have sold 75.71 million units .
Spelunky is a 2008 source-available indie 2D platform video game created by Derek Yu and released as freeware for Microsoft Windows . It was remade for the Xbox 360 in 2012 , with ports of the new version to the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in 2013 , which was also ported back to Microsoft Windows . The player controls a spelunker who explores a series of caves while collecting treasure , saving damsels , fighting enemies , and dodging traps . The caves are procedurally generated , making each run through of the game unique . Spelunky is one of the first examples of a roguelike , borrowing concepts from the genre while not falling under that definition , and was the influence for many later roguelike games . The first public release was on December 21 , 2008 . The source code of the Windows version was released on December 25 , 2009 . An enhanced version for Xbox Live Arcade was released on July 4 , 2012 . The enhanced version was later released for Windows PCs and PlayStation 3 in August 2013 , and for PlayStation 4 on October 7 , 2014 . A Chrome OS version of the original game was made as well , titled Spelunky HTML5 . As of October 2017 , a sequel , Spelunky 2 , has been under development for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4 ; it is scheduled for release in 2020 .
Mass Effect 3 is an action role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts . It was released for Microsoft Windows , PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on March 6 , 2012 , and for Wii U on November 18 , 2012 . The game features a variety of downloadable content packs that were released from March 2012 to April 2013 on Xbox Live , PlayStation Network , and BioWare 's Social Network . The Wii U version of the game does not support downloadable content but includes several packs . The content listed as promotional content was only available to the Microsoft Windows , PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game through limited promotional opportunities .
Electronic Arts Inc. ( EA ) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City , California . It is the second-largest gaming company in the Americas and Europe by revenue and market capitalization after Activision Blizzard and ahead of Take-Two Interactive and Ubisoft as of March 2018 . Founded and incorporated on May 27 , 1982 , by Apple employee Trip Hawkins , the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers responsible for its games . EA published numerous games and productivity software for personal computers and later experimented on techniques to internally develop games , leading to the 1987 release of Skate or Die ! . The company would later decide in favor of abandoning their original principles and acquiring smaller companies that they see profitable , as well as annually releasing franchises to stay profitable . Currently , EA develops and publishes games of established franchises , including Battlefield , Need for Speed , The Sims , Medal of Honor , Command & Conquer , Dead Space , Mass Effect , Dragon Age , Army of Two , Titanfall , and Star Wars , as well as the EA Sports titles FIFA , Madden NFL , NBA Live , NHL , and EA Sports UFC . Their desktop titles appear on self-developed Origin , an online gaming digital distribution platform for PCs and a direct competitor to Valve 's Steam and Epic Games ' Store . EA also owns and operates major gaming studios such as EA Tiburon in Orlando , EA Vancouver in Burnaby , DICE in Sweden and Los Angeles , BioWare in Edmonton and Austin , and Respawn Entertainment in Los Angeles .
The Stanley Parable is an interactive drama and walking simulator video game designed by American developer Davey Wreden . The game was originally released on July 27 , 2011 as a free modification for Half-Life 2 . A high-definition stand-alone remake , including new story elements , was again designed by Davey Wreden together with Source engine modeler William Pugh , under the Galactic Cafe studio name . The remake was announced and approved via Steam Greenlight in 2012 , and was released on October 17 , 2013 for Microsoft Windows . Later updates of the game added support for OS X on December 19 , 2013 , and for Linux on September 9 , 2015 . While both the mod and the remake use the first-person perspective common to other Source engine mods , there are no combat or other action-based sequences . Instead , the player guides Stanley , the game 's protagonist , through a surreal environment while the narrator , voiced in the remake by British actor Kevan Brighting , delivers exposition . The player has the opportunity to make numerous decisions on which paths to take , and because at times the narrator says what Stanley will do next , the player can choose to ignore the narration and make a different choice . Every choice made by the player is commented on by the narrator , and depending on the choices the player makes , they will encounter different endings to the game before it restarts . Wreden envisioned the game after considering that most major video game titles confine the user to its rules , and considered how to construct a narrative to challenge that notion . Outside of Brighting 's voice work as the narrator , Wreden built the modification himself , initially as a personal project for his career goals but soon expanding to a wider release once he had shown it to friends and other players . The modification received critical attention as a new variation of creating interactive storytelling within a game engine , and provided a thought-provoking narration to discuss with others on the nature of choice and predestination within video games .
Dota 2 is a multiplayer online battle arena ( MOBA ) video game developed and published by Valve . The game is a sequel to Defense of the Ancients ( DotA ) , which was a community-created mod for Blizzard Entertainment 's Warcraft III : Reign of Chaos and its expansion pack , The Frozen Throne . Dota 2 is played in matches between two teams of five players , with each team occupying and defending their own separate base on the map . Each of the ten players independently controls a powerful character , known as a hero , who all have unique abilities and differing styles of play . During a match , players collect experience points and items for their heroes to successfully defeat the opposing team 's heroes in player versus player combat . A team wins by being the first to destroy the other team 's Ancient , a large structure located within their base . Development of Dota 2 began in 2009 when IceFrog , lead designer of Defense of the Ancients , was hired by Valve to create a modernized remake for them in the Source game engine . It was officially released for Microsoft Windows , OS X , and Linux-based personal computers via the digital distribution platform Steam in July 2013 , following a Windows-only open beta phase that began two years prior . The game is fully free-to-play with no heroes or any other gameplay element needing to be bought or otherwise unlocked . To maintain it , Valve supports the game as a service , offering loot boxes and a battle pass subscription system called Dota Plus that offer non-gameplay altering virtual goods in return , such as hero cosmetics and audio replacement packs . The game has also been updated with various other features since release , such as a port to the Source 2 engine and support for virtual reality . Dota 2 has a large esports scene , with teams from around the world playing in various professional leagues and tournaments .
Valve Corporation , also known as Valve Software , is an American video game developer , publisher , and digital distribution company headquartered in Bellevue , Washington . It is the developer of the software distribution platform Steam and the Half-Life , Counter-Strike , Portal , Day of Defeat , Team Fortress , Left 4 Dead , and Dota series . Valve was founded in 1996 by former Microsoft employees Gabe Newell and Mike Harrington . Their debut product , the PC first-person shooter Half-Life , was released in 1998 to critical acclaim and commercial success , after which Harrington left the company . In 2003 , Valve launched Steam , which accounted for around half of digital PC game sales by 2011 . By 2012 , Valve employed around 250 people and was reportedly worth over US $ 3 billion , making it the most profitable company per employee in the United States . In the 2010s , Valve began developing hardware , such as the Steam Machine , a brand of gaming PCs , as well as the HTC Vive and Valve Index virtual reality headsets .