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Force Unleashed creators form Fearless Studios

2010-10-31T11:33:00.001-07:00

10/14/2010 Force Unleashed creators form Fearless Studios

Haden Blackman joins fellow LucasArts vet Cedrick Collomb to form new game development house; projects TBA.

Haden Blackman recently wrapped his 12-year career at LucasArts, having led development on a range of titles at the Star Wars house, including creating and serving as senior executive producer on The Force Unleashed and its impending sequel. Today, Blackman's next venture came into focus, as he and fellow LucasArts veteran Cedrick Collomb announced the formation of a new development house, Marin, California-based Fearless Games.

Haden Blackman and Cedrick Collomb

Today's announcement offered little indication on the direction of Fearless Games. In a statement, Blackman said, "By taking bold creative risks and tackling new challenges, Fearless Studios will fuse the best of story and gameplay to immerse, engage, and affect players just as deeply as our favorite films and novels." Platforms or future development projects were not revealed.

As for its management structure, Blackman will serve as co-president and chief creative officer. Collomb will share Blackman's president title, as well as pick up the title of chief technical officer. In addition to serving as director of technology at LucasArts and LucasFilms, Collomb has been credited on such titles as EA's Black. Seahorn Capital Group founder Marc Jackson will serve as Fearless Games' acting CFO.

Intrepid Studios is currently accepting resumes via their web site .

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\\ "Force Unleashed creators form Fearless Studios " was posted by Tom Magrino on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 12:19:15 -0700

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Ghost Trick spooking DS Jan. 11

2010-10-31T10:12:00.001-07:00

10/28/2010 Ghost Trick spooking DS Jan. 11

Capcom bringing Ace Attorney creator's latest detective-style handheld effort to North America early next year.

It has been more than a year since Ace Attorney creator Shu Takumi first began talking about his latest zetetic handheld effort, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. And while the game didn't exactly light up the Japanese sales charts upon its release for the DS in June, North American audiences can soon begin peeling back the game's mysteries, as Capcom today announced a January 11, 2011, release for the title.

Ghost Trick's box art in its corporeal form.

A blend of the adventure and puzzle genres, Ghost Trick tells the story of an amnesiac ghost who attempts to solve the mystery behind his own death while saving the lives of others. As the deceased Sissel, players can take control of objects in the world to accomplish various challenges, with puzzle examples including making a bike float through the air to scare the living or possessing a light switch to zap an assassin.

Takumi fans have more than just Ghost Trick to look forward to in the near future. Earlier this month, Capcom and Level-5 announced it would be creating a crossover for its Ace Attorney and Professor Layton franchises. Tentatively titled Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright, the game will be written by Takumi and released on 3DS, although the date has not yet been announced.

For more on Ghost Trick, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

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\\ "Ghost Trick spooking DS Jan. 11 " was posted by Tom Magrino on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:29:58 -0700

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Game Lawyer Predicts Bleak Future if SCOTUS Case Fails

2010-10-31T02:08:00.001-07:00

10/29/2010 Games Lawyer predicts bleak future if Scott really did not

I'm not a fan of headlines with question marks at the end, but the story IndustryGamer, "Can California's game law lead to the exodus from the industry? ," poses an interesting question. What are the repercussions of an entire industry under the thumb of a state government, and if the California law succeeds, what states will line up to pass their own laws? Will there be job losses and less mature-rated titles on the market?

Patrick Sweeney, a lawyer Reed Smith LLP and represents video gaming publishers (EA, THQ, Sony Online Entertainment, and Nintendo), makes a prediction: More

Next Gen Game

THQ pencils in uDraw release date: November 14

2010-10-30T13:15:00.001-07:00

10/15/2010 THQ pencils in uDraw Release Date: November 14 THQ's uDraw device, a drawing tablet for Wii, will launch in North America on November 14. The $69.99 package will include the tablet and uDraw Studio, a drawing and coloring game. In addition, the other two known uDraw-compatible games, Pictionary and Dood's Big Adventure, will also be released on November 14, for $30 each.

Along with these three release dates (or is it one of the release date three things), THQ said that "The future wave of video games scheduled during calendar 2011 and beyond." It 'S nice to have some measure of confidence that the peripheral will be maintained, at least.

Gallery: uDraw Studio (Wii)

Continue reading THQ pencils in uDraw release date: November 14

THQ pencils in uDraw release date: November 14 originally appeared on JoystiqFri, Oct. 15, 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

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Why we love Minecraft

2010-10-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

10/15/2010 Why we love Minecraft

It's become an Internet sensation, an instant classic, and one of the best-selling independent games in recent memory. And best of all, Minecraft still in alpha - Theres a lot more in this way.

There seems to be a considerable amount of confusion, though. What IS Minecraft, and what do you do in it, exactly? Those answers are readily available online, if you're willing to look. But when it comes to the web, many people aren't.

We hope that through this article, we can get you interested. You really are missing out on something magical.

LEGO-style creation

By now, you've probably seen one of those videos showcasing some grand creation in Minecraft . There was a company-D from Star Trek, a massive waterslide, and an entire minecart interstate, Just to name a few of the latest hits.

There's a fine balance in Minecraft when it comes to resource gathering and creation. Left click on a block to break it down, right click to place it back into the environment; easy, but not too easy. I often liken it to building with LEGOs: finding the individual pieces you want might take a while, but the actual process of putting the blocks together is intuitive, and most importantly, fun.

True sandbox

When you run Minecraft for the first time, you aren't placed into a tutorial. Hell, you aren't even told anything, period. You're presented with a vast, open world, and that's it. It's up to you to explore, to make up your own "rules," and in a way, cater Minecraft to how you want to play it.

For some players, that's a major turnoff. To an extent, they need to be told what to do in their videogames -- otherwise, boredom will quickly strike -- and cannot handle ultimate freedom. For others, the true sandbox-style game has finally been realized, and they couldn't be more enthusiastic about it.

That's the beauty of two modes. In the creative mode, anything goes, if you want to install the game in this style. Survival, on the other hand, is very intentional elements that push you to the game a certain way. This leads me to my next two points.

Chance development

Levels - or the worlds, more precisely - in Minecraft are procedurally generated. In a game where your enjoyment is directly dependent on how imaginative a person you are, this is a big deal. I see those aforementioned videos and think to myself, "Man, I'll never be able to create anything that impressive."

But you know what I can do? The bridge connecting the two nearby mountains, or man-made island, or even a secret base for the waterfall that inexplicably surrounded by lava moat. I can create these things because the game presents me with the foundation to do so through his encouraging, non-linear maps.

Oh GOD turn around!

As I said earlier, Minecraft pushes you to do certain tasks, even if you don't immediately realize it. Another way the game accomplishes this is by way of a day-and-night cycle. During the sunny hours, you had best collect resources and stock up while it's safe outside, especially during your first few days. During the night, well -- that's when the monsters come out.

Yes, Minecraft has monsters, and they will kill your face off. Building a shelter -- whether it's a castle, a box, or a coffin-esque hole in the wall -- is necessary to live through the night. So while you are technically free to do whatever you want, it's ideal to work on dungeons or above-ground buildings during this time. It's a clever limit on your in-game freedom. As they say, a complete lack of restraint greatly hinders creativity.

Theres also a thrill to be had from roaming the world, where the skeleton archers, spiders and zombies on the prowl. I think almost everyone who played Minecraft felt that one moment of horror when they hear the noise, turn around and look, the creature looked into their eyes.

Collective building

The Future

As mentioned in the introduction - and the ugly shows in my paintings - Minecraft is still in alpha. Anyone who has coughed up the thirteen bucks or whatever it is for the full game will receive all future updates for free. It's crazy to think that this Game of the Year contender is only going to improve from here on out.

Personally, I'm desperately hoping for the Survival mode to expand. The potential is there for Minecraft to be the best game of survival of the island ever made, if the creator Markus Persson and co. can make demands for sustainable living deeper.

That said, there are a million directions he could take this game in, and I'll be happy with whatever he decides to do. He's already proven himself to be a brilliant designer.

Next Gen Game

Why we love Minecraft

2010-10-20T04:25:00.001-07:00

10/15/2010 Why we love Minecraft

It's become an Internet sensation, an instant classic, and one of the best-selling independent games in recent memory. And best of all, Minecraft is still only in alpha -- there's so much more on the way.

There seems to be a considerable amount of confusion, though. What IS Minecraft , and what do you do in it, exactly? Those answers are readily available online, if you're willing to look. But when it comes to the web, many people aren't.

We hope that through this article, we can get you interested. You really are missing out on something magical.

LEGO-style creation

To date, Youve, probably seen one of those videos showcasing some of the Grand creation in Minecraft. There was the Enterprise-Dfrom Star Trek, A massive waterslide , and an entire minecart interstate, just to name a few of the more recent hits.

Teresa delicate balance in Minecraft when it comes to resource gathering and creation. Left click on a block to break it down, right click to place it back into the environment; easy, but not too easy. I often liken it to building with LEGOs: finding the individual pieces you want might take a while, but the actual process of putting the blocks together is intuitive, and most importantly, fun.

True sandbox

When you run Minecraft the first time, Arent you put in the textbook. Hell, you Arent even said anything, period. You presented a huge, open world, and it is so. Its up to you to explore, to make their own rules, and thus satisfy Minecraft to how you want to play it.

For some players, thatsa core rotation. To a certain extent, they should be, what to do in their video games - otherwise, boredom strikes quickly - and can not cope with the ultimate freedom. According to others, truesandbox-style game has finally realized they could not be more enthusiastic.

The randomness factor

The levels -- or, "worlds," to put it more accurately -- in Minecraft are procedurally generated. In a game where your enjoyment is directly dependent on how imaginative a person you are, this is a big deal. I see those aforementioned videos and think to myself, "Man, I'll never be able to create anything that impressive."

But you know what I can make? A bridge connecting two nearby mountains, or a man-made island, or even a secret base behind a waterfall that's inexplicably surrounded by a lava-filled moat. I can create those things, because the game presents me with the foundation to do so through its encouraging, non-linear maps.

Oh GOD turn around!

Yes, Minecraft has monsters, and they will kill your face off

There's also a certain thrill to be had from roaming the world when the skeleton archers, spiders, and zombies are on the prowl. I think just about everyone who has played Minecraft has experienced that one moment of sheer terror when they hear a noise, turn around, and see a creature staring them in the eyes.

Collective building

Don't get me wrong, seeing your creations come to fruition is mighty satisfying. Even more satisfying, however, is sharing what you've build with your friends. Whether you want to expand on what they have started putting together, or be an absolute dick by griefing their structures, it's once again your choice. Admittedly, pushing people off of bridges is more fun than it ought to be. Try it sometime, if you'd like.

The Future

Personally, I'm desperately hoping for the Survival mode to expand. The potential is there for Minecraft to be the best island survival game ever made, if creator Markus Persson and co. can make the requirements for sustained life more in-depth.

Nevertheless, there are a million ways he can take this game, and I will be happy with whatever he decides to do. Hes already proved that he is a brilliant designer.

Next Gen Game

Back to the Future trilogy Blu-ray includes voucher for free episode of Telltale's game

2010-10-16T11:20:00.001-07:00

10/15/2010 Back to the Future trilogy Blu-ray includes voucher for free episode of Telltale's game

There 'SA pleasant surprise inside Back to the Future trilogy Blu-ray set, due to hit stores on October 26 -- apart from remastered versions of all three films, that is. After ripping the shrink-wrap off our copy, we discovered an insert advertising a "complimentary first episode" of Telltale's upcoming Back to the Future game for PC and Mac.

The insert lists a URL for redeeming the included code -- "121GIGAWATTS" -- which currently directs browsers to the the game's homepage. We contacted Telltale to find out when the episode will go live and were told that the timing has yet to be nailed down. "At the URL on the insert, people will be able to register for the free episode and will receive notification from Telltale Games when the episode is available to download," the developer clarified.

In addition, if it Wasn 'm obviously, ISN redemption code' t unique, suggesting that free episode will be available for the masses - Telltale, when asked ~~couldn't confirm if this will be before or after the game~~ told us this will happen at or after the game (which is still undated) launches. "We haven't announced the release date for the first episode of the game quite yet - soon though," a rep said. Not soon enough, we say. Anyone got a DeLorean with a Mr. Fusion we can borrow?

Back to the Future trilogy Blu-ray includes voucher for free episode of Telltale's gameoriginally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2K Games has no plans to bring Bioshock 2 DLC to PC

2010-10-13T08:23:00.001-07:00

10/10/2010

's pair of DLC expansions, the "Protector Trials" and "Minerva's Den," you're in for a disappointing next few minutes. A 2K Games representative recently commented on the game's official forums, explaining that "we will also not be offering Protector Trials and Minerva's Den on the PC in the future," citing "timing and technical issues" as the reason for the expansions' non-appearance.

2K Games has no plans to bring Bioshock 2 DLC to PC on Sat, 09 Oct 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds

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2K Games has no plans to bring Bioshock 2 DLC to PC

2010-10-13T05:26:00.001-07:00

10/10/2010 2K Games has no plans to bring Bioshock 2 DLC to PC

If you're a PC gamer that's been waiting to get your feet wet in BioShock 2's

The representative went on to apologize for "the disappointment this will cause to PC players out there," though we wouldn't worry too much about that, as PC gamers are almost certainly used to it by this point.

2K Games has no plans to bring Bioshock 2 DLC to PC originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 09 Oct 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Halo franchise roadmap includes new trilogies and film, transmedia campaign reveals

2010-10-12T13:14:00.001-07:00

10/09/2010 Halo franchise roadmap includes new trilogies and film, transmedia campaign reveals

The panel last night at the Con New York Comic, Transmedia company Starlight Runner - a business that helps to plan cross-media campaigns for various properties, including Microsoft's Halo franchise -- gave a presentation on its work. Among the slides shown, company president and CEO Jeff Gomez previewed one that gave the audience a look at the future of Halo : two new trilogies starting in 2012/2013 with a major motion picture set for release by 2014.

Updated: Microsoft representative Ryan James has contacted Joystiq to say "We worked with Starlight in the past, but the information ISN 'T an accurate representation of our plans for Halofranchise. "

Starlight Runner have yet to issue any official comment on the news.

[Thanks Steven!]

Halo franchise roadmap includes new trilogies and film, transmedia campaign reveals originally appeared on JoystiqSat, Oct. 9, 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

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Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is experiencing a surplus

2010-10-12T10:29:00.000-07:00

10/10/2010 Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is experiencing a surplus

It 's another one of those wonderful weeks here at the Weekly Comics Wrapup laboratory, where we have so many good bands to choose from that we have a hard time whittling the list to seven. What do we do when we have a hard time with something? We have to give up, of course! Which is good news for you because, hey, more comics .

Check out the ninehigh-quality game-related bands below and vote for your favorite after the jump! There 'SA a little bit more than you' re used to, but we hope that you 'We'll have to force power.

Mandatory (VG Cats)
Full of twists and turns (Penny Arcade)
Effect of Rob Ford (Of Noobs and Men)
The Sacrifice(Nerf Now)
You and the Captain Make It Happen (No Cash Value)
Skill Sets (Digital Unrest)
Dead Rising 2 (Another Videogame Webcomic)
Health Hazard (Brawl in the Family)
Least Objectionable War(Virtual brackets)

Continue reading Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is experiencing a surplus

Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is experiencing a surplus originally appeared on JoystiqSat, Oct. 9, 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

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Duke Nukem Forever cost 3D Realms head up to $30 million - Pitchford

2010-10-11T10:56:00.001-07:00

10/08/2010 Duke Nukem Forever cost 3D Realms head up to $30 million - Pitchford

Gearbox CEO estimates George Broussard sunk tens of millions into once-vaporware shooter prior to studio's closure.

3D Realms spent a staggering 12 years trying and failing to bring Duke Nukem Forever to market. Though the emotional toll that effort exacted on the studio remains unsaid, Duke Nukem Forever savior Gearbox Software has affixed a price tag to the labor. In an interview with CVG, Gearbox president and CEO Randy Pitchford said that 3D Realms head George Broussard spent $20 million to $30 million of his own money to finish Duke Nukem Forever.

Broussard spent a princely sum in turning Duke into the killing machine that he is.

\\ "George Broussard is not a poor man, but I would estimate that it lost $ 20 - $ 30 million dollars of his own money on Duke Nukem Forever - I 't care who you are, that' AS A . hell lot of money, "Pitchford said." He was committed to the Duke point of madness. "

Pitchford's comments came as he detailed the events that led to Gearbox's acquisition of the Duke Nukem IPEarlier this year. "There was bad news in May 2009" Pitchford said. "You've all seen stories -.. 3D Realms was closing, the Duke was dead, that sucked was hard to stay in Dallas, many of my friends lost their jobs.

"I spoke to George Broussard, and he said, 'Randy, this is the worst day of my life,' but you could hear in his voice there was more," he continued. "This was 12 years of his life. Try and imagine what you've achieved in 12 years. Gearbox has made 15 games in that time."

Duke Nukem Forever returned to relevancy in August, when Gearbox trotted out a playable version of the game at the 2010 Penny Arcade Expo. The Borderlands studio went on to announce that it had acquired the Duke Nukem IP in perpetuity, including Duke Nukem Forever and all future developments in the franchise, from 3D Realms.

At that time, Pitchford emphasized that the game being brought to market was one and the same that 3D Realms had been toiling away at, confirming that he had hired many of the original Duke Nukem creators to finish the game. It is currently slated to arrive in 2011 on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, and demo accesscurrently promised to those who buy the Borderlands: Game Year.

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\\ "Duke Nukem Forever 3D Realms head cost to $ 30 million - Pitchford " was posted by Tom Magrino on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 12:09:55 -0700

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Snoopy Flying Ace dev working on free-to-play sky combat game

2010-10-10T04:06:00.000-07:00

10/06/2010 Snoopy Flying Ace Dev working on free-game sky fight

Smart Bomb, a developer in a surprisingly well received by the XBLA / PSN title Snoopy Flying Ace, Recently announced the forthcoming cooperation with online games publisher UTV True Games. But none of these words catch your attention? How about this: free games, flight combat, online multiplayer; Unity engine Taco pizza money. Okay, that last part has nothing to do with anything, but you 'Re definitelypay attention now.

According to the announcement, Smart Bomb 'S next project, browser-based air combat simulator called Sky Legends . Little is known about the game -- only that it will be built on the increasingly popular Unity engine, will feature multiplayer matches and customizable planes, and is due out in the first half of 2011. Keep an eye on the game's official site for future updates. Or this site! That works, too.

Snoopy Flying Ace Dev working on free-game sky fight originally appeared on JoystiqWed, October 6, 2010 2:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

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Demo: ArcaniA - Gothic 4

2010-10-07T02:00:00.001-07:00

09/24/2010 Demo: ArcaniA - Gothic 4

Content: ArcaniA - Gothic 4
Price: Free
Availability: Not available in Asia and Mexico

Dash Text: ArcaniA - Gothic 4 continues the successful "Gothic" RPG-Series. Ten years have passed since the end of Gothic 3 and the world has changed - the Southern Islands have become embroiled in a grueling conflict, and set the stage for the player to brave countless adventures in the guise of a nameless hero. In a vibrant and elaborate environment, decisions will have to be made which will change not only the future of the Southern Islands, but of the entire world.

Add the free demo to your Xbox 360 download queue

Like the demo? Order the full game

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Innergy First Look

2010-10-05T10:48:00.001-07:00

Next Gen Game

DDO's Turbine Partners With Notorious SuperRewards

2010-10-01T11:10:00.001-07:00

Next Gen Game

Production exec talks Shadow of the Colossus film, future Team Ico projects

2010-09-25T11:48:00.001-07:00

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Capcom, Level-5 teaming up - Report

2010-09-25T01:59:00.001-07:00

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TGS: Hands on with Miles Edgeworth 2

2010-09-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

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Q-Games Talks PixelJunk Shooter 2, Teases Future Projects

2010-09-19T06:50:00.001-07:00

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Will Game Cartridges Make a Comeback?

2010-09-18T03:42:00.000-07:00

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Cloud Gaming Service OnLive Set For Launch

2010-09-18T01:18:00.001-07:00

Next Gen Game

Bungie's Grand Plans For Their First Post-Halo "Action" Game =[=Activision=]=

2010-09-17T23:18:00.001-07:00

Next Gen Game

Bungie's Grand Plans For Their First Post-Halo "Action" Game =[=Activision=]=

2010-09-17T10:58:00.001-07:00

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Emulation For Preservation of Digital Artifacts

2010-09-17T03:32:00.001-07:00

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Rumor: PS3 Firmware 3.41 improves sh*tty patching system

2010-09-16T22:53:00.001-07:00

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Insomniac partners with EA for future 360, PS3 title

2010-09-16T10:51:00.001-07:00

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Spare a moment to check out some Spare Parts media from TGS

2010-09-16T08:08:00.000-07:00

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Insomniac partners with EA for future 360, PS3 title

2010-09-15T12:22:00.001-07:00

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Singularity shows off what makes it singular

2010-09-14T11:47:00.001-07:00

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Another War for Cybertron trailer? Oh, go on then

2010-09-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

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Activision Countersues Modern Warfare 2 Execs

2010-09-13T09:43:00.001-07:00

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Sega: Sonic is the only playable character ... 'in Episode 1'

2010-09-12T12:04:00.001-07:00

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Ubisoft could copy EA Sports' Online Pass scheme

2010-09-12T02:22:00.001-07:00

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BioShock 2 Rapture Metro Pack details

2010-09-11T22:27:00.001-07:00

06/15/2010

Innergy First Look

Ubisoft took its "Games You Can Feel" E3 2010 motto to new heights today when it announced a PC "game" that aims to teach players how to breathe.

Titled Innergy, the program will use a small sensor attached to the player's finger to measure his or her heartbeat and match it with an onscreen visual. The stage demo showed a colorful rainbow heartbeat graph moving across the screen; moving through the graph was a small, beanlike creature that occasionally fired the commands "breathe in" and "breathe out" via a speech bubble.

According to the game's designer, following the onscreen prompts to breathe in and out for 10-minute sessions every day will change players' heartbeat patterns and create something called "cardiac coherence." Details are sketchy, but according to Ubisoft, this can help to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and boost the immune system for up to six hours a day.

No more details were given, but you can be sure we'll be seeing more of Innergy in the future.

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"Innergy First Look" was posted by Laura Parker on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:03:10 -0700

04/14/2010

DDO's Turbine Partners With Notorious SuperRewards

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

06/17/2010

Cloud Gaming Service OnLive Set For Launch

Steve Perlman's long-anticipated cloud gaming service, OnLive, officially launches today, finally ready to be put to the test by skeptical and hopeful gamers around the US. After granting some early sign-ups a free year to try out the service, OnLive also announced the list of 23 games that will available from the start, including Mass Effect 2, UT 3, Assassin's Creed 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and F.E.A.R. 2. Perlman spoke at length with Gamasutra about the beta, latency, and potential partnerships with other broadband providers. Future OnLive competitor Gaikai recently announced they're targeting 2011 for their own launch.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

04/30/2010

Bungie 's ambitious plans for its first after Halo "effect" game] [Activision

The game Bungie makes after Halo: Reach will be huge, on multiple platforms won't be Marathon-related and is under Bungie's control, the studio's Brian Jarrard told Kotaku today. With Bungie's future clarified, we learned some new details. More ?

04/30/2010

Bungie's Grand Plans For Their First Post-Halo "Action" Game [Activision]

04/24/2010

Emulation For Preservation of Digital Artifacts

An anonymous reader writes "Author Salman Rushdie donated his papers and notes to Emory University a while ago. Not surprisingly, many of Rushdie's original notes, drafts, and correspondence existed in electronic form. Rather than printing them out or converting them to other formats, archivists at the university created an emulated image of Rushdie's old computer, complete with old software. Researchers visiting the archive can read his email in Eudora and his Stickies notes, or read drafts of his books in ClarisWorks. When you leave your legacy to future generations, would you like a virtualized copy of your personal system to be included?"

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

07/28/2010

Rumor: PS3 Firmware 3.41 improves sh*tty patching system

The majority of the PlayStation 3 experience consists of watching a long progress bar slowly fill up as the system downloads and installs its endless supply of bloated updates and patches. According to some new information dug up in the latest Firmware, however, it would appear that Sony is implementing something it should have done years ago -- a patching system that doesn't totally suck.

When you update the PS3 'S firmware, the console in no way' t just get the new information he requires. Instead, he redownloads entire Firmware, which is mostly comprised of old information. This leads to lengthy patching processes, with the PS3 taking significantly longer than the Xbox 360 to install even the most insignificant of updates.

Imagine, we might be able to spend more time playing games instead of watching a progress bar. It's a brave new world for PS3 owners! Now it would be frigging nice is this capability could be extended to other software updates. No excuse for the PS3's bullshit when the 360 downloads patches in mere seconds.

PS3 Firmware 3.41 introduces new patches? [CVG]

05/25/2010

Insomniac partner with EA for the future 360, PS3 title

Insomniac Games announced today that its partner Electronic Arts to bring the "new universe and franchise" as the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Little of what he 'S are known at this time.

\\ "You may be wondering why announcing this game now, and how it relates to our existing projects," Ted Price said in a statement posted online

Announcement comes as a bit of a shock, especially considering all reviewed the PlayStation 3-exclusive Resistance 3 to be a lock. And it may very well still be -- Insomniac recently opened up offices in North Carolina, and it's not out of the question that the studio is working on multiple projects.

"Our relationship with Sony Computer Entertainment is still very strong," Price added, "and continues as we develop additional projects exclusively for PlayStation 3 -- projects that will take full advantage of our additional development time."

No word on when this project with EA Partners will be revealed, but we'll be keeping our eyes on this extremely interesting (and exciting) development.

09/16/2010

Spare a moment to check out some parts of the media from TGS

Spare Partsfascinated us cunning use We were raised to be afraid of metal creatures "cute robots." - Mainly due to Terminator - But seeing their cute it again in this trailer TGS, it gives us hope that we 'LL be allies in the future. It should come in handy once zombies rise.

Continue reading Spare a moment to check out some parts of the media from TGS

Spare a moment to check out some parts of the media from TGS originally appeared on JoystiqThurs September 16, 2010 4:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

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05/25/2010

Insomniac partners with EA for future 360, PS3 title

Insomniac Games has announced today that its partnered with Electronic Arts to bring a "brand new universe and franchise" to both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Little beyond the fact that it's happening is known at this time.

"You may be wondering why we're announcing this game now, and how it relates to our existing projects," Ted Price said in a statement posted online. "We've been developing games on an annual pace during the last 16 years. One thing that has become apparent to us though is that in order to live up to our own high standards of quality, we want to give ourselves more development time to iterate and polish our games. All future Insomniac titles will benefit from longer development cycles, which will directly benefit you, our fans."

The announcement was made as a bit of a shock, especially considering all thought the PlayStation 3-exclusive Resistance 3 to be a lock. And it may very well still be -- Insomniac recently opened up offices in North Carolina, and it's not out of the question that the studio is working on multiple projects.

\\ "Our relationship with Sony Computer Entertainment is still very strong," Price added, "and continue as we develop additional projects exclusively for the PlayStation 3 - projects that will take full advantage of our additional development time . "

No word on when this project with EA Partners will be revealed, but we'll be keeping our eyes on this extremely interesting (and exciting) development.

05/16/2010

Singularity shows off what makes it singular

Been wondering what sets Singularity apart from other FPS that have evil Russians and time travel? OK, maybe those things aren't as ubiquitous as WWII and Nazis, but you have to admit that from a cursory glance at the game Singularity doesn't look all that different. However, like all good games, it is the gameplay that is looking to set it apart.

It's looking like a very unique mechanic, and I can't wait to see if it plays out.

05/25/2010

Another War for Cybertron trailer? Oh, go on then

I defy anybody who reads gaming blogs to not know that Transformers: The War of Cybertron in the near future. Activision Hasn 't be ashamed of promoting it and I certainly haven' t been shy posting that promotion because I have massive nerd who loves robots. Robots that turn into jets. And sometimes tanks.

This trailer hypes up the multiplayer aspect which seems to be the main selling point. I tend to lean towards single player experiences, but the customization options sound really promising and I'm quite looking forward to getting online with this one. I'll be playing the game in a little over a week and I'll be sure to let you know if it passes muster. Keep an eye on Destructoid for all that fun!

04/11/2010

Activision Countersues Modern Warfare 2Execs

WrongSizeGlass writes "AP is reporting that Activision has countersued former Infinity Ward executives Jason West and Vince Zampella. Activision claims West and Zampella 'morphed from valued, responsible executives into insubordinate and self-serving schemers who attempted to hijack Activision's assets for their own personal gain and whose actions threatened both the future of the Call of Duty franchise and the future of Activision's (Infinity Ward) studio.'" This follows Activision's firing of the execs earlier this year. Legal documents indicate that this legal dispute has caused delays in the production of Modern Warfare 3. Lawyers for the two fired execs say Activision's claims are ridiculous, citing Modern Warfare 2's overwhelming financial success. Meanwhile, it's rumored that EA is seeing the whole fiasco as an opportunity.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

06/19/2010

Sega: Sonic is the only playable character ... 'Episode 1'

Visit the booth with Sega "to handle the time Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, a representative told us something that fans may find a little disconcerting. Someone asked the representative if Sonic was the only playable character, to which the rep replied that Sonic isplay only a "in Episode 1." While he wouldn 't confirm if future episodes will be other characters, of course, he hinted at that possibility.

Consider our fingers crossed for Big Cat.

Sega: Sonic is the only playable character ... 'in Episode 1'originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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05/19/2010

Ubisoft could copy EA Sports' Online Pass scheme

Ubisoft, never tired of finding ways to screw with its customers, is undoubtedly punching the air and rubbing its hands together at the news of EA Sport's Online Pass initiative, a new scheme that charged secondhand buyers $10 to play its games online, while brand new copies offer it for free. Unsurprisingly, Ubisoft likes this, and may follow with its own plans.

\\ "Most of the games that we produce in the next year we'll have to start downloadable content available," explains Ubisoft CFO Alain Martinez, "and we look very closely at what is happening with respect to E. what we call a $ 10 solution, and will probably read that line sometime in the future. "

That's all well and good, and I get that publishers don't want people buying used games. However, this despicable victim complex from companies that still make millions upon millions of dollars and charge $60 per game really is getting trite and pathetic. I'm sick to death of publishers acting like the used market is exclusive to the industry and a dreadful cancer, especially as we're edging ever closer to an all-digital market where these companies are gearing up for complete dominion over its customers and their wallets.

Basically, STFU game industry. You're not a unique and fragile little flower. Actually offering good incentives for paying customers, rather than holding expected features hostage, should be your focus. But of course, that would be the less dickish thing to do, and we can 't have that .

Ubisoft will 'probably follow' EA's Project $10[Videogamer]

04/28/2010

BioShock 2 Rapture Metro Pack details

I've received several questions about the upcoming Rapture Metro Pack, next DLC for BioShock 2 thatâs coming to Xbox 360 and Games for Windows -LIVE, so I thought Iâd help clear up some details.

Rapture Metro Pack (800 Points Microsoft):

Â· Six all-new maps built, some built from the single-player portion of the game

Â· Three new Achievements/Trophies

Â· Renaissance features - Players who have attained the rank of 50 is possible to rank up to level 1 and get a special mask

And just to update: the content will notwill be available this week, as previously reported.

Iâll have more details on timing in the very near future.

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It's Hard To Predict The Future, Even For Mario's Creator =[=Shigeru Miyamoto=]=

2010-09-11T12:33:00.001-07:00

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Gearbox discusses Aliens: Colonial Marines, Brothers in Arms, secret Pitchford-directed title, and more

2010-09-11T07:52:00.001-07:00

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'We bought Duke Nukem.' Franchise rights transferred from 3D Realms to Gearbox

2010-09-10T10:26:00.001-07:00

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'We bought Duke Nukem.' Franchise rights transferred from 3D Realms to Gearbox

2010-09-09T07:52:00.001-07:00

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Telltale Games times 'Back to the Future' project

2010-09-08T08:11:00.001-07:00

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Christopher Lloyd Plays Doc Brown in Back to The Future Game

2010-09-07T04:42:00.001-07:00

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BioShock 2 Rapture Metro Pack details

2010-09-02T13:22:00.000-07:00

09/06/2010

It's Hard To Predict The Future, Even For Mario's Creator [Shigeru Miyamoto]

Shigeru Miyamoto is a video game pioneer. He entered the industry in 1977 and has been instrumental in changing the way we play games. He knows where we've been, but does he know where we are going? More ?

09/06/2010

Gearbox discusses Aliens: Colonial Marines, Brothers in Arms, secret Pitchford-directed title, and more

Today 's panel of Gearbox Software, the developer took the opportunity to dispel fears that the new franchise, as Borderland and Duke Nukemare siphoning away time from previous projects, as "Brothers in Arms series, or announced in 2009-and-yet-unseen Aliens: Colonial Marines . Pitchford even commented on one of the studio's three unannounced projects.

"We're not announcing anything today, but we want to tell you guys that we really care about this franchise a lot," Gearbox co-founder Brian Martel said. "It's something we created and it really means a lot to us. It's not just a game about the combat. It's about the soldiers in the war. We'll deal with Baker and his men in future games for sure." So while they're not confirming that a Brothers in Arms game is in development currently, they are confirming that one will be at some point. But Martel did give us an idea of what we might expect from a future BiA offering: "But we also may do some other things that maybe treat the game in some different ways and take some different directions." So, modern warfare then?

Continue reading Gearbox discusses Aliens: Colonial Marines, Brothers in Arms, secret Pitchford-directed title, and more

Gearbox discusses Aliens: Colonial Marines, Brothers in Arms, secret Pitchford-directed title, and more originally appeared on JoystiqMon 6 September 2010 1:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

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09/06/2010

'We bought Duke Nukem.' Franchise rights transferred from 3D Realms to Gearbox

Just two days after the discovery of his leadership Duke Nukem Forever title at PAX, Gearbox Software just revealed that it has actually purchased the Duke Nukem brand. Gearbox president Randy Pitchford told an audience at PAX this afternoon that they're not just making sure Duke Nukem Forevermakes it to store shelves, but they 've actually got all Duke Nukem IP. "We actually bought the brand," Pitchford told fans. "We bought Duke Nukem ."

Press release is timed to go with the announcement has some more information. Here 's big picture quote: "Gearbox Software has announced the acquisition of full rights to intellectual property brand' Duke Nukem 'including Duke Nukem Forever and all future projects in a cooperative deal made with 3D Realms." Even more interesting: "The first product to be available under the Duke Nukem brand will be the long awaited Duke Nukem Forever Disjunctive normal form won't be the last game to feature the Duke.

Pitchford made a point to say that Alan Blum, the creator of the Duke Nukem franchise, is now with Gearbox. "He's on the 10th floor with his team," he said. He also wanted to explain that this franchise couldn't simply have been purchased by anyone. "I didn't buy it from [3D Realms]," Pitchford said. "They sold it to me." In the press release, 3D Realms' Scott Miller said, "Gearbox was handpicked as the new home for Duke Nukem because of their continued passion, commitment and long-time heritage with the brand and 3D Realms."

Thus Duke Begins then?

Continue reading 'We bought Duke Nukem.' Franchise rights transferred from 3D Realms to Gearbox

\\ "We bought a Duke Nukem. 'Franchise rights transferred from 3D Realms for PPC originally appeared on JoystiqSun September 5, 2010 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

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09/06/2010

\\ "We bought a Duke Nukem. 'Franchise rights transferred from 3D Realms for PPC

Just two days after revealing its stewardship of the Duke Nukem Forever title at PAX, Gearbox Software just revealed that it has actually purchased the Duke Nukem brand. Gearbox president Randy Pitchford told an audience at PAX this afternoon that they're not just making sure Duke Nukem Forever makes it to store shelves, but they've actually purchased the entire Duke Nukem IP. "In fact, we bought a brand" Pitchford said the fans. "We bought Duke Nukem."

Press release is timed to go with the announcement has some more information. Here 's big picture quote: "Gearbox Software has announced the acquisition of full rights to intellectual property brand' Duke Nukem 'including Duke Nukem Foreverand all future projects in joint deal with 3D Realms. "Even more interesting:" The first product will be available in accordance with Duke Nukem brand will be the long awaited Duke Nukem Forever." Naturally, if they're buying the brand you can imagine DNF won't be the last game to feature the Duke.

Duke Nukem because of their continued passion, dedication and long heritage of the brand and 3D Realms. "

So, Duke Begins then?

Continue reading 'We bought Duke Nukem.' Franchise rights transferred from 3D Realms to Gearbox

'We bought Duke Nukem.' Franchise rights transferred from 3D Realms to Gearbox originally appeared on JoystiqSun September 5, 2010 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

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09/01/2010

Telltale Games time 'Back to the Future' Project

It's about time, McFly. A video game based on the Back to the Future movies is in the works.

09/02/2010

Christopher Lloyd Plays Doc Brown in Back to The Future Game

Christopher Lloyd will play a role as Dr. Emmett Lathrop Doc Brown in Back to the future of video games, publisher Telltale Games said medium. This is the first time the actor portrayed harried inventor of time travel, as Universal Studios Home Back to the Future: The Ride in 1991. Telltale has announced his intention [...]

04/28/2010

BioShock 2 Rapture Metro Pack details

I've received several questions about the upcoming Rapture Metro Pack, next DLC for BioShock 2 That coming to Xbox 360 and Games for Windows-LIVE, so I thought I would help to clarify some details.

Rapture Metro Pack (800 Microsoft Points):

Â· Six new maps are constructed, some are built from a single player of the game

Â· Three new Achievements/Trophies

Â· Renaissance features - Players who have attained the rank of 50 is possible to rank up to level 1 and get a special mask

And just to update: the content will not will be available this week, as previously reported.

Iâll have more details on timing in the very near future.

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Say hello to the eBox, China's answer to Kinect

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Kevin Durant named NBA Elite 11 cover athlete

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OnLive Goes Live, Did You Sign Up? =[=PC=]=

2010-08-27T06:39:00.001-07:00

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E3 10: Marvel Vs Capcom 3 Dante and Deadpool confirmed

2010-08-26T10:47:00.001-07:00

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Rubie?s Costume Co The Flintstones Fred Costume, Brown, Standard

2010-08-26T07:19:00.001-07:00

[[[Rubie?s Costume Co The Flintstones Fred Costume, Brown, Standard]]]

Description:

More review coming soon.

The costume matches the description well. My only complaint is the "shoes" which in my opinion could have fit better. Otherwise, great product.

So i bought this costume (Fred Flintstone) for my husband for halloween 2008 and its really made great i bought the wrong size but thats my fault not the sellers hopefully i can find another one and have t here before Halloween night. over all I give it a grade A+ i would recommend this for anyone looking for this costume its nicely made. thanks for the quick service.

The costume is absolutely adorable. The feet velcro over the shoe and are flimsier than I would have guessed, the collar and cuffs do not quite puff up the way the picture shows, and the wig needs a lot of work to look right, but the costume is still better than many I've seen and looks just like Fred Flintstone. The costume is cute nonetheless.

I bought the Wilma, Betty and Barney costumes and they are also adorable. Very similar to the pictures shown and the fabric is better than the fabric on the less expensive costumes. Well worth a little extra money.

Buy Here (for discount) Rubie?s Costume Co The Flintstones Fred Costume, Brown, Standard

There May Be Other Developers In BioShock's Future =[=Bioshock=]=

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2010-08-20T13:35:00.001-07:00

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Character Design and Modeling for Next-Gen Games

2010-08-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

[[[Character Design and Modeling for Next-Gen Games]]]

Discription : In this DVD, Vitaly Bulgarov walks you through his process for creating highly detailed organic-mech characters using XSI, ZBrush and Photoshop. Vitaly explains his 2D/3D concept design process, then shows his process for creating clean detailed meshes within XSI, as well as the sculpting process in ZBrush. Finally he shows how to add character and life to the hard surface and make a presentation of the final high-poly model using ZBrush and Photoshop.

More review coming soon.

Buy Here (for discount) Character Design and Modeling for Next-Gen Games

Monday Mind Teaser: The Company of Myself

2010-08-20T07:06:00.001-07:00

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Character Modeling for Next-Gen Games

2010-08-20T02:44:00.001-07:00

[[[Character Modeling for Next-Gen Games]]]

Discription : In this DVD, Richard Smith guides you through modeling a Next-Gen game character. Richard starts with a rough concept design and then creates a low-res base mesh. From there he sculpts each part in ZBrush with special attention paid to creating realistic clothing folds. Once each part is completely sculpted Richard retopologizes it inside of Maya using a plug-in called Nex. Finally, using XNormal he creates the normal map and then sets everything up in Maya. This DVD is intended for artists with a basic understanding of polygon modeling in Maya, but the techniques he demonstrates could be applied using other 3D modeling software.

More review soon.

Buy Here (for discount) Character Modeling for Next-Gen Games

Now Halo: Reach Has A Live Action Thing As Well =[=Halo=]=

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08/29/2010

Say hello to the eBox, China's answer to Kinect

We all know about the Chinese knock-off Wiis that are all over the place, but those are so last year. No one is going to want a knock-off of a Wii when they can get a knock-off of Kinect! At least that is the obvious thinking behind Chinese company Eedoo Software's announcementthat they will launch EBox, the new gaming platform, which operates out of control!

The eBox claims to do exactly what Kinect will do, and deliver a gaming interface that doesn't need a controller. It's made out of a webcam, and possibly some magic Chinese fairy dust. The system will come packaged with 30 free games, and as of now (and mostly likely into the future) will only be available in China. The company most likely plans to sell the system for less than a Xbox 360 itself -- and thus less than Kinect and a 360 together -- which I think is a very sound business move as it probably cost them five cents to put together.

Jack Luo, president of Beijing Eedoo Technology said, \\ "Our product is designed for family entertainment. EBox can not be refined game graphics, or extensive violence, but it may inspire family members to get off the couch and get some exercise."

We'll have to wait until Destructoid gets its full review copy of the system, which I'm sure is just lost in the mail right now, to see how un-exquisite those graphics really are. However, if you want to test it out before the system's projected launch date of early next year I believe there is a little known product out for the PlayStation 3 called the EyeToy that does the same thing.

Eedoo to take on big boys in video-gaming market [China Daily]

[Thanks, Maestro1]

06/14/2010

E3 10: A closer look at the final retail Kinect unit

Tonight at a surreal event at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, Microsoft unveiled the final design of the product-formerly-known-as-Project-Natal, Kinect.

What Microsoft ended up with is not all that different than what we had been seeing since its reveal at last year's E3, a long, shiny black bar that sits on an adjustable base. In its press materials, Microsoft may have also revealed piece of an ad campaign that we'll no doubt hear repeated dozens of times prior to its holiday launch:

No barriers.
No boundaries.
No gadgets.
No gizmos.
No learning curves.

You Kinect, you are the controller.

During the press conference, Microsoft showed showed off a number of games, many of which were already revealed by USA Today earlier today. If you are lucky, I LL 'will receive at the hands (or. .. not as the case seems) most of the titles tomorrow.

Stay tuned for full coverage, and more details on Kinect titles and the future of the Xbox 360 direct from Microsoft's E3 press conference. We'll be streaming it live on Destructoid, starting at 10am PDT; if you like seeing people waving their arms and legs around wildly, you won't want to miss it.

06/22/2010

Kevin Durant named NBA Elite 11 cover athlete

EA Sports has picked Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant as the cover athlete for its basketball reboot, NBA Elite 11. Durant is perhaps the best young player in the NBA today; this past season, he became the youngest player in history to win the scoring title, doing it at the age of 21 by averaging 30.1 points per game. He led the Thunder to a 50-win season and a playoff berth, and he also made the NBA All-Star team for the first time.

Jordan Edelstein, VP of Marketing at EA Sports, explained the choice by tying in Durant's promising future to how EA hopes Elite 11 will change gaming: "Just like we see Durant as the future of the NBA, NBA ELITE 11represents the future of basketball video games. "Durant is the third player will be on the cover of EA 's now-defunct college basketball series as well as its pro basketball game.

NBA Elite 11 will be out this October for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Check out 360 and PS3 box art shots in the gallery below.

04/26/2010

What Will Gaming Be Like In Ten Years? [Jerry Bruckheimer]

Hollywood super producer Jerry Bruckheimer (not pictured) has seen the future. And it's gamey. More ?

07/10/2010

Rock Band Weekly: Sweet Billy Pilgrim tangled up in The Vines

This week marks Rock Band debut of UK group Sweet Billy Pilgrim. The group will have one track, "Future Perfect Tense," hitting the Rock Band , The Vines also make their debut next week, with five tracks from the group's 2006 album, Vision Valley.

See full details of the update after the break.

Continue reading Rock Band Weekly: Sweet Billy Pilgrim tangled up in The Vines

Rock Band Weekly: Sweet Billy Pilgrim tangled up in The Vines originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Jul 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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07/07/2010

Blizzard To Require Real First and Last Names For Official Forums

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

06/18/2010

OnLive Goes Live, Did You Sign Up? [PC]

OnLive any future games come early , or snake oil dressed as cloud computing. What will determine which it ends up being is up to you, the user, and with the service now live, is anyone using? More ?

06/18/2010

OnLive Goes Live, if you sign up? [PC]

OnLive is either the future of video gaming come early, or snake oil dressed as cloud computing. What will determine which it ends up being is up to you, the user, and with the service now live, is anyone using? More ?

06/12/2010

E3 10: Marvel Vs Capcom 3 Dante and Deadpool confirmed

Here's the new Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 trailer. He 'received the news of your body craves. The bad news, still not Phoenix Wright. The good news is, there is a hint at a story, and Deadpool, and Dante both look great. with the game '\\' comic shaders "style, obviously, is suitable for Marvel 's Deadpool, Dante looks exactly like he did in Viewtiful Joe , but with a normal sized head.

We know that Dante and Deadpool likely Records Marvel Vs. Capcom March 's roster, but there's something special about seeing them show up in a legitimate trailer. It takes me back to a time long ago when I first saw fake-screenshots of Dante in fake-Marvel Vs. Capcom March All those years ago. Fake-Nosta becomes a reality. It sa 'a beautiful thing.

Hopefully I'll get some more info on the game's reportedly +30 character roster in a few days at E3.

E3 2010: Exclusive Teaser New Character [Gametrailers]

06/09/2010

There May Be Other Developers In BioShock's Future [Bioshock]

The first BioShock game was developed by Irrational Games. The second? 2K Marin. Don't be surprised if the next game in the series goes somewhere else. More ?

04/22/2010

PS3 Firmware 3.30 available now

According to the PlayStation.Blog, PS3 Firmware 3.30 ~~adds~~ "preps" the system for the forthcoming implementation of 3D gaming. (3D Blu-ray movie support will also be added in a future update.) In addition, everyone will be able to enjoy an enhanced Trophy collection, featuring new sorting methods to help better organize your PS3 achievements. The update is mandatory, so you should download and install the update if you plan on using any PSN functionality. (ProTip: Your download may be faster if you visit the PlayStation website and save the update to a memory card.)

Update: This update is in preparation for the launch of Sony's 3D support -- it does not appear to enable it just yet. We apologize for erroneously suggesting otherwise.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

PS3 Firmware 3,30 available now originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 23:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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05/13/2010

New Mass Effect 2 DLC 'Overlord' welcomed in June

Overlord, To read to expand Mass Effect 2, was apparently revealed yesterday at Electronic Arts' European showcase event in London. According to Gamerzines, ME2 director Casey Hudson described the DLC as "five levels set across one story on one planet," with players battling through a laboratory (and occasionally piloting the Hammerhead tank) to defeat an artificial intelligence. There is currently no price nor official release date.

Hudson also announced that no new squad mates would be added in the DLC, nor would there be in any future DLC. We'll be sure to update as soon as EA makes a formal announcement with more details.

[Via VG247]

New Mass Effect 2 DLC 'Overlord' welcomed in June originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 May 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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05/16/2010

Call Duty areas to look into the future, the way it

Activision has been quite busy recently registering domain names, and all for one brand. I'll give you one guess what it is, and the hint that it doesn't have to do with plastic instruments. Yup, the Call of DutySeries have recently been several domain names registered, and they may hint at where the series goes.

Activision registered callofdutyfuturewarfare.com, callofdutyfuturewarfare2.com and callofdutyfuturewarfare3.com on Tuesday showing that they are not only looking into the future of the franchise, but looking into the future for the franchise as well. On top of those three domains they also registered spacewarfare2.com, spacewarfare3.com, secretwarfare2.com and secretwarfare3.com. Finally, Advancedwarfare2.com , and advancedwarfare3.com were registered as well.

Of course, domain registration doesn 't mean these games ever made, but it seems that Activision at least thinking about taking the franchise into the future from 1 to 4 Sense of duty games currently in development (most likely with an act Sledgehammer '/ adventure Raven or 's rumored 1). Hopefully, these areas of space war, only general terms, because, as horror movies have shown, things that start on the ground, never to walk in space.

Superannuation [Via GameSpot UK , via never know tech]

06/15/2010

Microsoft Unveils Smaller Xbox 360 Model, Kinect Details

E3 kicked off today, and Microsoft took advantage of its early keynote presentation to show off a ton of new games and features for the Xbox 360. The biggest news for the very near future is that they're releasing a smaller, revamped version of the console, with immediate availability. It's black, it comes with a 250GB HDD and built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi support, and it's priced at $299. Microsoft also put a release date on Kinect, the motion control scheme formerly known as Project Natal: November 4 in the US. It will launch with 15 games, mostly casual-oriented, several of which were demonstrated on-stage. Many new Kinect features were shown as well, such as the dashboard interface, video chat (with support for playing movies both parties can watch), and a partnership with ESPN to provide live and on-demand sports, all controllable with hand gestures and voice commands. (It presently includes college football and basketball, soccer, the NBA, and MLB.) Also notable is a partnership with LucasArts for a Kinect Star Wars game, a fitness game from Ubisoft, and a Forza racing game that uses Kinect and allows players to inspect the cars with an impressive level of detail. Engadget's liveblog of the event has a bunch of pictures from the demonstrations, or you can read a more detailed play-by-play at Ars.

THQ may spike yearly UFC releases

2010-08-12T02:00:00.001-07:00

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08/11/2010

THQ may spike yearly UFC releases

Following slipping 2010 sales of MMA fighter, publisher says new franchise installments could come every 15 to 21 months.

THQ had a bona fide hit on its hands last year with UFC Undisputed 2009, its first foray into the nascent mixed martial arts genre. The in-the-Octagon brawler delivered a one-two combo of solid reviewsand sales, which exceeded 3.5 million units . In 2010, UFC had already seemed to sag, and THQ announced yesterday as part of its anemic earnings report April-June that this year's installment shipped--not sold--a markedly lower 2.7 million units.

UFC 2010 apparently needed more than just an ice pack to keep fighting.

"Yes, we will have a UFC title in fiscal '12," he said. "The question is timing, as I said. Could it be 15, 18, 21 months. That depends on both the scope of the game, the window, and how we want to release that game. So as I said in my prepared remarks, we thought maybe a 12 month cycle might be a little quick but it will be somewhere around 18 months, give or take a few months."

Currently, THQ plans to launch two more UFC-branded titles in the near future. The first will be a scaled-down version of UFC 2010 for the PSP, which is slated to arrive on September 7. Ushering in the New Year on January 1, the publisher plans to wade into the fitness genre with UFC Trainer, which will be compatible with Kinect for the Xbox 360, Move for the PlayStation 3, and the Wii.

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"THQ may spike yearly UFC releases" was posted by Tom Magrino on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:40:56 -0700

05/08/2010

Takeuchi know its Resident Evil 6 Participation

It sounds like that high-stakes game of Blackjack might not be necessary in deciding the producer of Resident Evil 6. In an interview with Xbox World 360 magazine (via online affiliate CVG), Resident Evil 5 and Lost Planet 2 producer Jun Takeuchi acknowledged his intent to give up a possible leadership role in developing the next installment in the series.

"Personally, I don't think I'm gonna deal with Resident Evil 6 at all," Takeuchi explained, "as far as the series is concerned I'm not planning to return until at least two more Olympics have passed!" You mean ... in four years? (Why couldn't he just say "in four years?")

Well then, we hope to hear more about the future of Resident Evil in just 1/24th of an Olympics calendar. Which is to say, in June, at E3 2010.

Takeuchi unsure about his Resident Evil 6 involvementoriginally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 7 May 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

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04/28/2010

Street Fighter champion Daigo Umehara joins up with Mad Catz

After completely rebuilding its image with the well-received Street Fighter IV FightSticks, and securing the rights to produce the official controllersfuture Rock Band games, Mad Catz is set to further position itself as a high-end controller company through a very targeted celebrity endorsement.

Daigo "The Beast" Umehara, last seen battling US champ Justin Wong at Capcom's Fight Club, is considered one of the best Street Fighter players in the world. He'll now use and promote Mad Catz's arcade sticks at tournaments. That's great for him and all, but the partnership benefits us as well: in addition to acting as a pitchman, Umehara will offer his considerable expertise to Mad Catz during the design process on future joysticks. Usually, we'd roll our eyes at a "pro gamer" attaching his name to peripherals, but there's a promise of really nice arcade sticks here!

Source [PDF]: Mad Catz Announces Champion Gamer 'Daigo "The Beast" Umehara' Joins Team Mad Catz

Street Fighter champion Daigo Umehara joins up with Mad Catz originally appeared on Joystiqon Tues 27 April, 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

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08/07/2010

Preview: Deca Sports Freedom

At E3, Hudson announced that it was bringing its Deca Sports franchise -- which has sold more than 2.5 million units worldwide on Wii and DS -- to Kinect this fall. The controller-free compilation of sports offers the following events:

snowboard cross
beach volleyball
figure skating
mogul skiing
dodgeball
paintball
archery
boxing
tennis
Kendo

As you can see, many of the mini-games in Freedom aren't what you'd typically expect from a sports title. That's because this game has been designed from the ground up for Kinect -- it's not merely a port of one of the Wii Deca Sports games. I saw the game last week in New York, and came away impressed. (Special thanks to PR man Ron Burgess, who suffered through the indignity of the figure-skating mode for me, when he could've picked any of the other, less dainty games.)

Deca Sports Freedom(Kinect for Xbox 360)
Developer: Hudson Soft
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
To be released: November 2010

First, Ron demoed tennis for me. Its visuals aren't going to amaze anyone; they're serviceable, but they get the job done for this kind of videogame. What is impressive about tennis in Deca Sports Freedom is the fidelity of the experience. In tennis, you stand in front of the Kinect sensor and swing; just like in Wii Sports, the game handles your movement for you. Thanks to Kinect, the game can detect subtleties in your swing that will determine the type of shot you make.

This means that you can spin your wrist downward as you swing to initiate a slice, or swing hard and continue your follow-through for a cross-court winner. If you time your shot perfectly, you'll get a power boost (seen in the header image to this preview). It's this kind of functionality that makes me think that technology like Kinect has a promising future ahead.

Next, Ron decided to man up and show me the figure-skating game. Again, your on-screen character will skate around the rink by him- or herself. The game marks spots on the ice and tasks you with performing gestures -- which correspond to figure-skating moves such as jumps, spins, and jump-spins -- in those spots. The better you time your gesture (i.e., the closer you get to the center of the on-ice circle), the higher your score. If you miss, your character falls on his or her ass.

As you can imagine, the combination of seeing Ron struggle to do ballerina-like poses in front of a TV and watching his avatar fall on the ice a few times was nearly too much for me to handle without bursting out in laughter. I think I managed to keep myself (mostly) composed, though. Figure skating is definitely one of those "make yourself look like an ass" Kinect games. It also has the capacity to burn some calories, although it's no EA Sports Active 2.

Deca Sports Freedom will include online play, as well as two-player co-op and competitive play. For example, you can play doubles in tennis -- either on the same team, or against each other. In addition, you can unlock Adidas-branded clothing for your Xbox 360 Avatar by doing well in the game. Hudson hasn't announced a price yet, but if the other eight games work as well as tennis and figure skating, Freedom could be a good purchase to show off Kinect to your families.

08/06/2010

Operation Flashpoint: Red River First Impressions

Codemasters Operation Flashpoint promises to improve throughout the Red River, as we learned during a visit to the studio.

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Our session started with Red River's creative director Sion Lenton laying out his plans for the game. "We want to offer a personalised vision of conflict," he said, before demonstrating his vision by showing clips from The Hurt Locker, Generation Kill, and Jarhead

Dragon Rising's fictional open world of Skira was a technical accomplishment, but this time around, Lenton and his team are placing the theatre of war in a more realistic light. First of all, it's a real location in the form of Tajikistan--a country in Central Asia close to China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. As with other Operation Flashpoint games, Red River will take place in the not-too-distant future, with a number of Afghani insurgents having made their way into the country. The US moves its forces in to try to control the problem, but with the conflict happening on its doorstep, the Chinese People's Liberation Army begins to take notice. You once again play as an American soldier caught up in the conflict, and the single-player campaign will focus on three acts that see you first entering the country and holding the insurgents, "getting your arse kicked," according to Lenton, and then launching a counterattack that "levels Tajikistan to the ground."

The location itself may only be about the same physical size as Skira was in Dragon Rising, but it promises to be much more varied in terms of scenery. The country declared independence from the Soviet Union in the early '90s, but much of the architecture remains, giving the buildings a striking look against the dusty desert backdrops. The country is also surrounded by huge mountains, making an imposing background, with some of them snow capped as well. "Our engine loves this kind of s***," boasts Linton, giving a nod to Codemasters' own in-house Ego engine that's powering the game.

These concept renders show the new location, Tajikistan, and the gritty look Codemasters is aiming for.

Our time at the studio also allowed us to see additions that individual departments have made to the game. The visual aesthetic that's being applied to Red River is particularly interesting, in that the team is looking to re-create modern warfare as captured by the people on the ground and then consumed by people back home through platforms, such as YouTube. This has resulted in menu screens that will have intentional visual artefacts, such as hot pixels and lens aberrations, while close proximity explosions will damage the picture--almost as if they've ripped a cable out of the back of your TV. It doesn't appear as if Codemasters is going to go as far as Io Interactive has with Kane & Lynch 2, but Lenton admits, "we want it to look glitchy."

On the multiplayer side, Lenton wants to expand on what the team achieved in Dragon Rising and include as many different modes as possible. He talked about a defensive mode called Last Stand, as well as Combat Sweep, where you and your team have to flush out all enemies from a defensive location. There will also be a Convoy mode where you have to escort a moving target, as well as simple Search & Rescue. Rather than reusing locations from the single-player game, the multiplayer will have its own dedicated area of Tajikistan in the bottom right of the map. The progression, however, will be consistent between single-player and multiplayer, meaning you can always be earning XPs to upgrade your soldier.

The Operation Flashpoint series has made a name for itself as one of the most realistic on the market, and Red River promises to be the most brutal game in the series yet. One big improvement has to do with the human-damage model. We were shown a technical demonstration of wounds that can be applied to soldiers. They can have separate parts of their bodies blown off, with the flesh becoming charred right down to the bone. Thankfully, the team is also aiming to make this the most accessible Flashpoint ever, with a new command tree system that groups orders by type and is context sensitive depending on where you're looking. So, if you're aiming at a target you want to attack, it should be easier than ever to tell your teammates exactly what you want them to do.

It's still relatively early for Red River, but already, it's looking like an improvement on last year's game. The development team employs what it calls an "agile sprint" development system, which means that art assets are regularly delivered from a dedicated team in Kuala Lumpur and builds can improve dramatically in the space of a few short weeks. The game is currently scheduled for release in 2011 on the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, and we'll hopefully be able to bring you an updated look in the run-up to its release.

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"Operation Flashpoint: Red River First Impressions" was posted by Guy Cocker on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 02:29:04 -0700

05/19/2010

Epic's Mike Capps: PC piracy 'changed our business model'

Recent comments from Epic Games president Mike Capps in Edge Magazine (via Develop) show the developer's frustration with the PC piracy scene, as well as its hesitance to fully embrace the platform. "We still do PC, we still love the PC, but we already saw the impact of piracy: it killed a lot of great independent developers and completely changed our business model," Capps said.

Of course, Epic's shift to console development (think: Gears of War) also makes a lot of cents ... err, sense. "And now, people are saying 'why do you hate the PC? You're a console-only company.' It's because the money's on consoles," he said. Capps' candid stance likely doesn't preclude future success on PC -- there's still fertile land out there -- but for now, Epic has prioritized console blockbusters.

It's a shame it'll have to miss out on that $13 billion pie, though. We know how much Cliff Bleszinski likes his pie.

Epic's Mike Capps: PC piracy 'changed our business model'initially appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 May 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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08/01/2010

Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is finally havin' a Summah

It seems that, at least for the moment, the temperature has cooled to something below its "melt everything" settingand we can finally - finally! -- have ourselves a Summah! What's that? You're scared to have a Summah? Don't be crazy! Let the yucks linked below warm you up before getting out of that recycled air and to the boardwalk. Afraid you'll get splinters? Grab a pair of sandals! Have a Summah! Worried you'll get side-splints from the hilarious comics? Oh, well, we've got nothing for you there.

Don't forget to vote for your favorite in the poll after the jump -- and remember, have a Summah!

Frogger (xkcd)
What is Love? (Virtual Shackles)
Everyone's Nicknamed Stubs(From the noobs and men)
Kirby 's Pet (Brawl in the Family)
Inertia (Digital Unrest)
Untitled (Another Videogame Webcomic)
Ignorance (Awkward Zombie)

Continue reading Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is finally havin' a Summah

Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is finally havin' a Summahoriginally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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07/29/2010

Will Carmine live or Die? His fate is now in your hands

As announced last week, Now you have the opportunity to decide the fate of Gears of War 3 character Clayton Carmine.
Head over to the Xbox LIVE Avatar Marketplace and register your vote by purchasing your choice of shirts:

Heâs the last oneâ¦he canât die! SAVE CARMINE (Male) (Female)

Screw itâ¦heâs outta here: CARMINE MUST DIE (Male) (Female)

Proceeds from the sale Save Carmine Carmine and Must Die avatar transmissions will play in the children , so cast your vote, donate to charity, and have your say in the future of the oldest member of the Carmine Clan.

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Analyst: Call of Duty Online could make $100 million in its first year

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2010-07-27T00:03:00.001-07:00

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07/31/2010

Analyst: Call of Duty Online could make $100 million in its first year

Rumors have been flying around about a subscription-based Call of Duty game for some time now -- Activision boss Bobby Kotick loves the idea, because he loves money, and the company's other subscription-based game, World of Warcraft, is quite the cash-printing machine. So why not go down that road?

Many still believe Activision will, including Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey. With the publisher's plans to break into China and Korea, Hickey said IndustryGamers he sees Call of Dutyas an ideal platform to achieve this goal and strengthen ties with NetEase , the online powerhouse of the Chinese market. "We expect the Company [NetEase] could extend their relationship with Activision Blizzard, by establishing an additional license to operate Call Of Duty Online in China and Blizzard's unannounced MMO, which will likely leverage their Battle.net platform," he said. "The eventuality of COD in China could bring an additional +$50 to +$100 million in sales and +$0.15 to +$0.30 in EPS in its first year of operation." EPS, to clarify, is short for "earnings per share."

Who knows what's in store for the future, but for now, rest assured: you won't ever have to fork over extra cash to play Modern Warfare 2 Online.

Analyst: Call of Duty Online could make $100 million in its first year originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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05/06/2010

StarCraft 2 and Battle.net to integrate Facebook features

Just when you thought your masterful Zerg Rushes couldn't get any more social -- you are reaching out and obliterating someone, after all -- Blizzard has announced that the new Battle.net and StarCraft 2 will soon sport Facebook features. The only feature mentioned in the announcement, however, is the ability to add StarCraft playing Facebook friends to your Battle.net friends list. The new feature will be added to the StarCraft 2 beta in "the near future" and should be available to all players when the full game hits retail this July.

It's worth noting that the press release refers to the friend finding feature as "the first step in integration," so it sounds like there will be more Facebook features added over time. As long as we're not flooded with status updates every time someone gets "pwned," we're all for it.

[Via Big Download]

StarCraft 2 and Battle.net to integrate Facebook featuresoriginally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 May 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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07/09/2010

Red 5's Offset-powered MMO still in the cards

Future Project Offset may look grim -- what with the team disbanded and its founders creating a new startup -- but it looks like the Offset Engine will live on. Red 5 Studios, which has been working on an MMO powered by the Offset Engine (concept art can be seen above) for the last several years, has informed Gamasutra that its project is still in the works, despite the Offset-related shenanigans at Intel. "While we are using a highly-modified version of the Project Offset engine," a representative said, "the closing of the Intel team does not impact our ability to complete our own project."

Very little is actually known about the project, though Red 5 itself was founded by former World of Warcraft team members. The studio ran into trouble earlier this year, reportedly laying off nearly 30 employees. Shortly thereafter, the majority stake of Red 5 was acquired by The9, the company once responsible for running World of Warcraft in China.

Red 5's Offset-powered MMO still in the cards originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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05/28/2010

Report: EA NBA Live retire the name, replacing it with NBA Elite '[\\'] update

According to the latest issue of OXM (via 1UP), EA resigns NBA Live name. Instead, the company will now be branding its franchise NBA Elite , starting with NBA Elite 11. We've checked the game's Twitter, Blog and news feed to no avail. We did manage to get into touch with an EA Sports spokesperson, who offered this statement:

"We knew it was time to leave the past behind. We have exciting and significant changes coming to our NBA game this year that will usher in the future of basketball videogames. We look forward to releasing information on exactly how we'll be doing that over the next few months."

It's hardly confirmation of the name change, but suggests there's something to this whole NBA Elite business. Anybody have a copy of OXM to confirm this? We'd mightily appreciate it!

Update: A tipster sent in an image of the OXM article in question. It looks like the news is legit: look forward to EA Sports NBA Elite 11 this fall.

Report: EA retiring NBA Live name, replacing it with 'NBA Elite' [update]originally appeared on Joystiq Thurs 27 May 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

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05/02/2010

Weekly Webcomic Wrapup, now with Bungivision!

Can you see it, folks? It's the future! And it's filled with Bungie and Bungie-related spinoff games -- and it's soon! That's right: for the next ten years, we'll be seeing the world through our Bungivision-tinted glasses, forgetting all about that scuttlebutt that went down between the "Modern Whatsitfare 6" (or whatever) developer and Activision, like, forever ago.

For now though, we'll just keep right on reading these weekly webcomic releases and looking forward to the next pew-pew title, hoping that if we miss any especially fantastic comics, you'll let us know in the comments section below. Bungivision ... Activate!

Untitled (Another Video Game Webcomic)
Lottery (NerfNow)
How a Bill Becomes a Law (Virtual Shackles)
Shifting Gears (2P Start)
A Boy Must Learn, Part Three (Penny Arcade)
Revenge (The Great Indoors)
Akela frowns mightily (Sidescroller)

Continue reading Weekly Webcomic Wrapup, now with Bungivision!

Weekly comic Wrapup, now with Bungivision! originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 May 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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06/18/2010

Professor Layton and the Unwound Future Hands-On

The professor and Luke are off on another adventure, one that involves time travel.

The third game in the series, Professor Layton is finally here and will be available in the North America in the autumn. Leighton Professor and unwound the future is part of the first trilogy, but it won 't be the last professor Leighton games we LL' see, given that we have seen in the 3D version works under the name of Professor Leighton and the mask of a miracle.

We learn from the start that Luke has received a letter from his future self and this is just one of the many mysteries that the duo will eventually have to solve. The pair head off to London to see the unveiling and of a time machine, invented by a Dr. Alain Strahngun. Of course the presentation goes horribly wrong, and now Luke must follows directions that were given by his future self to see where it all leads.

Those who are familiar with the series will feel right at home with the game. You still navigate with the stylus by tapping on the shoe in the corner, and you click around the touch screen to find coins, talk to people and solve puzzles. There is now a super hint that costs two hints coins if you want the answer to the puzzle once you've exhausted your three initial clues. This is not a bad option, as long as you have the coins to spare. It will at least save you the time of resetting the game if you're keen on getting the maximum amount of picarats.

The first few puzzles were fairly easy, ranging in the 10 to 20 picarats range. As usual they test your critical thinking ability but really, sometimes it's about reading the question carefully and finding the right approach. We look forward to playing more of Professor Layton and the Unwound Future and we will soon when the game is released September 20.

Read and write comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

"Professor Layton and the Unwound Future Hands-On\\ "Was posted on Sophia Tong on Thurs June 17, 2010 17:04:11 -0700

07/28/2010

Dungeon Siege 3 gets cinematic debut trailer

Obsidian's take on the Dungeon SiegeSeries Dungeon Siege 3, has gotten itself a teasing cinematic trailer, which you can watch right now if you so desire. Go on, treat yourself. You deserve it. Or something.

It looks cool, but to me the best part of the video is how it starts with "From the makers of Fallout: New Vegast "that Hasn t 'was released even more. Aren" you usually have to boast about their previous games, when they' ve received critical acclaim and massive sales? Or at least wait until they become past games instead of future ones?

Still, I can't blame them for using a game that hasn't even launched yet. Obsidian knows as well as I do that "From the makers of Alpha Protocol" just wouldn't sound very good. Obsidian knows what that game is. Obsidian always knew.

Fortunately, the two screenshots that just recently launched alongside the trailer already make this game look more polished than Obsidian's last release. Hopefully there won't be any rushed deadlines or corporate stickybeaking like there was with Alpha, and we'll have a really good game on our hands. Joking aside, I really do hope this is good.

07/28/2010

The plot thickens: More on Enslaved's inspired journey to the West

Enslaved: Odyssey to the Westwas one of my favorite names at E3 this year. He 'was amazing history of the foundation on which Ninja Theory has established a solid fight, Jazzed up the great art direction. Last week at Comic-Con, I talked with Namco Bandai brand manager Laili Bosma, who filled in the background for the game and more fleshed out game mechanics that shape this promising action adventure.

The game 's key aspect is the relationship between its two main characters. Although their names and key individuals were taken from the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West Emphasizes that Bosma Enslaved is "very, very loosely based" on the famous tale. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic future where Trip, a fragile 19-year-old redhead, embarks on a perilous journey to return home. In order to survive, she recruits the player-controlled Monkey, a brutish slave, bound to Trip by a deadly, magical headband.

Gallery: Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (07/09/10)

Continue reading The plot thickens: More on Enslaved's inspired journey to the West

The plot thickens: More on Enslaved's inspired journey to the Westoriginally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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07/28/2010

38 Studios headed to Rhode Island

Former star baseball pitcher Curt Schilling's RPG-centric shop pulling up stakes from Mass. after diminutive neighboring state OKs $75 million in loan guarantees.

When you hear the word "Rhode Island," game is not the first thing that comes to mind. Nevertheless, ministate found that changing. In accordance with Boston Globe report, the New England state's economic development corporation voted eight to one to guarantee $75 million in loans to entice role-playing game developer 38 Studios to relocate. The shop, founded by former all-star baseball pitcher Curt Schilling, is currently based in suburban Boston, Massachusetts.

Kingdoms of Amalur developer 38 studios is getting $75 million in loans to relocate to RI.

Schilling said Globe, "I've invested a significant amount of my life's earnings in 38 Studios, and I will protect the loan guarantee that's been given by the state [of Rhode Island] with the same passion and interest that I'm protecting my own investment in this company. Our paths are very much aligned."

The newspaper reported that under the terms of the deal, 38 Studios could bring up to 450 jobs to Rhode Island by the end of 2012. That would be one year after the shop's first title, the single-player role-playing game Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, ships. The Globe notes that the uncertainty of the Electronic Arts-published title's success poses a risk for Rhode Island taxpayers, since they would have to pay off the balance of the $75 million loan should 38 Studios fold.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning was shown off at Comic-Con last week in San Diego. Unlike the studios other major project--an unnamed massively multiplayer game--it will be a single-player RPG. In development at Rise of Nations studio Big Huge Games, which was bought by 38 Studios in 2009, the title was cocreated by comic-book artist Todd McFarlane (Spawn) and fantasy author R.A. Salvatore (The DemonWars Saga). Both men helped Hall of Fame baseball pitcher Curt Schilling found 38 Studios--then called Green Monster Games--in 2006 and respectively serve as art director and "executive creator of worlds" at the Maynard, Massachusetts, studio--which may move to Rhode Island in the not-too-distant future.

Read and write comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

"38 Studios headed to Rhode Island" was posted by Tor Thorsen on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:13:29 -0700

07/21/2010

Kinect bundled with slim 4GB Xbox 360 Arcade for $300, new console for $200 in August

In addition to Kinect retail pricing, Microsoft announced a brand-new Xbox console: a 4GB Xbox 360 "slim" meant to replace the Xbox 360 Arcade SKU. "It will go on sale August 3rd in North America," Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg told Joystiq, "and later in the month of August around the world." This $200 console will sport the same new look as the Xbox 360 slim, "except it will have a matte finish," Greenberg said. Though there are currently no Xbox 360 hard drives on the market that support the new "slim" form factor, Greenberg told us that this 4GB unit "absolutely does have that expansion bay that we have the opportunity to use in the future." Between 16GB USB thumb drives and 4GB of internal storage, the entry-level Xbox is more attractive than ever.

Microsoft also detailed a Kinect bundle, featuring the aforementioned 4GB Xbox 360 along with the Kinect sensor and Kinect Adventures for $ 300. "We believe that this is really crucial," said Greenberg. "We believe that the launch of this product will be driving a brand new range of new consumers in the Xbox 360 family."

Hoping for another game besides Kinect Adventures in the kit? Greenberg noted that Kinect Adventures is it for bundles. "We feel like that's really the perfect title to include [...] It's got the great jump-in, jump-out multiplayer gameplay as well." The $300 Xbox 360 Kinect bundle will be available alongside standalone $150 Kinect sensors at retailers on November 4th.

Update: @ AceyBongos (think Major Nelson, but with an accent) just let Twitter know that the European prices are "149.99 Euro for the camera + Kinect Adventures, 299.99 Euro for the 4GB console bundle." Some quick Google math puts those prices at roughly $200 and $390, respectively.

Gallery: 4GB Xbox 360, standalone and Kinect bundle

Continue reading Kinect complete with 4 GB slim Xbox 360 Arcade for $ 300, the new console for $ 200 in August

Kinect bundled with slim 4GB Xbox 360 Arcade for $300, new console for $200 in August originally appeared on Joystiqon Tues, July 20, 2010 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

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07/20/2010

THQ talks Saints Row movie, Red Faction SyFy series

Publishing exec Danny Bilson talks cross-media efforts, teases original IP game and movie in conjunction with major filmmaker.

THQ is a big game tie-in plans for the future and, accordingly, sufficient, since 22 th century sci-fi shooter series Red Faction. Published in conjunction with NBC Universal-owned cable channel SyFy produce two-hour movie pilot called Red Faction: Origins , which will air around the time Red Faction: Armageddon launches in March.

Sources Red Faction will debut as a two-hour TV movie next March but could become much more.

Danny Bilson, executive vice president of THQ's core gaming business, first revealed the publisher's latest trans-media plans in an investor's conference call during the Electronic Entertainment Expo, but recently discussed them in greater detail with GameSpot.

Bilson outlined several key aspects of its various game tie-modules, including Red Faction Origins

While Saints Row worked best as a film (it's a little too R-rated for most TV networks, Bilson said), Sources Red Faction made perfect sense as a TV movie for SyFy.

"The thing with SyFy is they wanted to get in business with us on multiple things. We thought about what would be good for SyFy, and Red Faction felt like a no-brainer for a couple reasons," Bilson said. "One is that it's producible on a television budget. It takes place on a terraformed Mars where people can breathe and a lot of it is natural terrain with vehicles and spaceships and different factions."

Depending on how well Red Faction Origins turns out and performs, it could be expanded into a full TV season of episodes a la Battlestar Galactica. Bilson said the movie will tell a self-contained story, but one that is designed to push the fiction into a regular episodic format.

\\ "All these elements are actually in support of games," Billson said. "They 're not a big revenue driver or something like that. It' is actually about how we can make a world of cool, fans more access points to the game they enjoy, and how we can make game even more important when it comes out. "

One thing that Bilson said separates THQ's efforts from those of its competitors is that announced projects will come to fruition much more consistently. Instead of licensing out its intellectual property or letting other people take it through the film development process, the publisher makes partnership deals with "guarantees to picture." As a result, THQ films should avoid the development purgatory that has claimed game-to-film adaptations like the Halo movie.

Despite that insistence on releasing finished products, Bilson said the company is mindful about the damage done by substandard tie-ins.

"One thing about trans-media is you can't have a bad piece because it ruins the whole thing," Bilson said, adding, "With these partnerships, if it's not good, we can stop it."

While THQ will continue pushing its existing intellectual properties into new media where it makes sense, Bilson said the publisher is also taking another approach to the idea. He said the company is working on a partnership with a "major filmmaker" that will see a game and film project for a new intellectual property developed jointly from the ground up, though specific details aren't yet ready to be announced.

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"THQ talks Saints Row movie, Red Faction SyFy series\\ "Was posted on Brendan Sinclair on Mon, July 19, 2010 11:11:01 -0700

07/20/2010

THQ talks Saints Row movie, Red Faction SyFy series

Publishing exec Danny Bilson talks cross-media efforts, teases original IP game and movie in conjunction with major filmmaker.

THQ has big gaming tie-in plans for the future, and appropriately enough, it is starting with the 22nd-century sci-fi shooter series Red Faction. The publisher has teamed with the NBC Universal-owned cable channel SyFy to produce a two-hour movie pilot called Red Faction: OriginsWho will get on the air around the time Red Faction: Armageddon starts March.

Red Faction Origins will debut as a two-hour TV movie next March but could become much more.

Danny Bilson, executive vice president of THQ 's core gaming business, showed the first publisher' s the last trans-media plans, investor 's conference at Electronic Entertainment Expo , but recently discussed them in greater detail with GameSpot.

Bilson outlined several key aspects of its various gaming tie-ins, including Red Faction Origins, the upcoming Saints Row movie, and a De Blob kids' project with SyFy. Both the De Blob and Red Faction efforts will debut in March, with the Saints Row film expected around the time of the next game in the series next year. That will be the publisher's biggest trans-media effort to date, Bilson said, with the movie and game accompanied by Xbox Live and PlayStation Network content, collectible card games with digital code unlocks for the game, novelizations, apparel, and other tie-in merchandise.

While Saints Row worked best as a film (it's a little too R-rated for most TV networks, Bilson said), Red Faction Origins made perfect sense as a TV movie for SyFy.

Depending on how Sources Red Faction It turns out and performs, it can be expanded to a full TV season episodes of a-la Battlestar Galactica. Bilson said the movie will tell a self-contained story, but one that is designed to push the fiction into a regular episodic format.

"All of these pieces are really to support the games," Bilson said. "They're not big revenue drivers or anything like that. It's really about how we can make the universe cool, give fans more access points to a game they enjoy, and how we can make a game more important when it comes out."

Despite that insist on the release of finished products, Billson said that the company is mindful of the damage from low-quality tie-ins.

"One thing about trans-media is you can't have a bad piece because it ruins the whole thing," Bilson said, adding, "With these partnerships, if it's not good, we can stop it."

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

"THQ talks Saints Row movie, Red Faction SyFy series" was posted by Brendan Sinclair on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:11:01 -0700

07/20/2010

THQ talks Saints Row movie, Red Faction SyFy series

Publishing exec Danny Bilson talks cross-media efforts, teases original IP game and movie in conjunction with major filmmaker.

THQ is a big game tie-in plans for the future and, accordingly, sufficient, since 22 th century sci-fi shooter series Red Faction. Published in conjunction with NBC Universal-owned cable channel SyFy produce two-hour movie pilot called Red Faction: OriginsWho will get on the air around the time Red Faction: Armageddon starts March.

Sources Red Faction will debut as a two-hour TV movie next March but could become much more.

Bilson outlined several key aspects of its various gaming tie-ins, including Red Faction Origins

While Saints Row worked best as a film (it's a little too R-rated for most TV networks, Bilson said), Red Faction Origins made perfect sense as a TV movie for SyFy.

Depending on how well Red Faction OriginsIt turns out and performs, it can be expanded to a full TV season episodes of a-la Battlestar Galactica . Bilson said the movie will tell a self-contained story, but one that is designed to push the fiction into a regular episodic format.

Despite that insistence on releasing finished products, Bilson said the company is mindful about the damage done by substandard tie-ins.

"One thing about trans-media is you can't have a bad piece because it ruins the whole thing," Bilson said, adding, "With these partnerships, if it's not good, we can stop it."

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

"THQ talks Saints Row movie, Red Faction SyFy series" was posted by Brendan Sinclair on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:11:01 -0700