Gamers can go hands-on with next-generation consoles from Microsoft and Sony during August event in Las Vegas.

The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 don't launch until this holiday, but gamers can go hands-on with both machines during the GameStop Expo this summer, the retailer has announced.

Previously, only the PS4 was confirmed for the show because at the time, the Xbox One had not been officially announced.

GameStop did not specify which titles will be playable during the event, saying only that attendees can "get a close-up look and hands-on experience with the new systems and their exciting launch lineups."

In addition, GameStop announced that Microsoft and Sony will hold Q&A sessions regarding the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, respectively. As outlined previously, only VIP ticket holders can attend the Q&A sessions.

GameStop said only a "very limited" number of VIP tickets remain. Priced at $90, the premium tickets include early access to the show floor, a VIP lounge, a gaming tournament, access to panel discussions, and a swag bag that includes a t-shirt and Madden NFL 25 for Xbox 360.

General admission tickets are currently available for $35 online and in-store. VIP tickets are sold only through GameStop's website.

GameStop also announced today that specially priced student tickets will be available for $20. These tickets can be purchased onsite only.

The 2013 GameStop Expo takes place August 28 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas.

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Electronic Arts reveals it is planning to "re-establish Origin as a service to gamers, not as a means to drive transactions."

Electronic Arts is aware that a negative perception surrounding its Origin service exists and is planning to launch significant changes to the platform to re-establish it with gamers in mind.

"In the near term, quite frankly, our focus is making that download better, making that install better, making that automatic patching better," executive vice president Andrew Wilson told GamesIndustry International. "Making that friends presence better, making the various game services better. That's what you're going to see from us over the next year, which is really re-establish Origin as a service to gamers, not as a means to drive transactions."

Regarding the negative sentiment that some users have expressed for Origin, Wilson said he doesn't expect users to change their perception of the service overnight. Still, he said he hopes gamers will come to appreciate the gamer-first changes in the pipeline.

"I want to reiterate, it's very important for people to understand that we don't expect that all of a sudden people are going to get up and go 'Oh! Great! We now love Origin!'" Wilson said.

"We get it. We understand it," he added. "We have heard, we have made some changes already in terms of how we do things, and we're looking at more changes that we'll talk about over the coming months that really are gamer-focused."

EA launched Origin during the 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo. The digital distribution hub is a full-on replacement for the EA Store and sells first- and third-party PC and console games. As of March, it has 40 million members.

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Team Fortress 2 and Dota 2 item creators can now allocate a percentage of revenues to those who aided in development.

The Steam Workshop has introduced revenue-sharing for item creators. Valve has announced that beginning this week, item creators in Team Fortress 2 and Dota 2 can allocate a percentage of revenue from in-game item sales to those who helped create the goods.

"Creating high-quality content for games is rarely a solo endeavor. Along the way, item creators often make use of specialized tools and receive help, guidance, and feedback from various communities and individuals," Valve said. "We've heard from a number of item creators that are looking for a formal way of recognizing and rewarding the toolmakers and service providers that have helped them. Now they can!"

Under the new Steam Workshop terms, when submitting an item to the Workshop, creators can choose from a list of companies, organizations, or individuals to receive a portion of the revenue from a given item's sales.

"The contribution will be made from a set percentage that is redirected from Valve to the toolmakers, not taken from the item creator's royalty," Valve said.

Valve also noted that since the Steam Workshop opened in October 2011, users have created over 1,200 items for Team Fortress 2 and Dota 2, resulting in over $10 million in royalties paid to creators.

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