8-1. » games

Feeds

2165 items (2165 unread) in 14 feeds

tech (198 unread)

• Wired Top Stories (198 unread)

music (34 unread)

• Rolling Stone Album Reviews (34 unread)

games (286 unread)

• Joystiq (286 unread)

sports (88 unread)

• SI.com (88 unread)

lifestyles (82 unread)

• Forbes.com: ForbesLife News (82 unread)

travel (30 unread)

• World Travel Watch (30 unread)

science (66 unread)

• Scientific American - News (66 unread)

health (75 unread)

• Y! Health News Search RSS Feed (75 unread)

spirituality (43 unread)

• RNS Blog (43 unread)

people (88 unread)

• People.com Latest News (88 unread)

entertainment (158 unread)

• ETonline - Breaking News (158 unread)

construction (541 unread)

• Top Stories from ENR.com (541 unread)

slashdot (125 unread)

• Slashdot (125 unread)

Automation (351 unread)

• Automation.com Daily News (351 unread)

games (100 unread)

Joystiq

• 

  Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is packing its bags tonight, pre-flight

  Posted: March 6th, 2010, 11:30pm EST by Griffin McElroy

  Over the next two days, a significant chunk of the Joystiq staff will be boarding planes, trains and dirigibles, all heading towards the sunny environs of San Francisco for GDC 2010. Of course, the folks aboard the dirigibles will probably arrive a few weeks late, because airships outside of the Final Fantasy canon are awfully slow. Except, of course, for the one Balloon Boy almost made his maiden voyage in. Then again, we suppose its top speed was boosted by the fact that there wasn't actually a child in its undercarriage. Wait, what were we talking about? Oh, yeah -- GDC! Be there.
  
  Below are our seven favorite webcomics from this past week. Check them out, and vote for your favorite after the jump. We'll tally up the votes on Friday, provided we're not too busy getting beaten up for all the mean things we've said about various games this past year.
  
  Dr. Wily's Blueprints (Brawl in the Family)
  Modern Business (Digital Unrest)
  ApocalyPS3: Party Like It's 1999 (Another Video Game Webcomic)
  Suck My Brock (Dueling Analogs)
  Halo: ODTB (Virtual Shackles)
  The Next Chapter (Penny Arcade)
  We Require More Beta Codes (Monday Night Crew)

  Continue reading Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is packing its bags tonight, pre-flight

  Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is packing its bags tonight, pre-flight originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  8-bit Left 4 Dead guy's latest project: Mega Man 9 HD Remix

  Posted: March 6th, 2010, 10:00pm EST by Griffin McElroy

  Eric Ruth, an independent developer who more than proved his prowess with Pixel Force: Left 4 Dead, recently showed off the fruits of his latest labor: A completely renovated, high-definition version of Mega Man 9. Ruth managed to recreate every single character, enemy and background by hand, programmed the game, and used a number of fan-made remixes of the original game's tracks. You can check out a video demonstration of Galaxy Man's stage just past the jump.
  
  Ruth has decided not to complete the game for a number of reasons; the fear of a C&D from Capcom being a substantial one of them. He's already working on his next project -- and after making an HD game into an 8-bit game, and then an 8-bit game into an HD game, we can't wait to see what he does next.

  Continue reading 8-bit Left 4 Dead guy's latest project: Mega Man 9 HD Remix

  8-bit Left 4 Dead guy's latest project: Mega Man 9 HD Remix originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Mass Effect 2's 'Hammerhead' vehicle demoed on GameTrailers TV

  Posted: March 6th, 2010, 8:30pm EST by Griffin McElroy

  
  We know that some of you are less than excited about the return of vehicular gameplay to the Mass Effect franchise -- we still have vivid nightmares about our time behind the wheel of the Mako from the original game. However, your position will probably be reversed by last night's episode of GameTrailers TV, which showed off the Hammerhead vehicle which will arrive in the upcoming "Firewalker" DLC for Mass Effect 2. It is, in a word, rad. In two words? Totally rad.
  
  Check out Chapter Four of the episode to see the Normandy SR-2 crew's new toy in action.

  Mass Effect 2's 'Hammerhead' vehicle demoed on GameTrailers TV originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Nintendo Power: Scribblenauts sequel coming this Fall

  Posted: March 6th, 2010, 7:09pm EST by Ben Gilbert

  [GoNintendo]
  As evidenced by the image above, the latest issue of Nintendo Power reveals a sequel to 5th Cell's Scribblenauts for the Nintendo DS. According to a report from GoNintendo, the magazine feature additionally details the game's release window ("fall"), that it will receive "10,000 more words" and "120 new and improved levels," and will have a focus on the use of adjectives. Thankfully, the report also notes intentions to improve the game's controls -- a major setback of the first outing. We've shot an email to the developers and will hopefully have more information on the game sometime soon. For now, you can check out the full magazine cover right here.

  Nintendo Power: Scribblenauts sequel coming this Fall originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Swag Saturday: Toy Soldiers! (XBLA)

  Posted: March 6th, 2010, 7:00pm EST by Kevin Kelly

  Signal Studios' new game Toy Soldiers might sound like any other tower defense game at first glance, but it has art direction that will knock your socks off. It's one thing to pit the Kaiser's forces against the boys from England, but Toy Soliders turns them into little clockwork toys, full of cogs and springs. Combine that with addictively fun gameplay and Facebook integration and you have a winner.
  
  So worry not if you have moral objections to pumping howitzer shells into approaching baddies, they're just toys! We want to share this toybox full of fun with you, so we're giving away three codes for this game on Xbox Live Arcade. All you have to do is follow the rules below, and tell us what your favorite toy was. Or is. There's no shame in still playing with toys, is there?
  

  • Leave a comment telling us what your favorite toy was (or is).
  • You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec, at least in part due to our vehement opposition of the Montreal Canadiens).
  • Limit 1 entry per person per day.
  • This entry period ends at 7:01PM PT on Sunday, March 7.
  • At that time, we'll randomly select three winners to receive a code good for one copy of Toy Soliders on XBLA (ARV: $15).
  • For a list of complete rules, click here.

  What is Joyswag? Since we don't keep the games and merchandise we receive for review or promotional purposes, it becomes "Joyswag," which is passed along to our readers. Please note that Joyswag may be in "used" condition. For more info on our policy, click here.
  

  Gallery: Toy Soldiers (XBLA)

  

  Swag Saturday: Toy Soldiers! (XBLA) originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Final Fantasy XIII deals to pounce on at Target and Amazon

  Posted: March 6th, 2010, 5:30pm EST by Ben Gilbert

  After you heard what we had to say about Final Fantasy XIII, you may very well now be itching to finally get your own hands all over the thirteenth entry in the FF series from Square Enix. Lucky for you, dearest reader, we've got news of a couple ways to save some dough on your purchase this week.
  
  Target is offering a $10 gift card with purchase of either the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 version, while Amazon is offering a $10 pre-order incentive credit towards future video game purchases for both versions as well (oh, and also, the game costs $56.99 instead of $59.99, which is kinda nice). Sure, neither offers a free rideable chocobo or anything wonderful like that, but that $10 at Target could potentially buy pizza bagels. And did you know that when pizza's on a bagel, you can apparently eat pizza at any time? Madness!
  
  Source 1 - CAG
  Source 2 - Target
  

  Gallery: Final Fantasy XIII

  

  Final Fantasy XIII deals to pounce on at Target and Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  ESRB outs 'Lips: I (Heart) the 80s'

  Posted: March 6th, 2010, 4:00pm EST by Ben Gilbert

  For those of you looking to put your '80s singing chops to the test, it would appear that iNiS will be offering you just that chance if a recent ESRB listing for a fourth installment in the Lips series is to be believed. "Lips: I (Heart) the 80s" was recently spotted by IGN over on the ratings website, sporting a description that reveals at least two tracks from the 1980s-centric title -- The Police's "Roxanne" and Rick James' "Super Freak."
  
  The game is also said to feature "depictions of men and women in revealing outfits performing provocative choreography -- for example, women in negligees, black bras, panties dancing inside a classroom; large amounts of exposed cleavage, some grinding dance moves; and background images of storefronts/signs reading '25 cent Peepshows,' 'Live Sex Theatre,' and 'Topless Girls Dancing.'" Gosh golly! Regardless, with the recent release of Lips: Party Classics and today's ESRB listing, we have to imagine the official announce of Lips: I (Heart) the 80s is just around the corner. We'll be prepping our boom boxes with plenty of Public Enemy until then.
  
  [Via IGN]
  

  ESRB outs 'Lips: I (Heart) the 80s' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Walter Day retires from Twin Galaxies, gaming hall of fame to be opened

  Posted: March 6th, 2010, 2:30pm EST by Ben Gilbert

  Open up that 40 oz. of Bawls and pour one out for Walter Day, who just this past week announced his intentions to retire as head of the gaming world's official scorekeepers, Twin Galaxies. In an interview conducted by TG's Josh Houslander, the regularly pinstripe-clad referee and musician took the time to not only spell out his future plans (he's focusing on his music), but also detail the upcoming inauguration of the International Video Game Hall of Fame and Museum in Ottumwa, Iowa (a town in Iowa that's vying for the title you see above).
  
  "I like to dream big and shoot for the stars, and that's what I'm doing now," Day says in the lengthy video interview (found in full after the break). He says that he'll be on hand for the inaugural ceremonies on August 5 - 8, but in the future, Day will be little more than an attendee at various Twin Galaxies events. Everyone here at Joystiq would like to wish Day the best in his future endeavors.
  
  [Via GameSetWatch]
  

  Continue reading Walter Day retires from Twin Galaxies, gaming hall of fame to be opened

  Walter Day retires from Twin Galaxies, gaming hall of fame to be opened originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  New 360 Elite bundle includes Halo 3: ODST and Forza 3 for $300

  Posted: March 6th, 2010, 1:00pm EST by Griffin McElroy

  Are you preparing to buy your first ever Xbox 360, and are looking for the best value for your money? Alternatively, did your Xbox 360 just commit ritual seppuku, and now you're looking for a SKU that comes bundled with some good games? Both parties are in luck -- Amazon recently added a listing for an Xbox 360 Elite Spring 2010 bundle, which includes Halo 3: ODST, Forza Motorsport 3 and a 120GB hard drive for just $299.99. According to the listing, this bundle will go on sale next Tuesday, March 9 -- the same day the $399 Final Fantasy XIII bundle hits Amazon's virtual store shelves.
  
  We're extremely excited about this news -- not because it's a great deal (though it really, really is), but because it's allowed us to break the world record for "Most Times Using The Number '3' In A Single Headline." Thanks for making this dream possible, Microsoft.
  
  [Via 1UP]

  New 360 Elite bundle includes Halo 3: ODST and Forza 3 for $300 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Raven's Manveer Heir urges industry to address ethnic misrepresentation

  Posted: March 6th, 2010, 11:30am EST by Ben Gilbert

  If there's one thing that Commander Shepard, Nathan Drake, Agent 47, Marcus Fenix, and ... uhh ... Mega Man all have in common, it's not just that they're all video game characters -- they're also all white dudes. And Raven Software's Manveer Heir takes umbrage with that fact (and, more importantly, the fact that being caucasian is a rather pervasive theme across game characters), telling Develop in a recent interview that "There are a large number of hispanic and black children playing games, percentage-wise more so than white children, but these guys aren't getting into the industry because they are not seeing themselves in the games."
  
  Moreover, Heir says it's not just a question of equality, but rather a question of missed market opportunity. "It's not about being fair. It's about bringing something new to the art." The Wolverine/Singularity dev also makes a point of sending out a rally call to the rest of the industry, saying, "I'm sure many people in the game industry are starting work on new IP. If we can ask people to think about it, then they are more apt to say 'hey let's try this.' You just need one game to succeed. The first developer or publisher to do this will enjoy a lot of success." For a much more thorough discussion on the subject, we've embedded a video after the break of a panel from DICE 2010, titled "Games of Color," in which Manveer speaks in far more detail on the subject.

  Continue reading Raven's Manveer Heir urges industry to address ethnic misrepresentation

  Raven's Manveer Heir urges industry to address ethnic misrepresentation originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Readers pick best webcomic: The Gods of Modernity

  Posted: March 6th, 2010, 3:15am EST by Griffin McElroy

  We never considered the possibility of an Xbox Live moderator being elevated to folk hero status -- the topic of last week's Wrapup winner, Penny Arcade's "The Gods of Modernity." Then again, we suppose it's not unthinkable. In our minds, the moderation of a massive gaming service is roughly equivalent with being a giant, ox-domesticating lumberjack. Thanks to everyone who voted, and congrats to Penny Arcade!
  
  Second and third place went to Brawl in the Family's "Moveset" and Jeph Jacques' "Mass Effect Comix," respectively. If you've got a favorite strip you'd like to see in this week's Wrapup, don't be shy. Just leave a link to it in the comments of this post, or send in a tip!

  Readers pick best webcomic: The Gods of Modernity originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 03:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  No launch DLC for Blur, but there will be plenty

  Posted: March 6th, 2010, 2:15am EST by Mike Schramm

  Blur has been in development at Bizarre Creations for at least a year now, and probably even longer, but in all of that time, no one in the studio has worked on any DLC, according to lead designer Ged Talbot speaking to MTV Multiplayer. While the title does have some in-game pre-order bonuses ready to go, there won't be any launch DLC, so you'll have to be satisfied with the 50 cars and 30 racing locales coming on the disc for a little while.
  
  But Talbot does say that Bizarre will be releasing additional content soon after the game goes on sale, and that "it's always been a massive part of the strategy to support the game with DLC." Your late '92 baby blue Subaru might not be in there right now, but just be patient, baby -- it's coming for you.

  No launch DLC for Blur, but there will be plenty originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 02:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  PC Street Fighter IV only $20 from Impulse, GFW On Demand

  Posted: March 6th, 2010, 1:15am EST by Richard Mitchell

  Following last week's killer deal on Batman: Arkham Asylum, Games for Windows on Demand continues its series of game sales with Street Fighter IV. Right now, the service is offering Capcom's fighter for 50 percent off, knocking the price down to a palatable $19.99. Or, if you prefer, Impulse is also offering it for the same price. Of course, it's worth noting that Super Street Fighter IV will be released in just a month, so you might just skip the whole thing and wait for a couple of weeks.
  
  Unless, of course, the allure of "a nifty little special set of things" is just too much to resist.
  
  Source - Games on Demand Spring Sale
  Source - Street Fighter IV on Impulse
  
  [Via 1UP]

  PC Street Fighter IV only $20 from Impulse, GFW On Demand originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 01:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  QuakeCon 2010 announced for August

  Posted: March 6th, 2010, 12:15am EST by Ben Gilbert

  Ahh yes, another year, another QuakeCon. The annual mecca for all things id Software (and now all things Bethesda Softworks, as well) will be returning to Texas this year on August 12-15, presumably with the usual three-plus hours of John Carmack keynote in tow (he goes on and on because he loves!).
  
  As usual, the goings-on will be free, with the 72 hours of pure, unfiltered nerddom sponsored by parent company Zenimax Media (alright, alright -- it's very likely that the Bawls energy drink company is putting up some money as well). Little is known about the actual events of the show this year outside of the aforementioned cursory details, though, yes, the traditional event-wide network will again be available for attendees who bring PC rigs. That means order the purple neon light for your PC today, friends, not tomorrow.

  QuakeCon 2010 announced for August originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  WRUP: GDC incoming, Battlefield veterans left behind edition

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 11:15pm EST by Alexander Sliwinski

  Next week is the 2010 Game Developers Conference in the fierce city of San Francisco. A lot is expected to be announced and discussed at the show, however there are sure to be a few surprises. Joystiq will have plenty of boots comfortable footwear on the ground covering the show.
  
  Meanwhile, in what boils down to a horrible coincidence, those of us caught in the grips of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 multiplayer addiction are being left behind to take care of this little website. Not going to lie: We simply can't be trusted to not take 20 minute breaks every hour.
  
  What's everyone playing this weekend?

  Continue reading WRUP: GDC incoming, Battlefield veterans left behind edition

  WRUP: GDC incoming, Battlefield veterans left behind edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Sony files patent for game demos that lose features over time

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 10:15pm EST by JC Fletcher

  A patent dug up by Siliconera details a new system conceived by Sony for limiting the content found in game demos. "Degradable" game demos, as described in a patent filed by SCEA, would initially include either a full game or a large amount of content, but that content would gradually disappear over playtime, to unlock again once the full game is purchased. Examples in the patent document include a weapon that becomes less effective over time, and race tracks that become unavailable one at a time.
  
  Essentially, it's the DIVX rental system, but downloadable and for games. You know, DIVX, the system in which you "bought" a cheap disc that would only work for a short time unless you paid a fee to "unlock" it. That lasted less than a year because it was too popular, right?

  Sony files patent for game demos that lose features over time originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  King of iPhone Fist: Pocket Gamer says Namco releasing iPhone Tekken game soon

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 9:45pm EST by JC Fletcher

  Tekken 6 for PSP Street Fighter IV isn't the only fighting game to be shoehorned awkwardly into the iPhone. According to Pocket Gamer, an anonymous Namco staffer has confirmed that a Tekken game is on the way to the platform -- a platform that, we feel we should remind you, lacks not only a high-quality arcade-style joystick, but any mechanical controls at all. Last year, Namco's Jonathan Kromrey mentioned that the company was considering porting its fighting games onto the iPhone, and it would appear that nobody successfully dissuaded the publisher.
  
  No details were given about the game, except that its development is near completion. We'd say Soul Calibur is next on the list, but Gameloft kind of already did that.

  King of iPhone Fist: Pocket Gamer says Namco releasing iPhone Tekken game soon originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Digital Foundry: 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII 'adequate but a touch disappointing'

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 9:15pm EST by Griffin McElroy

  So, you read our review of Final Fantasy XIII and are prepared to pick it up next week, but you're not sure which version to buy? If you're basing your decision on graphical fidelity, the A/V experts from Eurogamer's Digital Foundry suggest you go with the PS3 version of the game -- as seen in their quartet of video comparisons, the 360 version suffered a bit of resolution reduction during its trip between platforms.
  
  No, the difference in quality isn't groundbreaking or anything. We just wanted you to know all the factors before making a decision. Both versions have their strengths and weaknesses -- for instance, the 360 version requires you to change the disc two times, but the PS3 version of the game is unplayable once every 1,461 days.

  Digital Foundry: 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII 'adequate but a touch disappointing' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  JBO: Joystiq Box Office, March 1 - March 5

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 8:45pm EST by Kevin Kelly

  
  We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week.
  
  Recommendation of the Week:
  
  Ponyo (Blu-ray, $39.99 MSRP, much lower at most retailers)
  If you don't know who Hayao Miyazaki is yet, then you need a crash course in gorgeous Japanese animated films with amazing storytelling. He's like the Japanese Walt Disney, and Ponyo is his latest film. It's a wonderful fantasy that was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid and he's put his own particular spin on it. A young boy named Sosuke rescues a female goldfish, Ponyo, and they set off on an adventure together. The Blu-ray disc includes an ultra-crisp transfer of the film, which features hand-drawn animation, and a look inside Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli. We're offering up five sets of Miyazaki films with this Joystiq Box Office, so read the rules at the bottom of the post to enter. Five winners will receive Ponyo on Blu-ray, and standard DVDs of My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service and Castle in the Sky. Truly magical filmmaking. Read on after the break for the rest of our recommendations, and let us know what you're watching!

  Continue reading JBO: Joystiq Box Office, March 1 - March 5

  JBO: Joystiq Box Office, March 1 - March 5 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Hands-on: Split/Second

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 8:15pm EST by Andrew Yoon

  "Split/Second is like Burnout, except the world around you is the thing that gets smashed into bits." - Joystiq's E3 preview
  
  I had the fortune of spending about an hour with Black Rock's upcoming, destruction-laden Split/Second, and, like Xav before me, I had a total blast (sorry about the pun, folks). The idea of using the environment as a weapon is a novel twist, keeping racers on their toes throughout the entire race. Stay vigilant, or else a helicopter might just drop an explosive on top of you. (That actually happened to me, folks.)
  
  While I was equally impressed by the much-touted dynamic environments of the racer, having so much time with the game let me appreciate some of the finer nuances of the gameplay. I only had three vehicles to choose from, but each controlled differently and highlighted the various strategies players could employ during races. I was most skilled with the lightweight car, thanks to its maneuverability and speedy acceleration. The handling was a bit loose, especially when drifting -- but that proves to be an advantage, as I found myself able to build up my power meter with relative ease.
  

  Gallery: Split/Second

  

  Continue reading Hands-on: Split/Second

  Hands-on: Split/Second originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  'Guardian of Light' a co-op Tomb Raider action game

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 7:45pm EST by Mike Schramm

  Boy, when Crystal Dynamics said it would be creating "something completely new and very different" for Lara Croft, it wasn't kidding around. GameSpot has posted a first look at Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, and we don't know where to begin. It's downloadable, it's isometric-view and it's arcade-y action with just a hint of the old platforming ways. There's a heavy co-op element, too (both local and online), with Lara and her companion, Totec (a "Mayan tribesman" wielding a spear) fighting off evil spirits and the undead, as well as combining their various skills to traverse through jungles and temples.
  
  Actually, it looks ... good. While the pace seems likely to be a little faster than the standard tomb raiding Lara does, this might be just the thing to spice up the still-aging franchise. We'll check the game out for you at GDC next week, and let you know if this left-turn in genre is the right one for Lara to take.

  'Guardian of Light' a co-op Tomb Raider action game originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  April OXM features Fallout: New Vegas, Halo: Reach

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 7:30pm EST by Richard Mitchell

  The small, irradiated pool of Fallout: New Vegas knowledge is about to get bigger. Bethesda has announced that the April issue of Official Xbox Magazine -- set to hit newsstands next week -- will devote its cover story to the game. Readers can expect an eight-page spread on New Vegas and, as a bonus, the included DVD will also feature some exclusive gamer pics (what, no Avatar items?).
  
  Sharp-eyed readers will notice that the magazine has an eight-page feature on Halo: Reach as well. All in all, probably something Xbox gamers should keep an eye on.

  April OXM features Fallout: New Vegas, Halo: Reach originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Impressions: Backbreaker

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 7:00pm EST by Andrew Yoon

  
  Click to enlarge Backbreaker may be the greatest football game no one will ever play. While I can attempt to detail its incredible use of the Euphoria physics engine, its spectacular graphics and truly innovative gameplay, all these features are moot thanks to the crippling fact that the game does not have the NFL license. Without the license, the annual Madden devotee won't have this on his (or her!) radar -- ironic, because Backbreaker makes good on the lofty promises of Madden 06's teased "CG movie" effect, which EA Sports has yet to deliver on, even four years later.
  
  It's easy to get jaded about sports games as they iterate, releasing slightly improved games year after year. We've grown accustomed to complacency. But simply watch a video of Backbreaker and you'll probably agree: this game is a breath of fresh air no one expected from the genre. It goes to show that with proper competition, there's a lot of room for innovation.
  
  Perhaps the most obvious thing to discuss are Backbreaker's animations, powered by the same tech used in Grand Theft Auto IV and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Euphoria allows game characters to react to their virtual environment and create dynamic animations. Unlike canned ragdolls, these animations are surprisingly lifelike, and because they can be generated on the fly, ensure the game feels spontaneous. Backbreaker has one huge advantage over games like The Force Unleashed, though: it's developed by NaturalMotion, the studio that made the Euphoria tech.
  

  Gallery: Backbreaker

  

  Continue reading Impressions: Backbreaker

  Impressions: Backbreaker originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Mafia II trailer needs guys like you

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 6:30pm EST by David Hinkle

  
  It doesn't take much to excel in this thing of ours. You have to have brass whatnots, be willing to do some unsavory acts and put the family above all else -- basically, don't be Fredo. It's not that hard, when you think about it, but the latest trailer for 2K Games' Mafia II disagrees. Apparently, in post-WWII, there weren't a lot of guys who had the stomach to use cover-based shooting mechanics and traverse a sandbox-style environment. Frankly, we're shocked that The Greatest Generation had any shortcomings at all!

  Mafia II trailer needs guys like you originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Steam weekend deal: Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is 75% off

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 6:00pm EST by David Hinkle

  Codies may have grounded the DLC chopper for Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, but that hasn't stopped Valve from dropping a nuke on its price tag and featuring it as the Steam weekend deal. Up until Monday, you can grab the military shooter for a meager $7.50 -- 75 percent off the usual asking price of $30.
  
  As for what to do with the cash you save should you choose to download, you could tuck it in the piggy bank or even use it towards financing your own real war in a fictitious country. We really wouldn't suggest that, though -- real life is woefully lacking in respawns. Also, $12.50 only gets you like 1/300,000th of a tank.

  Steam weekend deal: Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is 75% off originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Review: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (multiplayer)

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 5:41pm EST by Alexander Sliwinski

  For those who prefer their multiplayer experiences to be full of camaraderie rather than competition, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 delivers a bonding experience like few other games can. By pushing the idea of teamwork upon players, Bad Company 2 is a game that discourages the "lone wolf" mentality found in many, if not most, online first-person shooters.
  
  A question I've been asked a lot this week: "I barely played and/or didn't really enjoy the first Battlefield: Bad Company's multiplayer. How does this stack up?" The sequel is more Battlefield 1943 than Bad Company. It's a more balanced experience like developer DICE's summer hit, but with a modern setting and delivering the scope one would expect from a full-priced retail experience.
  
  Squads. It's one of the most important elements to Battlefield and a feature that has gotten better through each iteration. A squad is your mini-team within the game; working with them just makes sense, since you'll be respawning with them when you die. In previous Battlefield games, squad members would sometimes be switched to the other team, even as total strangers were inserted in your squad. (As one comrade-in-arms aptly put it this week: "It's like being invited to a Rock Band party, but you're accidentally given the address next door and they're playing Guitar Hero. Sure, it's almost the same, but that's not the party you wanted to attend.") Thankfully, the biggest problem with making a squad is resolved in this outing.
  

  Gallery: Battlefield: Bad Company 2

  

  Continue reading Review: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (multiplayer)

  Review: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (multiplayer) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Walmart-exclusive Wii bundle includes Wii Sports Resort

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 5:21pm EST by JC Fletcher

  Walmart just announced an exclusive Wii bundle, containing both Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort, as well as the necessary MotionPlus attachment. It'll be available in stores today, and on Walmart.com this Sunday. There's no reason not to pick this one up instead of the normal Wii package: this new bundle sells for the same $199 price!
  
  According to Walmart, it'll only be available "while supplies last," which, given the history of the Wii platform, could be a surprisingly short time.
  
  Update: We were additionally informed by a Walmart representative that the bundle contains "[one] normal Wii console you would purchase -- comes with all the same components -- for $199, except that you're getting Wii Sports Resort (with the packaged Wii MotionPlus)." Still quite a deal!

  Walmart-exclusive Wii bundle includes Wii Sports Resort originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Molyneux combats fear of Natal input lag

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 5:00pm EST by Richard Mitchell

  The problem of input latency is something that keeps popping up in coverage of Microsoft's Project Natal. It's something we noticed when demoing Natal at TGS last year, something Microsoft promised to address before launch. Apparently, certain outlets are still noticing latency issues, which has prompted both Microsoft and Peter Molyneux to come to the peripheral's defense. The comments come in response to reactions from a recent event held in London for non-enthusiast press.
  
  Speaking to GI.biz (account required), Molyneux noted his "frustration" at seeing the press use a version of Natal that has since been "exceeded many times over." Said Molyneux, "So very often you get a position that what a person's looking at is two, three, four months, a year old and you kind of want to go, 'no, no, it's 10 times better than that!'" He added that there have been "countless" revisions to Natal's camera and software since X10, which was held just weeks ago. Furthermore a Microsoft source told GI.biz that the unit demonstrated in London was "one-tenth as responsive" as the current revision.
  
  Microsoft doesn't have any Natal presentations planned for GDC next week, but maybe, just maybe Molyneux will show us how far the peripheral has come during his panel on intuitive game design.

  Molyneux combats fear of Natal input lag originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Mikami explains why Vanquish is single-player only

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 4:30pm EST by Ben Gilbert

  During the recent Vanquish media unveiling in Tokyo, creator Shinji Mikami outed the action-shooter game's lack of multiplayer functionality. "That's the main reason we're keeping Vanquish as a single-player experience -- to deliver the level of impact, the level of detail and the visuals we want to offer," Mikami offered at the press event, reports Eurogamer.
  
  Apparently, due to the fact that the single-player game is "very intense" and "full of action," a multiplayer component would require "shaving a lot of things off" in order to make them work. It would seem that Mikami's more interested in Vanquish's main campaign impressing than the title having legs, though he would argue that a tacked-on multiplayer does little in the interest of serving gamers. "It kind of boils down to whether you have the multiplayer but you don't have that much impact, and end up being like everyone else ... or even below par." Yep, we're just as shocked and appreciative of his refreshing honesty as you are.
  

  Gallery: Vanquish (360, PS3)

  

  Mikami explains why Vanquish is single-player only originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Joystiq Podcast 130 - March Into Positivity edition

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 4:15pm EST by Justin McElroy

  Enclosure: [download]

  Filed under: Podcasts

  After a week so chock-full of news and notable happenings, you had to be looking forward to this Joystiq Podcast, right? Well we don't disappoint (or at least, not as much as usual) with discussion of Infinity Ward, the ApocalyPS3, Portal 2 and a Spoiled Rotten on Heavy Rain at the end.
  
  You'll also be able to get in on the ground floor of our brand new feature "Professional Voice Actor Bob Ball Reads Your Email." Seriously, you're just going to love it. A super special thanks to Ste Birks for the legitimately breathtaking art. Oh, you want a bigger version as well as more of Ste's work? We suppose we can manage that.
  
  Get the podcast:
  [iTunes] Subscribe to the Joystiq Podcast in iTunes
  [Zune] Subscribe to the Joystiq Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace
  [RSS] Add the Joystiq Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
  [MP3] Download the MP3 directly
  
  Hosts: Christopher Grant (@chrisgrant), Justin McElroy (@justinmcelroy),and Ludwig Kietzmann (@LudwigK)
  
  Music: "Gravity (Don't Let Me Go)" by Jon Black, "Red Eye" by Ben Kweller
  
  For fans: Joystiq Podcast Facebook group
  
  The Do It Line!: 1-(877)-JOYSTIQ
  
  See all of this week's links (and what games we played) after the jump.

  Continue reading Joystiq Podcast 130 - March Into Positivity edition

  Joystiq Podcast 130 - March Into Positivity edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Portal 2 gets co-op, heading to Xbox 360 and PC

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 4:00pm EST by Ben Gilbert

  [Game Informer]
  Today's big reveal of Portal 2 as next month's Game Informer cover did lots of us in the maniacal excitement department, but little for us in the hard facts department. But now, between Eurogamer being told by Valve that the game is heading to Xbox 360 and PC, and Game Informer's reveal that the sequel features a "two-player co-op mode [with] its own campaign [featuring] two new playable characters" (not to mention that it's set to release at "full retail price") we're ... well ... we're still kinda hurting for more news. The most important question of the moment, though: Can we have it right now? Please? We know you said this holiday, but what if we say pretty please? With cherries on top?
  
  Source 1 - Eurogamer
  Source 2 - Game Informer
  

  Portal 2 gets co-op, heading to Xbox 360 and PC originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  'Richard Garriott: Man on a Mission' premiering at SXSW Film Festival

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 3:30pm EST by JC Fletcher

  Richard Garriott spent years as the ruler of a fictional kingdom before he became a second-generation astronaut. Sounds like the kind of guy you'd want to make a movie about! That's exactly what filmmaker Mike Woolf and his production company, Beef & Pie, has done, and it sounds like it's going to be a treat not only for old-school PC game-types who remember "Lord British," but also anyone interested in the process of going into space.
  
  Richard Garriott: Man on a Mission, a film about the preparation and execution of Garriott's 2008 trip to the International Space Station, will premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas, with showings on Sunday, March 14 and Thursday, March 18. The film includes "never-before-seen training footage in Star City, Russia's secretive cosmonaut training facility," as well as footage of the launch and video taken from space by Garriott. Check out a trailer after the break.

  Continue reading 'Richard Garriott: Man on a Mission' premiering at SXSW Film Festival

  'Richard Garriott: Man on a Mission' premiering at SXSW Film Festival originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 tops PSN sales for February

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 3:00pm EST by Andrew Yoon

  The PSN Top 10 sales charts don't look very different from previous months, do they? With the exception of Hustle Kings, the top 10 is populated with familiar faces, including Mortal Kombat II, which debuted on PSN nearly three years ago. Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 takes the top spot for the month, likely boosted by the half-off sale it had. With little new scheduled for March on PSN, it seems likely next month's list will look very similar.

  1. Marvel Vs. Capcom 2
  2. Hustle Kings
  3. Final Fantasy VIII (PS3/PSP)
  4. Final Fantasy VII (PS3/PSP)
  5. Flower
  6. Madden NFL Arcade
  7. Mortal Kombat II
  8. Resident Evil 2 (PS3/PSP)
  9. TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled
  10. Battlefield 1943

  Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 tops PSN sales for February originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Yakuza 3 trailer looks back

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 2:30pm EST by JC Fletcher

  The latest trailer for Yakuza 3 (embedded after the break) is all about Kazuma Kiryu's memories of his life before the events of the current game. In other words, you'll see clips from Yakuza 1 and 2 interspersed with footage of Kazuma kicking people. A one-minute trailer is hardly enough to bring you up to speed on the story if you haven't played either of the PS2 games, but it does help demonstrate the visual upgrade the franchise has received as it makes the jump to PS3. (Just imagine how good Yakuza 4 will look!)
  
  Speaking of memories, Sega is right to release a bunch of trailers for this game -- the publisher needs to do everything it possibly can to remind people that Yakuza 3 is coming out, in the hope that a few people might pick it up when they go to buy Final Fantasy XIII or God of War III this month.

  Continue reading Yakuza 3 trailer looks back

  Yakuza 3 trailer looks back originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Activision/Infinity Ward court documents detail ex-studio heads' many, many complaints

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 2:00pm EST by Ben Gilbert

  [bloomsberries]
  Beyond a statement released by ex-Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella's lawyer yesterday detailing the lawsuit the two are filing against Activision, we've seen little in the way of back history on the various events that lead us to the debacle we're seeing this week. This morning, though, Joystiq obtained the entire 16-page court document (gallery-ized below for you) that details, among many other things, the ex-employees' complaints about Activision in the wake of their untimely departure.
  
  The initial claim of unpaid royalties is represented in the documents, even going as far as to claim that the publisher fired West and Zampella just weeks before having to pay out said royalties. "Activision fired them in hope that by doing so, it could avoid paying them what they had rightfully earned, and to seize control of the Infinity Ward studio, to which Activision had previously granted creative control over all Modern Warfare branded games," the document reads. In the history lesson portion of the complaint, it's revealed that Activision allegedly purchased the studio for just $5 million originally (in two different chunks), and the Call of Duty franchise (including Treyarch-developed titles) has earned over $3 billion since 2003.
  
  Finally, the complaint claims that, before Infinity Ward agreed to develop Modern Warfare 2, the then-studio heads "were not eager to extend their employment" as Activision had apparently begun demanding a more constant development pace at the studio. "Despite assurances by Activision that West and Zampella would have complete freedom to run Infinity Ward as an independent studio, Activision had begun to intrude upon Infinity Ward's ability to create quality games. For example, Activision forced Infinity Ward's employees to continue producing the games at a breakneck pace under aggressive schedules, and West and Zampella were concerned that Activision was emphasizing quantity over quality."
  
  Regardless of the veracity of these allegations, it would certainly appear that the gloves have come all the way off. We'll have a more thorough breakdown of the entire document later today, but for now you can see it in its entirety below.
  

  Gallery: Activision/Infinity Ward lawsuit documents

  

  Activision/Infinity Ward court documents detail ex-studio heads' many, many complaints originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Impressions: Naughty Bear

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 1:30pm EST by Andrew Yoon

  What happens when you take one part Conker's Bad Fur Day, another part Happy Tree Friends and mix in a bit of Metal Gear Solid? You get Naughty Bear, A2M's upcoming game in the severely underrepresented "cute torture porn" genre. If you're like me, you've been waiting a long time for a game like this.
  
  Check out any of the game's pre-release media and it's easy to understand Naughty Bear's mission -- and exactly why he must wreak vengeance on his cuddly neighbors. It may seem overly cruel, but there's a creepy Stepford Wives-esque vibe about the entire gameworld. The rest of the bears are a bit too cute, and a bit too clean -- in a very sinister way. The true face of the town is revealed when Naughty Bear starts his quest. The town's response is no less violent than any of Naughty Bear's actions, and the residents will use pistols, shotguns and even ninjas to make sure Naughty Bear is dead.
  
  Naughty Bear has an incredibly gruesome repertoire of moves at his disposal. He can use a wire to choke another teddy bear to death, slam a bear's head into a fire or kick a bear down and shoot its head wide open with a shotgun. If it weren't for the soft side of the game's characters -- they're stuffed animals, after all -- Naughty Bear would probably outdo Rockstar's Manhunt in terms of over-the-top, gratuitous violence.
  

  Gallery: Naughty Bear

  

  Continue reading Impressions: Naughty Bear

  Impressions: Naughty Bear originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Portal 2 confirmed by Game Informer cover, due in 2010

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 1:05pm EST by Randy Nelson

  The past week's bizarre pair of updates to Portal seemed to point towards an impending announcement of a sequel, and, well, they did. Game Informer has revealed that its April 2010 cover story is none other than ... Portal 2 -- which Valve has given a release window of "this holiday season." The magazine's site teases the 12-page feature, calling the game "a full-fledged, standalone sequel" with "new gameplay mechanics, storyline, and some surprising new twists."
  
  We'd venture a guess that one of those twists has to do with wherever the portal featured in the cover art leads to -- a misty, jungle setting where some sort of seemingly derelict facility stands, overrun with vines. The flip-side of the cover is (cleverly) a view back through this portal into a familiar Aperture Science setting. Finally, the single cover line mentions "the people who are still alive," a potential hint at a reason for venturing into the new setting in the first place.
  
  The issue should be hitting subscribers' mailboxes soon. Check out the full covers after the break.
  
  Source -- Game Informer
  Source -- Valve

  Continue reading Portal 2 confirmed by Game Informer cover, due in 2010

  Portal 2 confirmed by Game Informer cover, due in 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  BioShock 2 'Sinclair Solutions Test Pack' coming March 11

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 1:00pm EST by David Hinkle

  Next Thursday, those entrenched in The Great Splicer Uprising of '59 will get a chance to beef up their arsenal in Bioshock 2's multiplayer mode with the Sinclair Solutions Test Pack on March 11. Here's what you'll get for your 400 ($5) on Xbox Live and Games For Windows - Live, and $4.99 on PSN:
  

  • Rank Increase to level 50 with Rank Rewards
  • New playable characters Louie McGraff and Oscar Calraca
  • 20 new trials (some only available after a player achieves a rank of 41 or higher)
  • A third weapon upgrade for each weapon
  • Five additional masks (some only available after a player achieves a rank of 41 or higher)

  Happy Splicer hunting! (Splunting?)

  BioShock 2 'Sinclair Solutions Test Pack' coming March 11 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Rock Band Weekly: The White Stripes

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 12:40pm EST by JC Fletcher

  It's a great time to be part of a two-piece Rock Band ... band. Next week, a three-pack of songs by The White Stripes will be released, each from a different album. In what might be the most appropriate music game DLC ever, "Fell in Love with a Girl" is totally playable in Lego Rock Band.
  
  Other tracks to be added next week include songs from The Futureheads, The James Gang, Shaimus, and, for those of you who are both Canadian and four-armed mutants, Rush drummer Neil Peart's version of the classic Hockey Night in Canada theme song.
  
  While you wait on that stuff, why not browse the new Rock Band Network selections? If you're playing on Xbox 360, that is. Everyone else: continue waiting.

  Continue reading Rock Band Weekly: The White Stripes

  Rock Band Weekly: The White Stripes originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Joe Danger stirs up trouble on PSN, doesn't rule out other platforms

  Posted: March 5th, 2010, 12:20pm EST by David Hinkle

  Click image to make a smooth landing into our gallery
  IGF-nominated indie start-up Hello Games just dished out a press release stating its upcoming title, Joe Danger, is headed to PSN. Of course, we thought it would, but it's just nice to finally have that official confirmation, you know? You really can't put a price on piece of mind. You also can't put a price on this game -- at least, for right now.
  
  Joe Danger will be available for download this spring, initially exclusive to PSN as part of Pub Fund. But, that "doesn't mean we won't ever come to any other platforms," a Hello Games spokesperson told Joystiq. The rep also added that "coming to console is really hard sometimes and until recently it looked like Joe Danger might never get a console release. Since we announced, and especially since the IGF, a whole bunch of people have helped us and Sony was definitely one of them."
  

  Gallery: Joe Danger (3.5.2010)

  

  Joe Danger stirs up trouble on PSN, doesn't rule out other platforms originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  American McGee's Little Red Riding Hood looks pretty Grimm

  Posted: March 3rd, 2010, 6:00am EST by Mike Schramm

  
  click here for full version Legendary game developer American McGee has posted concept for the Little Red Riding Hood game he's planning to pitch to publishers at GDC 2010 next week -- and wow, Little Red has never looked quite so badass. The art, put together by a few artists at the Spicy Horse Games studio, features a white-haired little girl embedding an axe (almost bigger than she is) in a demonic wolf's skull. McGee probably has a pitch of his own all set up, but we look at a pic like that and can't help but think, "My, what complicated weapon combos you must have."
  
  All the better to get published with, we suppose. We'll be at GDC en masse next week, so we'll do our best to corner Mr. McGee and see if he willing to tell us any more about this not-simply-fractured-but-actually-mauled fairytale. If this is what the little girl looks like, just wait until we see the Hunter.
  
  [via GSW]

  American McGee's Little Red Riding Hood looks pretty Grimm originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Solve a Puzzle of Flesh on Good Old Games

  Posted: March 3rd, 2010, 5:00am EST by Griffin McElroy

  If you like your adventure games to be rife with mature content, gore and unimaginably insane plot twists, you might just want to check out GOG.com's latest downloadable offering: Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh. This sequel to Roberta Williams' adventure-thriller (which is also available on GOG) will only cost you $5.99. And for just six bucks, you'll be getting a whole bunch of crazy.
  
  The game follows the exploits of pharmaceutical engineer Curtis Craig, a former psychopath who begins to suffer vivid hallucinations while seemingly being framed for murder. During these hardships, Craig also begins to explore his own sexual preferences, leading to a multitude of on-screen sadomasochistic encounters. Also, zombies.

  Solve a Puzzle of Flesh on Good Old Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Study suggets game marketers are 'missing the mark'

  Posted: March 3rd, 2010, 3:00am EST by Richard Mitchell

  A new study released by the Blitz marketing firm suggests that current video game marketing practices are coming up short*. The study focused on the factors that influence the buying decisions of "avid gamers" -- anyone who plays games for at least seven hours a week, according to Blitz. According to the study, it's these "avid gamers" that most game marketing fails to attract. That's a bad thing, as the study also notes that avid gamers actually have the most influence over purchases. In other words, gamers make purchases based on the opinions of their friends.
  
  The basic conclusions drawn by the study to boost marketing muscle: Utilize social networking and mobile marketing, show actual gameplay, make websites that are relevant to users and give incentives for registering on said websites (cheats, discounts, etc.). The study also notes that marketers should focus on "what's new" when marketing sequels.
  
  Most of the points seem in line with the kinds of things gamers have been saying for years, especially the note about actual gameplay footage; just read the comments on any CG trailer posted on Joystiq and you'll see. There are some interesting ideas in the study though, particularly using mobile phone marketing for "on-the-go" coupons. Instant discounts from the ether? Yes, please.
  
  Alas, the study offers no tips for marketing Wii titles. For now, we'll assume that most companies will stick with the usual Wii marketing strategy: Don't even bother.
  
  *Download the complete report [PDF]

  Study suggets game marketers are 'missing the mark' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Konami shoots 'Gradius Arc' into core of Japanese trademark database

  Posted: March 3rd, 2010, 1:30am EST by JC Fletcher

  [Hobby Search] Konami has filed a Japanese trademark for something called "Gradius Arc." The "Gradius" part is easy enough to parse -- Konami's long-running series of horizontal shooters, last seen in the form of WiiWare's Gradius ReBirth -- but the "Arc" leads us to one particularly fanciful hypothesis.
  
  "Arc" happens to be the frontrunner among rumored names for the PlayStation Motion Controller, having been mentioned by several developers and even trademarked by Sony. Could this be the first evidence of a motion-controlled Gradius game?
  
  However, we shouldn't jump to (horrifying) conclusions based on the presence of a common word that happens to coincide with what a controller might be called. "Arc" could just be a subtitle for a Gradius game that you play with a controller like a sensible person.

  Konami shoots 'Gradius Arc' into core of Japanese trademark database originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  CryEngine 3 visiting GDC in stereoscopic 3D

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 11:45pm EST by Ludwig Kietzmann

  Stereoscopic 3D visuals can really bring a tear to the eye, especially if your hand-eye coordination is off and you end up jabbing a plastic temple arm into a squishy place. Don't do that. Instead, CryEngine developer Crytek wants you to marvel at the latest addition to its engine, which will power upcoming urban shooter Crysis 2. This year's Game Developers Conference (running in San Francisco from March 9 to March 13) will mark the debut of stereoscopic 3D support in CryEngine 3, the company announced.
  
  According to Carl Jones, Crytek's director of global business development, the technology will enable engine licensees to create 3D content on all supported platforms. It will enhance CryEngine 3's "LiveCreate" feature, which allows a single editor to create content that's playable on all three high-end platforms: PC; PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. "There are basically no longer any limits to a designer's creativity," Jones said.
  
  We can't wait to see what kind of sci-fi cyborg shooters all the developers have in store for us at GDC. In 3D!

  CryEngine 3 visiting GDC in stereoscopic 3D originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  New Irrational Behavior episode, 'How We Got Here,' launched

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 10:38pm EST by Justin McElroy

  You too can be a game designer. You may not believe it now, but wait until you listen to the newest episode of Irrational Behavior, all about what the Irrational team did before they went on to make games like BioShock and Freedom Force. The careers range all the way from the mundane (fast food gigs and baristas aplenty) to the way-way-out there -- tent putter-upper, "Ass Guy" at OzzFest and builder of Patriot missiles, just to name a few.
  
  Side note: We would listen to a whole podcast of art director Nate Wells talking about stuff, though maybe that's just us.

  New Irrational Behavior episode, 'How We Got Here,' launched originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Metareview: Battlefield: Bad Company 2

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 9:30pm EST by Ben Gilbert

  While not quite the 94 review average that Modern Warfare 2 eventually ended up with, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is off to a generous start on Metacritic, averaging a 90 as of this writing. The developers at DICE have certainly kicked up some dust in challenging the monolithic multiplayer of MW2, but it remains to be seen what will eventually shake out online. For now, we've got the single-player reviews for you, just below:
  

  • GamePro (5/5 Stars): "Bad Company 2's unexpected emphasis on survival skills caught me completely off guard ... The radical change in pace forced me to think and react differently to the situation than I normally would, and it made for an incredible experience. Bad Company 2 definitely has the necessary chops to give the current king of, well, modern warfare, a run for its money.."
  • GameDaily (9/10): "Combat is both intense and exhilarating. Nothing beats unloading a few grenades at a house and watching the ammo tear chunks from it while dead bodies sail through the air. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is an immensely entertaining shooter that demands your attention"
  • Official Xbox Magazine UK (8.0/10): "While the likes of Call of Duty and Gears of War lead you into bottlenecks where they can dazzle you with explosions and special effects, Bad Company 2 feels more like a diluted sprawl of ideas across a large canvas. This variety ensures things stay interesting but it makes it a solid rather than spectacular effort. You'll enjoy it, but will find that you struggle to recall any standout moments once the credits finally roll."
  • Totally Video Games: (7/10): "While Battlefield 2: Modern Combat (on previous-gen machines) and the original Bad Company both featured standalone single-player campaigns, both fell well short of the kind of gameplay we've come to expect of the Master Chief or Sergeant 'Soap' MacTavish. Unfortunately, DICE still hasn't turned the corner with its single-player design in Bad Company 2."

  Gallery: Battlefield: Bad Company 2

  

  Metareview: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Activision report lists World of Warcraft as a 'risk factor'

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 9:00pm EST by Mike Schramm

  If there's anything that all the chaos between Activision and Infinity Ward in the past 24 hours has taught us, it's that no one is safe and dry under Bobby Kotick's umbrella. And while Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was one of Activision's biggest earners, that hasn't stopped the company from revamping the brand however it sees fit. So what about Activision's other big game, Blizzard's World of Warcraft? The same annual report released to the SEC yesterday that kicked off the Infinity Ward shakeup also mentions that Activision is worried about WoW becoming "obsolete," and that the regulatory issues in China could affect the entire company's bottom line.
  
  So will we hear about Mike Morhaime being frogmarched off of the Blizzard campus? Not likely -- the fears about WoW are all in a section of the report labeled "Risk Factors," in which a company must disclose anything that could possibly go wrong with its financials in the future, just in case. In there, Activision worries about everything from credit card fraud to its ESRB ratings -- WoW is mentioned a lot because it makes up most of the revenue (in fact, one of the worries is that Activision depends on WoW too much), but these are all worst case scenario guesses. The report admits that Blizzard did decrease its net revenues last year, but then credits that to no new releases in 2009 and interrupted licensing fees from China. Assuming Blizzard releases both Starcraft II and Cataclysm as planned in 2010, the odds are low that Activision will raise the axe in that direction.

  Activision report lists World of Warcraft as a 'risk factor' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Prince of Persia movie trailer full of slow-mo-enhaal

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 8:30pm EST by David Hinkle

  Make no mistake, we're interested in the upcoming Prince of Persia movie for two reasons: Jake and Gyllenhaal. Saying otherwise is just a lie -- for some reason, some of you think worshipping the Gyllemonster is a bad thing? We don't understand it, but we're not judging you, are we?
  
  Here on Joystiq, we celebrate the roguish charm of the new wielder of the Sands of Time. And we welcome you to do the same by checking out the latest trailer past the break, courtesy of IGN.

  Continue reading Prince of Persia movie trailer full of slow-mo-enhaal

  Prince of Persia movie trailer full of slow-mo-enhaal originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Stargazy Studios

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 8:00pm EST by Justin McElroy

  Being a giant, beloved video game blog has its downsides. For example, we sometimes neglect to give independent developers our coverage love (or loverage, if you will) as we get caught up in AAA, AAAA or the rare quintuple-A titles. To remedy that, we're giving indies the chance to create their own loverage and sell you, the fans, on their studios and products. This week we talk with Jeffrey Sheen of Stargazy Studios. Unlike some of our other devs, he's in the unique position of still crafting his first game, Huscarls.
  
  
  How did your company get started?
  
  I founded Stargazy Studios in September 2009 after resigning from my stable, well paid, successful (and centrally heated) office career. I've been infatuated with video games since my first rage quit out of Castle Wolfenstein on the Apple II, and have always had my eyes open for potential ways to get involved in development.

  Continue reading The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Stargazy Studios

  The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Stargazy Studios originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Ride dev Robomodo sucked into parallel dimension, increases staff

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 7:30pm EST by Justin McElroy

  Tragic news today as we report that, due to the detonation of a hydrogen bomb on a weird island in 1977, Tony Hawk Ride developer Robomodo has shifted sideways into a reality running parallel to our own. We may not have all the details, but we've got all the evidence we need here in this Gamasutra article.
  
  As you know, here in our reality, Tony Hawk Ride was a poorly-received, overpriced game and peripheral that moved only 114,000 units during its first month at retail. In this parallel world though, the studio calls the game "high-selling" and is looking to actually increase its staff by as much as 17 percent in the near future for upcoming projects "across all platforms." The developer added that, at least in its dimension, its debut game is "very compelling."
  
  You know, maybe it's not so tragic, after all. As near as we can tell, Robomodo and Ride may be better off in this other reality. Perhaps it's best if we just let them be.

  Ride dev Robomodo sucked into parallel dimension, increases staff originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Rare to build new studio in Birmingham, England

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 7:00pm EST by Richard Mitchell

  Rare announced today that it will soon open a new studio facility in the Digbeth area of Birmingham, England. To be housed in the Fazeley Studios complex, the new studio will serve as a "production, test and usability site to accommodate Rare's evolving methodology in game creation." Rare plans to use the new studio as a model for "change," as the company believes that the current practice of over-staffing studios has caused "a boom and bust cycle." The new studio marks a move to a development method more akin to film studios, and Rare expects the facility to house around 90 staff members, though the number is expected to fluctuate throughout different projects.
  
  The annoucnement notes that Digbeth's proximity to "several universities and colleges" makes the new facility "ideally placed for recruiting staff." We'd like to point out that Digbeth is also home to several pubs and bars, which should come in handy during crunch time.

  Rare to build new studio in Birmingham, England originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  New Games This Month: March 2010

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 6:32pm EST by Justin McElroy

  This is the new way things are, and you've got to adjust or die. It's March, and you're getting games like Final Fantasy XIII, God of War III and Command & Conquer 4. Truly, it's a glut of electric pleasure, but it's also a little more financial strain then you're likely used to this time of year.
  
  Will you be able to withstand the torrential downpour of pleasure? Read on and plan your strategy!
  

  Gallery: New Games This Month: March 2010

  

  New Games This Month: March 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  GameStop lists standalone Xbox 360 250GB hard drive

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 6:03pm EST by Alexander Sliwinski

  GameStop has listed a 250 GB Xbox 360 hard drive for sale, priced at $130 and scheduled to release on March 23. When reached for comment, Microsoft declined to make a statement by the time of this posting. Checking with GameStop, the retailer wouldn't confirm the product either, but did tell us that the page featuring the 250GB drive "is not an error."
  
  Microsoft had previously stated, like, only two weeks ago, that it planned to keep the larger drives tied to bundles. Xbox 360 and Xbox Live Product Manager Aaron Greenberg also told us at the time, "We're always evaluating." Clearly.
  
  [Thanks, Patrick]

  GameStop lists standalone Xbox 360 250GB hard drive originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Tecmo Bowl Throwback official, coming to XBLA & PSN

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 5:35pm EST by Ben Gilbert

  Tecmo Bowl Throwback was first revealed through a trusted Joystiq source back in January (and then subsequently popped up in an ESRB rating), so we weren't exactly thrown into a tizzy when Tecmo released the official announcement today. Throwback will be released on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network this spring. As previously understood, the game will be a remake of the SNES's Tecmo Super Bowl and will feature an option to "switch to the classic 2D style."
  
  Developed by seasoned remake studio Southend Interactive (Lode Runner, R-Type), the game's main new feature (aside from "all new 3D graphics," of course) is online play. Today's announcement additionally revealed Throwback will feature 32 teams and online leaderboards and customizable options for teams and rosters, and ... and ... whoa, whoa, it's almost like we're talking about a simulation football game here! Relax -- sorry about that. Try to cool down with the screenshots below.
  

  Gallery: Tecmo Bowl Throwback

  

  Tecmo Bowl Throwback official, coming to XBLA & PSN originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Activision: Treyarch's next Call of Duty this fall; pair of Modern Warfare 2 map packs this year

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 5:10pm EST by Richard Mitchell

  Amid the roar of Call of Duty news today, Activision has confirmed that Treyarch's next entry in the series will be released this fall. Assuming Activision adheres to its thus far rock-solid Call of Duty schedule, a November release seems likely. Whether or not the series will make the rumored move to Vietnam remains unconfirmed.
  
  In other unsurprising Call of Duty news, Activision has confirmed that the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 DLC will consist of multiplayer map packs. The map packs were more or less outed last year, thanks to some loose-lipped energy drink packaging, but Activision hasn't actually confirmed the exact nature of the DLC until now. The first two map packs -- slated to appear first on Xbox Live -- are in development at Infinity Ward. Assuming initial plans haven't been altered by the executive shuffling, the first pack is scheduled to release this spring, while the second is slated for a (presumably later) 2010 release.

  Activision: Treyarch's next Call of Duty this fall; pair of Modern Warfare 2 map packs this year originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Activision confirms Infinity Ward studio heads' departures; Publishing execs take over

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 4:55pm EST by Ben Gilbert

  According to the official statement we've all been waiting for, Activision has announced that Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella are no longer with the studio. Activision Publishing chief technology officer Steve Pearce and head of production Steve Ackrich will head up the development house on "an interim basis." Furthermore, Call of Duty-related business will now be overseen by Philip Earl (now ex-head of Activision's Asia-Pacific region).
  
  We first heard rumor of the Infinity Ward shakeup in the wee hours this morning and saw a few clues throughout the day regarding the two, now ex-Infinity Ward heads. While Activision's formal announcement is certainly confirmation of the sudden changes, it lacks any real explanation. We've put in word to both Infinity Ward and Activision to learn more about the future of the studio and what caused the apparent schism.

  Activision confirms Infinity Ward studio heads' departures; Publishing execs take over originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Sledgehammer Games working on Call of Duty game

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 4:45pm EST by JC Fletcher

  When Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey left Visceral Games to form Sledgehammer Games with Activision, you may have jokingly speculated that the Dead Space creators set to work immediately on Call of Duty. After all, it was either that or Guitar Hero.
  
  You would have been correct.
  
  Activision today revealed that Sledgehammer is working on a Call of Duty game with a targeted 2011 release date, which will "extend the franchise into the action-adventure genre." No other details were released about the game, but it sounds more like a spinoff than a sequel. Third person, perhaps?

  Sledgehammer Games working on Call of Duty game originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  EA Sports supports 'Project Ten Dollar,' out to 'digitize' Madden consumers

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 4:30pm EST by Ben Gilbert

  Watch out, Madden consumer, 'cause Peter Moore is coming -- and he's gonna digitize you. In a speech at the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference yesterday, the EA Sports prez said, "I think we need to move much quicker, in particular with Madden, through a digital world ... you're going to see more announcements there how we digitize our Madden consumer." He was likely referring to the currently "burning" business model that revolves around disc-based media, a topic Moore has remained outspoken about for some time now.
  
  In his eyes, rather than focusing on moving more units which each year's release, EA Sports should instead be looking at "How do I get an extra $4 or $5 dollars?" from the already existing 6 million person-strong install base. He insisted that, in line with the company's "Project Ten Dollar" aspirations, digital content keeps gamers from trading in their titles. "It keeps the disc in the drive longer, it stalls trading the game in, it allows me to be able to take further advantage of that consumer over a longer period of time." We'd like to remind you that Moore was speaking to a group of financial analysts, so when he talked about being able to "further take advantage" of you, he meant it in the nicest way possible. Promise.
  
  He finished up by promising that future EA Sports titles will have new business models that allow for a customer to trade in their annualized sports games while simultaneously granting EA the ability to earn money from that customer -- a "best of both worlds" take on the transition from retail to digital, if you will. We'll see what happens in the not-too-distant future, as Moore also promised "We're [EA] certainly going to do a lot of that this year."

  EA Sports supports 'Project Ten Dollar,' out to 'digitize' Madden consumers originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Metroid: Other M trailer features a Samus soliloquy

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 4:00pm EST by JC Fletcher

  While we're happy to see any new media related to Metroid: Other M, this new trailer isn't doing much to build excitement. Here's a short list of Metroid standards missing from the video:

  • Samus's suit
  • Metroids
  • Weapons

  But on the other hand, it has:

  • The catchphrase used by the annoying AI guide that nobody liked in Metroid Fusion

  At least, now we know we'll be able to skip the cutscenes between the awesome shooting sequences.
  

  Gallery: Metroid: Other M (Nintendo Media Summit 2010)

  

  Metroid: Other M trailer features a Samus soliloquy originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Analysts: No cause for concern over reported unpaid Modern Warfare 2 bonuses

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 3:30pm EST by Alexander Sliwinski

  As we continue to wait for official comment from Activision, Infinity Ward or any of the reported players affected by the alleged ousting of Infinity Ward executives, a related story has gained significant traction and deserves some attention. BingeGamer reports that Infinity Ward "has yet to be paid a single dime in royalties for Modern Warfare 2." As the developer is a wholly-owned Activision studio, we turned to some leading industry analysts to explain what appears to be a private contractual matter.
  
  EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich tells Joystiq, "I couldn't speak to what the royalty agreement between Activision and Infinity Ward is. If royalties haven't been paid out yet, I wouldn't consider that too alarming. The game has only been out for a little over 90 days. Additionally, it is common to see royalty agreements based upon factors such as hitting release date, review scores (a.k.a. 'Metacritic Clauses') or revenue milestones. I think if you just replace the word 'royalties' with 'bonus' it should make some more sense."
  
  Wedbush Morgan's Michael Pachter explains, "I don't know the nature of [Infinity Ward's] contract, but my bonus is paid after year-end (in February), and theirs is likely the same. The idea that they haven't been paid 'yet' is not all that surprising. The year just closed, and the final SEC documents were filed yesterday." He continues, "IW sold itself to Activision back in 2004, Activision owns the [Call of Duty] IP, and the guys leaving were employees under some kind of contract. Activision appears to believe that they have breached this contract, and may or may not be justified in withholding bonuses."
  
  We'll continue to follow the Activision and Infinity Ward situation and report on it as soon as official statements are made. Check out Pachter and Divnich's full analyses after the break.

  Continue reading Analysts: No cause for concern over reported unpaid Modern Warfare 2 bonuses

  Analysts: No cause for concern over reported unpaid Modern Warfare 2 bonuses originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Capcom explains $40 SSFIV price, 'cautiously optimistic' about Tatsunoko sales

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 3:00pm EST by Ben Gilbert

  Capcom's VP of strategic planning and business development, Christian Svensson, officially confirmed the retailer-listed $40 price for the upcoming car vandalism sim, Super Street Fighter IV, in a recent interview with Gamasutra. Expanding on statements made when the game was first announced, Svensson said, "Going $10 above Platinum/Greatest Hits pricing was sort of a nice compromise ... It's $40 -- we had two choices, and the economics didn't work out on one ... no matter what, we were fracturing the userbase, and we had to start from scratch."
  
  He went on to explain that the content was simply too much for a platinum version of the game, and that a new release would render cross-game play between SFIV and SSFIV impossible due to differing "title IDs." Svensson also teased that those who played SFIV on the system for which they purchase SSFIV will get access to "a nifty little special set of things that those people will have the option of enjoying that others won't."
  
  Moving on to the subject of January's launch of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, Svensson said, "We're a couple weeks in right now, and we've been doing re-orders. We're not at all dissatisfied with the sales at this point." As for long-term sales of the game, he added, "We are cautiously optimistic that it's going to have long legs ... the Versus series is well served by Tatsunoko as an outing. It really happens bring Versus back as a viable brand for Capcom." With any luck that means we'll see more ... interesting mashups from Capcom's Versus series in the coming years. Maybe Nintendo or Square? Whaddya say, folks?

  Capcom explains $40 SSFIV price, 'cautiously optimistic' about Tatsunoko sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  New 'Castlevania: Lords of Shadow' screens, artwork

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 2:40pm EST by Alexander Sliwinski

  Click to Enlargania
  This post may not offer any new Castlevania: Lords of Shadow details, but you can find new pictures and art in the gallery below. Those looking to do creature comparisons should check out the enemy renders -- the warg from Symphony of the Night has certainly grown in both size and definition.
  

  Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (3-2-2010)

  

  New 'Castlevania: Lords of Shadow' screens, artwork originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Sam & Max voted as next Telltale series for Macs

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 2:20pm EST by Ben Gilbert

  [GinnyN]
  With Guybrush Threepwood fans taken care of, Telltale's adventure game-lovin' enthusiasts have voted Sam & Max as the next title to get Mac-ified. The Telltale blog confirmed the choice yesterday, saying that the other two titles up for porting (Wallace & Gromit and Strong Bad) will be playable on OS X "within the course of this year." Alongside the announcement (which didn't include a release date), the site posted a handful of "propaganda" created by voters to sway others to their side. We've posted one of our faves above, but we suggest checking out the whole lot.

  Sam & Max voted as next Telltale series for Macs originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Meet your giant new pal: Namco Bandai announces Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 2:00pm EST by JC Fletcher

  Namco Bandai has announced that it's localizing Majin: The Fallen Realm, Game Republic's action-adventure about a boy and his giant, adorable monster pal. The game, now called Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom, is expected to release in North America on both PS3 and Xbox 360 this summer.
  
  According to the publisher's press release, Majin stars a "cunning young outsider" who explores a kingdom that was mysteriously overwhelmed by a "dark force" one hundred years prior. During his travels, he meets Majin, a super-strong monster, and the two explore the kingdom together. Gameplay-wise, the player works with the AI-controlled Majin, who acquires new abilities throughout the game, as they solve puzzles, fight enemies, and navigate ruins together. Namco Bandai calls it an "emotional journey of courage and respect."
  
  

  Gallery: Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom

  
  

  Meet your giant new pal: Namco Bandai announces Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  ApocalyPS3: 8 out of 11 PS3 'fat' SKUs affected, PS3 shared Zune chip

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 1:40pm EST by Christopher Grant

  Eurogamer's resident supernerd at Digital Foundry has weighed in on yesterday's global PS3 meltdown, cleverly dubbed ApocalyPS3. While early reports seemed to indicate PlayStation Network was at fault - "playstation network down" was a top Google search term on Sunday and Sony itself continues to pin the blame squarely on PSN - it became increasingly clear that the issue was unrelated to the console's internet connectivity and instead related to the console's internal clock. If this sounds suspiciously similar to the Z2K bug that suddenly bricked thousands (dozens?) of 30GB Zune players in 2008, it's because both the PS3 and Zune share an ARM CPU chip, says DF. This is presumably the same Freescale processor blamed for Z2K, a chip that happens to have a known problem dealing with leap years.
  
  According to "unofficial community-compiled lists" cited by Digital Foundry, eight out of the eleven "fat" PS3 SKUs were affected by the faulty chip, easily totaling millions of units. If the problem wasn't resolved quietly (perhaps too quietly, considering the dearth of updates on the company's Twitter feed) and relatively quickly by the inevitable march of time itself, Sony would have been tasked with repairing millions of affected consoles; a burden exacerbated by said console's inability to connect to the PlayStation Network.
  
  Lucky for us, and infinitely more so for Sony, at 0000 GMT yesterday, PS3s the world over suddenly figured out what day it was and everything went back to normal. All that's left to do is hope that Sony issues a patch to prevent the next apocalypse. (Isn't that the one in 2012?)

  ApocalyPS3: 8 out of 11 PS3 'fat' SKUs affected, PS3 shared Zune chip originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Forza 3 'limited edition' content for sale, some proceeds go to Haiti relief

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 1:10pm EST by David Hinkle

  If you snatched up a used copy of Turn 10 Studios' two-million selling racer, Forza 3, you now have the chance to tune up the game with some new content from Xbox Live. There are four new packs available for purchase, each previously only available through new standard and limited editions of the game. Here's a rundown of each pack's specs:

  • Sidewinder Proving Grounds Track Pack (400 / $5) -- This pack features 18 courses, including an updated version of the Sidewinder Proving Grounds from Forza Motorsport 2.
  • Benchmark High Speed Ring Track Pack (400 / $5) -- A four-mile stretch of road to test your car's mettle, the Benchmark High Speed Ring Track Pack also features a large parking lot environment for online multiplayer games of "Tag" and "Keep It Clean."
  • Motorsports Legends Car Pack (400 / $5) -- As suggested by the name, this pack features 10 of racing's most classic cars: 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA Stradale, 1964 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage, 1981 BMW Motorsport M1, 1960 Chevrolet Corvette, 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona Hemi, 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, 1980 Fiat 131 Abarth, 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400, 1971 Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R, and the 1965 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe.
  • VIP Membership Car Pack (800 / $10) -- This pack unlocks VIP status for your profile in Forza 3, giving you special recognition as a VIP on leaderboards, in multiplayer lobbies, on ForzaMotorsport.net, in the in-game storefront and places your auctions at the top of the Forza 3 auction house. It also unlocks five additional cards: 2008 Aston Martin DBS, 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, 2007 Ferrari F430 Scuderia, 2007 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, and the 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997).

  During the month of March, Turn 10 Studios will donate $10 for each download of the VIP Membership Car Pack (up to $100,000) to Save the Children. The proceeds will be donated to victims of the Haiti earthquakes.

  Forza 3 'limited edition' content for sale, some proceeds go to Haiti relief originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  'PlayStation Arc' trademarked in Japan

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 12:40pm EST by David Hinkle

  Another round of evidence suggesting that Sony will call its ball-and-stick thingamabob "PlayStation Arc": A Japanese trademark for the name has been spotted by Siliconera. The "Arc" name has seen rumored since the beginning of the year -- and has been dropped by execs like THQ boss Brian Farrell.
  
  Regardless of how you feel about the name, we think we can all agree it's a step up from the informative but decidedly boring "Sony Motion Controller." So, on to the GDC panel then?

  'PlayStation Arc' trademarked in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Media Molecule becomes a wholly-owned Sony first-party studio

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 12:10pm EST by Andrew Yoon

  A lot of developers have earned publishing deals with Sony this generation, but only a small handful have managed to deliver a real "blockbuster." (Sorry, Lair and Heavenly Sword.) Three million copies, two million levels, and one Game of the Year edition later, Sony Computer Entertainment has decided to purchase LittleBigPlanet developer Media Molecule. The Guildford-based studio will join the ranks of other SCEE teams, such as London Studio, Guerrilla Games and Evolution Studios.
  
  While Media Molecule is no longer an independent studio, Michael Denny, Senior VP of Sony Worldwide Studios promised to continue supporting the team: "Media Molecule will simply continue to make great games. Welcoming Media Molecule into the PlayStation family will allow us to better support their future titles and ambitions."
  
  The acquisition likely guarantees that Media Molecule will continue to work on the LittleBigPlanet "platform" for years to come -- although we hope SCEE allows the team to explore creating new franchises as well. Of course, considering the ambitious plans the team has for LBP, it seems Media Molecule will have their hands full for quite a long time.

  Media Molecule becomes a wholly-owned Sony first-party studio originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Crystal Dynamics staffed for two projects, talks life post-Square Enix

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 11:45am EST by JC Fletcher

  "Essentially it's a partnership," Crystal Dynamics studio head Darrell Gallagher says about working with new owner Square Enix. "We're working really together with our parent company to make sure we're achieving our collective goals." Gallagher told Gamasutra that the new ownership leads to opportunities for sharing of history and technology.
  
  What is the new Square Enix-helmed Crystal doing now? It has the staff for two projects, including an in-house brand manager and public relations staff. Neither of those two potential projects are named, though Tomb Raider -- the franchise that the developer specifically focused its studio structure on last year -- did come up in the discussion. "What I can say is Tomb Raider, as a franchise, is absolutely part of the Crystal fabric," Gallagher said. "It's a key franchise and awesome to be part of... we're excited about what we've been exploring, and we're excited to share it with the fans at some point."

  Crystal Dynamics staffed for two projects, talks life post-Square Enix originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Cedar Fair teams with MTV for Rock Band Live

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 11:15am EST by Justin McElroy

  You know those mini-stage shows at amusement parks that are chock-full of budding young actors and actresses just biding their time until their big break except oh wait they're in Ohio? This summer, if you're at any Cedar Fair park, you'll have to work extra hard to avoid a similar sort of "attraction": Rock Band Live.
  
  We're going to read the description to you, but you have to promise to call your insurance agent and make sure your douche-chill coverage is up to date. Ready? The "high-energy, concert-like stage show features talented singers from across North America. But the cast will be missing one key piece of the show - YOU!" ... No, it really says "concert-like." We didn't add that.
  
  Because we care, we'll preserve you from the next bit of the release with a summary. Basically, you take time -- that you could be using to ride the Magnum XL-200 or eat a cinnamon roll as big as your head -- to play Rock Band for some bored carny. And your reward for a solid performance is getting to share the stage with the Rock Band Live crew (featuring no fewer than three future contestants in Flavor of Love 7: Mummy Flav.)
  
  The show will be at Cedar Point and Canada's Wonderland all summer, though the other Cedar Fair parks will be randomly subjected to a touring company at intervals throughout the season. Think of it: A whole troupe of people who couldn't nail down a spot in the permanent Rock Band Live. To them, Rock Band Live at Canada's Wonderland is "the big show." We'll leave you in peace to swallow a razor blade or something while you mull that little gem over.

  Cedar Fair teams with MTV for Rock Band Live originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Stadium Events auction hits an unbelievable $800K

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 10:45am EST by JC Fletcher

  
  [VGMuseum] First, a mom hit the jackpot when one of the random games she was selling with an old NES turned out to be Bandai's super-rare Stadium Events, which went on eBay for $13.105. Following the excitement about that auction, someone else sold their sealed copy of the NES exercise game (which you've most likely played under its other name, World Class Track Meet) for a staggering $41,300. And then it got ridiculous.
  
  Seller acuraboi12's sealed Stadium Events reached a high bid of $800,200. Unfortunately for acuraboi12, we doubt that's anything but a joke bid. We may be in the midst of an odd Stadium Events gold rush, but that is beyond excessive, considering that the previous $41,300 was the highest known price commanded by an NES game to date. Not even Bubble Bath Babes could command $800k, and it's got nudity.
  
  [Thanks, NiteOwl]

  Stadium Events auction hits an unbelievable $800K originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Splinter Cell: Conviction Xbox 360 bundle coming this April

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 10:15am EST by Richard Mitchell

  
  click for more top-secret images As was foretold, Microsoft has announced a special Splinter Cell: Conviction Xbox 360 bundle set to arrive this April in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The bundle will retail for $399 and will include two controllers, a standard edition copy of Splinter Cell: Conviction and a 250GB hard drive. We should remind readers that, unlike the one offered in the Final Fantasy XIII bundle, the second controller will actually be useful in Splinter Cell: Conviction, thanks to its split-screen co-op modes.
  
  Check out hi-res images of the bundle in the gallery below.
  

  Gallery: Splinter Cell: Conviction Xbox 360 bundle

  

  Splinter Cell: Conviction Xbox 360 bundle coming this April originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Hideo Kojima's Twitter feed goes bilingual, now in English

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 9:45am EST by Griffin McElroy

  Given our limited comprehension of the Japanese language, we were free to imagine Hideo Kojima's Twitter feed to be an outlet for the idiosyncratic developer's most outlandish, puzzling statements. However, an English-language version of his Twitter page is now up and running, revealing that Kojima is just an ordinary dude. Whod've thunk it?
  
  Take, for example, this recent Tweet: "My stomach hurts, nose's running, and my hair is getting long." And then, following that, a picture of his hair. See? He's just like you or us, only when he's done posting self-shot pictures of himself on the internet, he gets back to making Metal Gear Solid games.

  Hideo Kojima's Twitter feed goes bilingual, now in English originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Blacklight: Tango Down coming to PSN, XBLA and PC this summer

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 9:15am EST by Justin McElroy

  Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network haven't traditionally been the most familiar territories for new first-person shooters, but titles like Serious Sam HD and Battlefield 1943 have started carving out a respectable niche. Ignition has decided to join the fray, announcing that Blacklight: Tango Down is set to arrive on XBLA, PSN and PC this summer.
  
  Details are hard to come by on the Zombie Studios title (first revealed nearly a year ago), but we know it's a "military action" franchise that prides itself on its weapon and character customization. Zombie describes the near-future world of Blacklight as "disturbingly detailed," with "old-world architecture dripping with modern sci-fi lighting and brightly lit advertisements." And just a crazy number of Grateful Dead posters.
  

  Gallery: Blacklight: Tango Down

  

  Blacklight: Tango Down coming to PSN, XBLA and PC this summer originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Welcome Wii-centric studio Judobaby to the world

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 8:35am EST by Justin McElroy

  Several old hands from Sony, Crystal Dynamics, Sega, and Capcom have unveiled their newest project, Wii-focused developer Judobaby, to the world. Just like a real baby, it's been in "stealth development" for around a year*, crafting its family-friendly first release as part of what the company says will be "a line of fun, humorous, 'pick-up & play' products." At the helm of the Redwood City, California firm is Dan Mueller, who last founded the now-dead BottleRocket.
  
  Its secret project is set to launch this year, and Gamasutra reports there's already talk of "a live-action motion picture tie-in." Subsequently, we hope that you will join with us and sign this petition, protesting the rumored film version of this game that we will some day care about a great deal, maybe. The time for action is later! (But we're getting a head start.)
  
  *Yes, we understand the gestation time for a typical human is nine months. Please stop messing up our joke.
  

  Welcome Wii-centric studio Judobaby to the world originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Rumor: Japanese game programmers report low salaries

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 4:30am EST by JC Fletcher

  [Chris Gladis] It would be, like, totally glamorous and exciting to be a programmer for a game company in Japan, right? Maybe not so much. According to anonymous responders on Japanese super-forum 2ch (as translated by CNNGo), salaries for game programmers are far below what you'd expect for a tech job in one of the most expensive countries in the world to live in.
  
  "¥130,000 [$1,457] for 256 hours of work a month," one poster reports. "¥160,000 [$1,793] and I am ready to die," another laments. "I can't even afford the 'recruit suit' I'll need for interviewing for another job." How do you live in Tokyo on that kind of scratch? "¥180,000 [$2,017] a month, no bonus, and only thanks to the company dorm can I afford to live in Tokyo," one responder explains.
  
  It seems that game development is considerably less prestigious than other fields. "I'm 27, live in Tokyo, working for a major company, and make ¥680,000 [$7,622] a month, with a separate yearly bonus," one anonymous poster boasts. "But it isn't in the game industry. Ha!" The moral of this story is this: Don't work for a game company in Japan.
  [Via Kotaku]

  Rumor: Japanese game programmers report low salaries originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Rumor: Activision ousts Infinity Ward studio heads

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 3:35am EST by Kevin Kelly

  G4's The Feed, which has been in communication with a source at Infinity Ward, reports that organizational changes may be in effect at the FPS developer's offices. The source claims that a "bunch of 'bouncer-types' just showed up outside of the Infinity Ward offices unannounced. When approached by employees, the non-uniformed 'bouncers' were unwilling to disclose why they were there." In addition, The Feed notes that Infinity Ward's studio heads, Vince Zampella and Jason West, were not seen by fellow staff members after a meeting with Activision on Monday morning. A desk guard at Infinity Ward's offices was unable to confirm any of the events to Joystiq, and calls to community manager Robert Bowling went unanswered at the time of writing.
  
  Apparently, on Monday Activision filed a Form 10-K with the SEC, which is basically an overview of the company's financial condition, and includes any information that could possibly affect that condition. This filing states, "In November 2009, the Company released Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, a game developed by one of the Company's wholly-owned studios, Infinity Ward. As noted above, Modern Warfare 2 was the best selling console title in the U.S. and Europe in 2009. Consistent with past practice, the Company intends to release a Call of Duty game in 2010 developed by another wholly-owned studio. The Company is concluding an internal human resources inquiry into breaches of contract and insubordination by two senior employees at Infinity Ward. This matter is expected to involve the departure of key personnel and litigation. At present, the Company does not expect this matter to have a material impact on the Company."
  
  Co-studio head Jason West has reportedly changed both his Facebook status and LinkedIn page to indicate that he is no longer employed. As soon as we get more news, we'll pass it along.
  
  Update: G4 reports Bobby Kotick is meeting with Infinity Ward now. We'll be sure to update you with anything else that comes down the pipe.
  
  [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

  Rumor: Activision ousts Infinity Ward studio heads originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Turbine makes more money by giving its MMO away for free

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 2:00am EST by Mike Schramm

  Here's a story that you're probably going to see a lot over the next few years: A company started giving away its game for free, and now reports that it's making more money than before. That's what happened to Turbine, maker of the Dungeons and Dragons Online MMO. Last year, it decided to move from a subscription model to free-to-play, instead earning its revenue off of in-game transactions, and now it's announced that income has increased by 500% and the game is making more money than ever.
  
  DDO is sort of a special case here -- the game was already developed for a subscription model, so the content might be a little more in-depth (not to mention officially licensed) than you'd find on most free-to-play properties. And since the game still does offer subscription plans, the number of subscribers has actually doubled since the changeover (there's no information about whether more money is being made from selling in-game items or from new players who have decided to subscribe). But you can be sure other game developers are closely watching this model, and it's not a stretch to think that, in the next few years, we'll see many more publishers -- of MMOs and otherwise -- try to pull off the paradox of making more money by giving their games away for free.

  Turbine makes more money by giving its MMO away for free originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Bookie suspects Uncharted 2 has highest odds of success at BAFTAs

  Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 12:30am EST by Griffin McElroy

  British bookmaker Victor Chandler has a strange sense of what things people should be betting on. For instance, we never would have thought that high-stakes wagering would ever find its way into the British Academy of Film and Television Awards. Yet somehow, gambling on the BAFTAs has becoming a thing, leading Chandler to tally up the odds for each of the awards show's categories.
  
  Perhaps a bit unsurprisingly, Chandler's calculations place Uncharted 2: Among Thieves in front of the video game category -- the only award chosen by a public poll -- with odds of 6/4. Modern Warfare 2 falls slightly behind that with 9/4 odds. Check out the full breakdown of nominee's odds to take home the prize after the jump. We went ahead and split our life savings evenly among the ten contenders, guaranteeing us a victory when the BAFTAs are distributed March 19. Man, we're so good at gambling.

  Continue reading Bookie suspects Uncharted 2 has highest odds of success at BAFTAs

  Bookie suspects Uncharted 2 has highest odds of success at BAFTAs originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  WarioWare DIY was in planning since the DS was called 'Iris'

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 11:15pm EST by JC Fletcher

  In an Iwata Asks interview about the upcoming WarioWare DIY, Nintendo president and expert interviewer Satoru Iwata revealed a previously unknown codename for the system that would become the Nintendo DS: Iris. "Iris was the codename of a next-generation device we were exploring to succeed the Game Boy Advance-in other words, before development of the Nintendo DS," Iwata explained. "Eventually, it became a two-screen device with the codename Nitro, which went out into the world as the Nintendo DS. So, broadly speaking, Iris was the foundation for the Nintendo DS."
  
  And surprisingly, Software Planning Development's Gorou Abe had been thinking about a WarioWare microgame creator since the DS was called Iris. WarioWare DIY has been a long time coming. Elsewhere in the (fascinating) interview, it's revealed that some of the included microgames were made by debuggers during the QA process, who made microgames as part of testing.
  
  [Via Siliconera]

  WarioWare DIY was in planning since the DS was called 'Iris' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Telltale aiming for new franchises, 'more topical' content

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 10:15pm EST by Richard Mitchell

  Speaking to Develop, Telltale CEO Dan Connors had some good news for episodic adventure fans. After noting that Telltale has grown significantly over the last few years, Connors stated that the company is currently "looking to engage more franchises, including those that are more topical and relevant in the current entertainment world." He added that Telltale wants to "work with great characters to tell great stories," and believes that it can target new audiences by "creating interactive versions of the worlds, characters and stories that they love." As an example, he asks what a Sopranos game would look like, saying, "How can you pull those fans into the interactive world?"
  
  Connors made similar statements last year, and it certainly seems that Telltale is looking to expand further into creating games based on popular programming, akin to its CSI: Deadly Intent. It actually sounds like a pretty good idea, especially given the preponderance of mystery-oriented shows out there these days. But just imagine all the completely inappropriate shows that could get the Telltale treatment. Two and a Half Men, The Tyra Show, Perfect Strangers.
  
  Wait, that last one is actually perfect. Someone make that game right now.

  Telltale aiming for new franchises, 'more topical' content originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Portal releases radio patch, tunes in hints of a sequel

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 9:15pm EST by Mike Schramm

  Valve has released a new patch for Portal on Steam, and the patch notes say only that it has "changed radio transmission frequency to comply with federal and state spectrum management regulations." A curious note, especially since Portal, as a computer game, doesn't actually transmit anything over the radio. That got the forum train a'moving on the Steam boards, and they eventually discovered that radios have been added to each level of the game which, when carried to the correct spots in each level, will tune in a series of coded messages. Connecting to all (or any, according to some reports) of the 26 messages in the game will supposedly unlock a new hidden achievement called "Transmission Received." At least, we think so -- as of this writing, no one seems to have unlocked it yet.
  
  Some of the messages are morse codes that range from the technical ("External data line active") to the silly ("Beep beep beep beep"), and some are encoded images of numbers and equations ("B.dA=3"), but the whole thing appears to be hinting that AI antagonist GLaDOS may have transmitted information or part of herself out of the Aperture Science facility before the first game ended. Which would probably mean that a sequel reveal is imminent. We'll stay tuned for more information -- we didn't really expect to hear from Valve at GDC next week, but a Portal 2 reveal would make our San Francisco visit that much nicer.
  
  [Thanks, Rob!]
  

  Portal receives radio patch, tunes in hints of a sequel originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Epic president hints at new game announcement at E3

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 8:15pm EST by JC Fletcher

  Epic Games president Mike Capps is already teasing some kind of new announcement at E3. Speaking to VentureBeat at the Interactive Achievement Awards, Capps responded to a question about possible new games by saying that "We might have a new one coming. I think E3 is going to be really exciting for fans of Epic." You can see him make this statement on video after the break.
  
  It might have a new one coming? Shouldn't he know? What kind of company doesn't keep its own president in the loop? Oh, we get it. He's being coy. So what's this new game? It could be the "Shooter from Epic TBA" listed in EA's schedule for early 2011. Which could be People Can Fly's "Bulletstorm." We suppose "fans of Epic" would be happiest with a sequel to one of the company's franchises, so a new Unreal, Gears of War or even Shadow Complex is always a possibility. It's probably not a new Jill of the Jungle. Which is too bad.
  
  [Thanks, Fintan!]

  Continue reading Epic president hints at new game announcement at E3

  Epic president hints at new game announcement at E3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Random House publishing 'Elemental: Destiny's Embers,' assisting game publishers with IP dev

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 7:15pm EST by Alexander Sliwinski

  Software publisher Stardock and book publisher Random House announced today that Elemental: War of Magic will have a companion novel. Elemental: Destiny's Embers is expected to release in August 2010 and is written by Stardock CEO Brad Wardell, who is also the game's creator and executive producer -- he's also apparently not using a ghost writer. Elemental, the game, currently has a Q3 release.
  
  The book publishing deal is apparently part of Random House's new division to establish transmedia intellectual property. The group will handle collaboration and development across several mediums, offering "editorial services to media companies that will enhance the world-building and storylines of their already existing IP." So, it seems that Random House is offering to assist publishers in building words. "We create worlds." That's a good tagline -- wait, that may have been used.

  Random House publishing 'Elemental: Destiny's Embers,' assisting game publishers with IP dev originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  PS3 clock bug squashed; games are playable [update]

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 6:45pm EST by Griffin McElroy

  digg_url = 'http://digg.com/playstation/PS3_leap_year_bug_is_gone_games_are_playable_now'; We've apparently made it through the worst of the storm, friends. We've received a number of tips informing us that the internal clock bug that was affecting non-Slim PS3s for the past 24 hours has been fixed, rendering all games playable once more. We tempted fate shortly after receiving these reports by testing out a few of our PS3 Phat units and can confirm that they're running games just fine. Additionally, our "lost" Trophies appear to be properly re-synced to our PSN accounts.
  
  The extent of the damage incurred during the bug-out is unknown, but will likely surface in the next few hours. No Joystiq staffers lost any of their hard-earned Trophy data, but we're an awfully small sample group for a problem that affected every living being on Earth.
  
  Update: PlayStation Blog confirms that PSN service has been restored and all PS3 systems should be operating normally.
  
  Click past the jump for additional information.

  Continue reading PS3 clock bug squashed; games are playable [update]

  PS3 clock bug squashed; games are playable [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  BioShock 2 special edition posters have hidden messages

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 6:30pm EST by David Hinkle

  [BioshockFan52] Those of us who have played BioShock 2 likely don't see anything out of the ordinary in the above image. Almost all of Rapture's propoganda has been smeared by Sophia Lamb and her followers in-game, so it only makes sense that 2K would do as much with the game's real world promotional items. And according to this thread on the 2K Games site, a black light is all you need to unlock this "hidden" feature in those neat posters you got with your Special Edition.
  
  The forums users in the thread aren't yanking The Great Chain here, folks. Our sister site Big Download confirms the Easter egg in its Special Edition poster, as well -- there's even a gallery showing off all of the hidden messages to be found. Remember: a man chooses to display his BioShock 2 posters under a black light, a parasite complains about the increased electric bill.
  
  [Thanks, Alex]

  BioShock 2 special edition posters have hidden messages originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Mega64 explains the appeal and letdown of Sonic ... the restaurant

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 6:00pm EST by David Hinkle

  If you were to ask us what to expect from most fast food joints, we'd probably tell you to look inside your garbage can and basically expect that -- but, y'know, inside of your stomach. We don't know; it's all the same pre-processed, assembly line garbage to us and we manage to successfully avoid it for the most part. But the Mega64 dudes instead find themselves in an almost perpetual, Groundhog Day-like loop when it comes to one particular establishment: Sonic.
  
  Even though each trip usually makes the guys wish they never went in the first place, the thought of returning oddly enough fills them with hope that things will be different each and every time, only to suffer the grim realization again. It's such a departure for Mega64, but we can't help but feel like there's some kind of correlation to a current gaming news item in here -- so we thought we'd post this to see what you all think they're talking about. While we think on it, head past the break and check out the video.

  Continue reading Mega64 explains the appeal and letdown of Sonic ... the restaurant

  Mega64 explains the appeal and letdown of Sonic ... the restaurant originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  LittleBigPlanet reaches two million user created levels

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 5:30pm EST by Justin McElroy

  digg_url = 'http://digg.com/playstation/LittleBigPlanet_Reaches_2_Million_User_Created_Levels'; You may not be checking LittleBigPlanet for new levels as obsessively as you once were, but that doesn't mean that junior designers aren't still out there trying to perfect Super Mario Bros. 1-1 or trying to recreate the myth of Sisyphus. The game's community has just reached another big milestone: Two million available levels. It took them nine months to get the first million in late July of 2009, meaning that development isn't slowing down. In fact, it would appear to be speeding up.
  
  It's inspired us to dust off our LittleBigPlanet disc and ... oh, wait.

  LittleBigPlanet reaches two million user created levels originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Tropico 3 gains 'Absolute Power' expansion this summer

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 5:00pm EST by Alexander Sliwinski

  Tropico 3 will have the Absolute Power expansion available this summer for PC, bringing some valuable tweaks for El Presidente to implement in the banana republic. The $20 expansion contains 10 new missions, several new buildings, "megalomania edicts," six new landmarks and the "Loyalist Faction," who will always stand by El Presidente no matter what silly decisions he makes.
  
  The expansion's updates aren't just cosmetic, as there will apparently be new radio announcements hinting at daily life and "more icons displaying the status of buildings and displaying input/output storage numbers." Tropico 3 launched late last year as a fairly solid sim title with some niggling issues. Hopefully, the expansion will fix the minor points and Absolute Power won't corrupt the game absolutely.
  

  Gallery: Tropico 3

  

  Tropico 3 gains 'Absolute Power' expansion this summer originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  MGS: Peace Walker Japanese pre-order items are the best

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 4:30pm EST by David Hinkle

  [Famitsu]
  Here's your daily dose of Japan envy, as Famitsu reveals a set of pretty sweet pre-order bonuses for Kojima's upcoming PSP game, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. The first item is a jigsaw puzzle appropriately called "Love & Piece," while the other pun-tastic item is the plastic "Peace Water" bottle -- an aluminum water bottle/comically large key chain that kinda looks like a grenade. Some days you go through the rain and some days you want to drink from an appropriately-themed liquid transportation device, right?
  
  Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is set to debut in Japan on April 29, while US gamers will be forced to wait until May 25.
  
  [Thanks, Fintan]

  MGS: Peace Walker Japanese pre-order items are the best originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Splinter Cell: Conviction, future Ubisoft PC games to use internet-based DRM

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 4:00pm EST by Ben Gilbert

  
  Assassin's Creed 2 has yet to even arrive on PC, but ever since PC Gamer got an early hands-on with the final retail version, Ubisoft's ... somewhat cumbersome (to be very polite) internet-based DRM has caused a bit of a worry for some gamers. As it would seem, regardless of consumer complaint, the publisher is allegedly moving ahead with plans to implement the anti-piracy software in many of its upcoming titles.
  
  Softpedia reports that an Ubi rep (speaking with PC Gamer) has confirmed Splinter Cell: Conviction, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, Silent Hunter 5: Battle of the Atlantic, and the recently announced Ghost Recon: Future Soldier to employ the DRM tools. The publisher also specifically pointed out that different titles handle the loss of data differently -- for instance, AC2 depends on checkpoints and The Settlers 7 saves wherever you last were -- though PC Gamer supposedly pressed for an answer to the question on all our minds: Will every PC game from Ubisoft in the future have this DRM?
  
  Cryptically, the publisher replied, "It's hard for us to say, yes, from now until the day that we all die all of our games are going to include this but most will." While we can appreciate the efforts of publishers to diminish piracy of their games, we can't help but wonder what the logic is in seemingly frustrating your already dwindling legitimate consumer base with measures targeting the folks who probably wouldn't purchase games anyway.
  
  [Via Shacknews]

  Splinter Cell: Conviction, future Ubisoft PC games to use internet-based DRM originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  WiiWare Mega Man 10 gets DLC Bass character on April 5; additional DLC detailed

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 3:30pm EST by JC Fletcher

  Even though Mega Man 10 includes a playable version of Mega Man 9's Proto Man at no additional cost, Capcom will still offer at least one additional character as premium DLC. Bass, a sort of evil Mega Man character introduced in Mega Man 7 and playable in Mega Man & Bass, will be released as a DLC character for the Wii version of Mega Man 10 on April 5 for 200 Wii Points ($2), according to Nintendo's Mega Man 10 page. A special stage will be available the same day for 300 Points.
  
  An "Endless Attack Mode" will follow for 300 points on April 26, along with two more special stages for 100 Points each. These DLC dates are likely to be different for the other versions of Mega Man 10, if the add-on content is planned for all releases, since the release dates for the actual game are different on other platforms. We're contacted Capcom to verify.
  
  [Via Protodude's Rockman Corner]

  WiiWare Mega Man 10 gets DLC Bass character on April 5; additional DLC detailed originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Now Playing: March 1-7, 2010

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 3:00pm EST by James Ransom-Wiley

  
  Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-baaaad.
  
  Choose your platform to jump to a specific release list:
  
  Last updated: Monday, 3:00 PM
  

  Continue reading Now Playing: March 1-7, 2010

  Now Playing: March 1-7, 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  'Assassin's Creed 2 Multiplayer' iPhone game free until Wednesday

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 2:40pm EST by JC Fletcher

  It's been almost a month since a new Assassin's Creed game was released on iPhone. For those of you suffering from withdrawal, Ubisoft today launched Assassin's Creed II: Multiplayer on the App Store, and we recommend that you get it -- soon. Even if you aren't sure about the game, or don't even like Assassin's Creed, or are borrowing an iPod Touch from someone, you should get it. Because, for the next two days, ACII: Multiplayer is free (regular price is $2.99). The App Store listing confirms this promotion, so the release definitely isn't a mistake this time.
  
  As for the game itself, ACII: Multiplayer features a top-down perspective from which players attempt to find and kill each other, while blending into crowds in such a way as to avoid being spotted first.
  
  Assassin's Creed II: Multiplayer (Free):

  'Assassin's Creed 2 Multiplayer' iPhone game free until Wednesday originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  This Wednesday: Toy Soldiers storms XBLA

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 2:19pm EST by Richard Mitchell

  This week Toy Soldiers kicks off Microsoft's month-long XBLA Block Party. While a tower defense game at its core, the game adds a small twist to the genre, allowing players to take control over individual towers and units. In other words, if you think your sniper tower is focusing on the wrong units, you can snap into first-person control and do something about it.
  
  Toy Soldiers lands this Wednesday on XBLA for 1200 ($15). In the meantime, be sure to check out our impressions of the title back from TGS.

  This Wednesday: Toy Soldiers storms XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Interview: John Hight, God of War III director of product development

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 1:55pm EST by Kevin Kelly

  John Hight runs Sony's Santa Monica studio and oversees the entire God of War 3 team. He makes sure that everyone is happy, that the game is going to ship on time, and that it's going to be something you'll want to play. Read on to learn more from him about the the future of the franchise, the possibility of multiplayer, the God of War movie and why he hasn't played Dante's Inferno (yet).

  Continue reading Interview: John Hight, God of War III director of product development

  Interview: John Hight, God of War III director of product development originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Study links violent games to violent thoughts and behavior

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 1:29pm EST by Justin McElroy

  If you're a subscriber to the APA's Psychological Bulletin (and why wouldn't you be?), you'll find something especially relevant to your interests in the March issue. Psychologist Craig Anderson analyzed existing studies of 130,000 people from the U.S., Europe and Japan, and found that exposure to violent video games was associated with aggressive behavior and thought, along with typical accusations of an inability to foster positive social behavior. A rebuttal to the study from another psychologist and ESA chief Michael Gallagher is featured in The Washington Post article on the subject.
  
  We're not doctors nor scientists ourselves, so we're not going to try to pick apart Anderson's findings. We, like Gallagher, are just going to point towards the research of two people who don't have such a huge axe to grind (as Anderson so clearly does). As Dr. Cheryl K. Olson and Dr. Lawrence Kutner wrote in their Grand Theft Childhood, "the strong link between video game violence and real world violence, and the conclusion that video games lead to social isolation and poor interpersonal skills, are drawn from bad or irrelevant research, muddleheaded thinking and unfounded, simplistic news reports."
  
  Also, we'd ask that Anderson clarify if the tendency toward violent impulses was specifically sparked by playing Modern Warfare 2 online with a bunch of 12-year-old racist homophobes. Because, then dude, yes.

  Study links violent games to violent thoughts and behavior originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Interview: Adam Puhl, God of War III's combat designer

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 12:57pm EST by Kevin Kelly

  As lead combat designer of God of War III, Adam Puhl has the enviable position of creating an arsenal of weapons and abilities fit to take down the gods. I recently spoke with Adam about the design process for such a titanic task and the pressures of surpassing the first two God of War games. Additionally, Adam offered his gameplay reactions to Dante's Inferno and Darksiders, two recent action-adventures that owe a lot to the God of War series.
  
  Read on after the break for the full interview.
  

  Gallery: God of War III

  

  Continue reading Interview: Adam Puhl, God of War III's combat designer

  Interview: Adam Puhl, God of War III's combat designer originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Permalink | Email this | Comments
• 

  Sony: 'Don't use your PS3' until internal clock bug is fixed

  Posted: March 1st, 2010, 12:30pm EST by Griffin McElroy

  
  digg_url = 'http://digg.com/playstation/Sony_Don_t_use_your_PS3_until_internal_clock_bug_is_fixed'; After a night of radio silence, Sony has finally spoken up about the game-crashing issues currently plaguing non-Slim PS3 models. A post on PlayStation Blog has confirmed that the problems are "being caused by a bug in the clock functionality incorporated in the system." The statement puts a loose timeframe on a fix for the issues, saying, "we hope to resolve this problem within the next 24 hours."
  
  Additionally, the PlayStation Blog post includes a word of warning to PS3 Phat owners: "if you have a model other than the new slim PS3, we advise that you do not use your PS3 system, as doing so may result in errors in some functionality, such as recording obtained Trophies, and not being able to restore certain data." (Read Sony's full statement after the break.)
  
  We know you're curious to see what the console apocalypse looks like, but trust us -- it's just not worth it. We'll let you know when it's safe to turn your system back on.
  
  Update: The issue has been resolved.

  Continue reading Sony: 'Don't use your PS3' until internal clock bug is fixed

  Sony: 'Don't use your PS3' until internal clock bug is fixed originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
  

  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments