News and Notes: Video Game Edition

[The Rick]

Simpsons Arcade Game rated for multiple platforms link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/simpsons-arcade-game-rated-for-multiple-platforms-6344641?tag=newstop%3Btitle%3B12)


Originally released in 1991, The Simpsons Arcade Game was a four-player beat-'em-up from Konami. The game allowed players to plow through side-scrolling levels as Bart, Lisa, Homer, and Marge, pummeling generic suit-wearing bad guys, Matt Groening Life is Hell extras, and recognizable residents of Springfield alike. The arcade game was ported to the PC and Commodore 64 the same year, but never made it to the consoles of the time.

In 2009, Electronic Arts released a mobile phone game called The Simpsons Arcade, but the new classification suggests that the project is unrelated. Handed down yesterday, the listing details Konami as the publisher and retro specialist Backbone Entertainment as the developer. The Emeryville, California-based studio has previously released downloadable versions of Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, and Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. It also developed Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection, a compilation of 40 games from Sega's 16-bit system, for the Xbox 360 and PS3.

The Simpsons is another in a line of downloadable console ports for Konami's licensed coin-op games of the late '80s and early '90s. Last year, Konami and Backbone teamed up to release X-Men: The Arcade Game on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The publisher also worked with Ubisoft for 2007's Xbox 360 release of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game and in 2009 saw the French publisher remake the game's arcade sequel, Turtles in Time.

[The Rick]

Game of Thrones action RPG in the works for 2012 release
link (http://kotaku.com/5857967/take-the-black-in-the-first-screens-from-the-game-of-thrones-action-rpg/gallery/1)


Winter is coming. A Lannister always pays his debts. Incest kills the little children. Whichever Game of Thrones catchphrases you prefer, it's hard to not get excited about Cyanide Studios' upcoming action role-playing game, especially after seeing the first screens.

In development for years at Cyanide and due to be published in early 2012 by Atlus for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, Game of Thrones has a lot more going for it than association with one of the most popular fantasy television series of all time.

For one, it's got an original story written under the supervision of author George. R.R. Martin, featuring a pair of original characters, both veterans of Robert's Rebellion, whose actions will help shape the future of the Seven Kingdoms


Launch site for game (http://gameofthrones-thegame.com/)

[Vice]

I spent a ridiculous amount of money on the Simpsons arcade game back in the day. It on XBLA = instabuy.

[Guy]

Yea I'd be there.

Though I have played it on MAME a bunch of times.

Although saying this, it HAS to have online capabilities. That's a deal breaker for me.

[Atty]

I may have passed right over it, but is there a date on The Simpson's Arcade Game?

[The Rick]

I may have passed right over it, but is there a date on The Simpson's Arcade Game?



not yet. The project was just outed by the Australian ratings board two days ago. From what I understand, in Australia video games have to be presented quite early for approval before they hit the Australian market.
link to Australian Classification Database (http://www.classification.gov.au/www/cob/find.nsf/5c2433d416948a0bca25759f00820d25/7a7437b0e474a89bca2579430057fdc4?OpenDocument)

************
Steam forum hackers gain access to information
link to story (http://www.gamespot.com/news/steam-forum-hackers-gain-access-to-information-6344762?tag=newstop%3Btitle%3B1) gamespot.com


Hacking activities have been the story of the year within the game industry, and the latest victim is Portal creator Valve Corporation. On Sunday, the Washington-based game company's message forums for its digital distribution platform Steam were infiltrated by a hacker collective. It now appears as if the culprits accomplished more than just vandalizing the website.

In a message sent to Steam users and forum-goers today, Valve managing director Gabe Newell said that the hacker group gained access to the Steam database in addition to its forums. In so doing, the individuals involved had access to various pieces of information, including "user names, hashed and salted passwords, game purchases, email addresses, billing addresses, and encrypted credit card information."

Newell said that the company currently has no indication that the intruders took any of the encrypted credit card numbers or personal identifying information. He also said there is no evidence that encrypted credit card numbers or passwords had been cracked. However, Valve is still investigating the attack.

As a result of the security breach, Newell said that all forum users will be required to change their passwords the next time they log in to the message boards. However, as it does not appear as if any Steam accounts were compromised, Newell said that it will only be advisable, and not mandatory, to change these passwords.

Currently, the Steam forums are offline. Valve plans to reopen them "as soon as we can."

[Guy]

Valve are a good two months behind on their Left 4 Dead 2 DLC. Bastards.

[Atty]

They made Portal and Portal 2 so you and your few extra pounds are forbidden from calling them bastards. Especially after your birth parents abandoned you.

[Guy]

Bah Portal and Portal 2 are old news. I want the new.

And the new is a DLC add on for a game that was released two years ago, which adds levels from the original game that was released three years ago.

[Atty]

They released dlc for Portal like two weeks ago.

And Portal > you. Whoever is reading this, it's true. No debating facts. That's science.

[Dubya]

Pretty fucking stoked for both the Simpsons arcade game and the Game of Thrones RPG. I'll tear that shit up.

[Beefy]

I always prefered the Turtles arcade game to The Simpsons but I'll still pick this up if it comes to PSN. It's surely made for drop-in/drop-out online play though.

[Atty]

I'd love for them to do an all out remake of the Turtles Arcade Game. Remaking arcade games for dlc is really a great idea. It lets them touch them up and stuff like TMNT, Simpson's and (were they to do it) Double Dragon would all get my money.

I only got the Turtles in Time remake as they were taking it down from psn and xbl, but wound up having a ball with it. Great fun on four player of you have friends over. I see Simpsons being very much the same.

[Excel]

Streets of Rage Remake plzkthx

[Kyle_242]

Ugh, I HATED that Turtles in Time remake. I don't really see why they need to overhaul classics, especially in terms of graphics...I think Capcom generally gets it right by just porting the arcade version but adding various filters you can use. I kinda like my retro games pixelated, and I don't care if I'm playing 4:3 on a HDTV, but there's no harm to adding all the visual customization options for people who prefer a smoother or widescreen look.

Also this is just a flash game, but it looks rad and may have given me a boner:

Abobo's Big Adventure - Trailer - YouTube

[The Rick]

Pretty fucking stoked for both the Simpsons arcade game and the Game of Thrones RPG. I'll tear that shit up.

The game seems to be coming sooner than I though. The Atlus website lists Game of Thrones as early 2012. link (http://www.atlus.com/)

I think that the property is in good hands with Atlus. They have published some good RPGs as of late. Demon Souls, 3D Dot Game Hero, and the Persona series are some of the well received RPG games under their cultivation.

I have not, however, played anything from the studio that is making it. Game of Thrones is being developed by Cyanide studios. The studio began as 8 people broke away from UbiSoft in 2000 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanide_%28studio%29). Being a little known developer isn't a bad thing though. Remember, Rocksteady was in obscurity until it made a little game called Batman Arkham Asylum.

[Guy]

Max Payne 3 Design and Technology Series: Creating a Cutting Edge Action-Shooter - YouTube

I want it I want it I want it.

[The Rick]

Next Xbox in 2012, PS4 dev ramping up - Report
Gamespot story (http://www.gamespot.com/news/next-xbox-in-2012-ps4-dev-ramping-up-report-6346197?tag=newstop%3Btitle%3B8)


It appears next-generation console rumors are coming to a consensus. Edge today reported that Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, and other unspecified major developers are developing games for the successor to the Xbox 360 with a late 2012 launch expected.

According to the site, Ubisoft Montreal and "certain EA studios" are working on games with Microsoft-provided "target boxes" that use off-the-shelf computer parts matching the planned specifications for the company's next console. The first legitimate devkits for the system are expected to be provided to developers by the end of this year. The given late-2012 release window lines up with rumors from last week that pegged the next Xbox as launching in the holiday season next year.

Edge also provided a corroborating take for another next-generation rumor that had been floating around, this one about Sony's next PlayStation. Last month, rumors circulated that Sony had begun work on PlayStation 4 games--a notion backed up by Edge's report that "one major Sony-owned studio has now ceased PlayStation 3 development" to work on the next console from the electronics giant.

**********
Kojima talks Metal Gear Solid 5
Gamespot story link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/kojima-talks-metal-gear-solid-5-6346286?tag=newstop%3Btitle%3B1)


It is no surprise that more Metal Gear Solid is on the way. Series creator Hideo Kojima has even alluded to the next mainline title in the past, but the fifth game in the series has now been confirmed via a teaser for the next issue of the Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK.

Kojima is set to occupy the cover of the next issue of OPM, and along with that comes word that he will be openly discussing his plans for Metal Gear Solid 5. No other details outside of the game's confirmation were revealed.

Recent rumors have pinned Kojima's next project as powered by the Fox Engine, which was publicly shown for the first time during Konami's E3 press conference this year. Beyond MGS 5, the tease reveals that Kojima will also be discussing "Project Ogre," his desire to kill off Solid Snake, and what life after Metal Gear may hold.

Metal Gear Solid 4 came out in 2008, and teases about the next installment in the series have persisted since then. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker for PSP landed last year, and in the run-up to its release was heralded by Kojima himself as a "full-scale sequel." Metal Gear Solid: Rising is also still under development, and is expected to resurface at next month's Video Game Awards.

For those who may not quite be up to date with Kojima's signature series, the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection--containing Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 3, and Peace Walker--hit shelves last week.

[Excel]

anyone know why MGS HD has been delayed for 3 months in Europe? What could possibly take them that long to change from the US version?

[The Rick]

EA under Fire in Germany over Origin, Battlefield 3
Nov 1, 2011
gamepolitics.com (http://gamepolitics.com/2011/11/01/ea-under-fire-germany-over-origin-battlefield-3)


Overclock.net has gathered an avalanche of stories related to how Battlefield 3 and Origin are being received in Germany (thanks to Solarian for tip). The short answer is that Germans seem to hate it because of the company's terms of service and what Origin is doing on people's PCs.

The first article in German gaming magazine GameStar features an analysis of the ToS by a German lawyer, who says that it enables EA to gather all kinds of information on the computer for some vague use. They call this a "massive privacy violation."

Another damning bit of information comes from the Amazon forums, where a user shows off a YouTube video of Origin accessing programs it shouldn't. The video maker claims that Origin accessed a tax management program and their cellphone management software. They found this by using a process monitor. That video can be found here. Naturally this is not helping the game's rating on Amazon's German site.

Another story linked by Overclock.net says that German retailer Media Markt/Saturn is accepting opened returns of the game at its retail outlets.

The print media is even getting on the bandwagon; Lübecker Zeitung ran a story recently with the headline, "Datatrap in new shootergame." "Games giant wants to spy on customers" is a recent headline of weekly newspaper Der Spiegel. Finally, if you understand German, this news report will be of interest.

EA: “Origin is not spyware”
pcgamer.com (http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/11/01/ea-origin-is-not-spyware/) Nov 1, 2011 by Nathan Grayson


This isn’t the first time EA’s Origin service has raised eyebrows (and ire) for its unflinchingly iron-fisted EULA. Now, though, the service is under fire in exciting new locales – primarily from German paper the Spiegel (via Eurogamer) – for allegedly granting EA the ability to access other EA programs without notifying users and giving “partners” free rein to collect information on “IP addresses, usage data, software, equipment, software usage and existing hardware peripherals” for marketing purposes. According to the Spiegel, these things may even violate German privacy laws.

EA, however, isn’t hurriedly thrusting any red hands behind its back. This, claims the publisher, absolutely isn’t what it looks like.

“We have updated the End User License Agreement of Origin, in the interests of our players to create more clarity,” EA Germany said in a statement. “Origin is not spyware. Neither do we use nor install spyware on the PCs of users.”

“We do not have access to information such as pictures, documents or personal data, which have nothing to do with the execution of the Origin program on the system of the player, neither will they be collected by us. EA takes the privacy of its users very seriously. We have taken every precaution to protect the personal and anonymous user data collected.”

To conclude, EA noted that its EULA sticks to the “industry standard” where privacy is concerned – but added that it’s certainly open to addressing any concerns the German government might have.

Even so, it always bears repeating: Actually read the EULA before clicking the “Why yes, you may harvest my healthy internal organs in the event of a global pandemic” button. It’s time-consuming, sure, but – much as I wish more elements of kindergarten carried over into the real world – there aren’t any takesies-backsies here.

[grimshaw]

LOL I love how much everyone adores Steam but constantly shits on any competitor for doing totally normal stuff that everyone (including steam) does.

[Beefy]

anyone know why MGS HD has been delayed for 3 months in Europe? What could possibly take them that long to change from the US version?

It's exactly the same delay that we got with MGS2 and MGS3 which were both delayed due to production issues. I presume it's cheaper for them to do a staged release than to produce enough discs to release Worldwide for day one.

I'm expecting a little bonus content to make up for it although I'm toying with the idea of picking the US version up when I'm in the States next month.

[Atty]

It's exactly the same delay that we got with MGS2 and MGS3 which were both delayed due to production issues. I presume it's cheaper for them to do a staged release than to produce enough discs to release Worldwide for day one.

I'm expecting a little bonus content to make up for it although I'm toying with the idea of picking the US version up when I'm in the States next month.


It may actually be rather cheap over here by then. Stores have been dropping prices on games quite a bit recently and it wouldn't shock me to see that for $30. Uncharted 3, Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Rage are all going to be $30 a week from today at Best Buy and probably some other stores. The new Ass Creed, which came out Tuesday, will be 35.

[Excel]

I have discovered that the 360 US version is region locked though, as I was thinking of importing it, but if you are on PS3 then I would definitely import it. I don't know why but all the games I want have been delayed till 2012. This, MGS3D, resident evils Revelations and Racoon City, and im sure a couple more im forgetting.

[Bert]

Max Payne 3 Design and Technology Series: Creating a Cutting Edge Action-Shooter - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3KK0Z-rzlw)

I want it I want it I want it.

I came in this thread to post this. It looks like a mix of Alpha Protocol and Splinter Cell: Conviction with Fallout: New Vegas' VATS mode thrown in for some of the "killcams".

360 degree prone shooting sounds great too.


LOL I love how much everyone adores Steam but constantly shits on any competitor for doing totally normal stuff that everyone (including steam) does.

That's because Steam is great and Origin sucks.

[mr sabu]

http://www.xbox360achievements.org/news/news-10155-Bully-2-Could-Be-Rockstar-s-Next-Project-After-Max-Payne-3.html




A sequel to 2006's Bully could be in the offing once Rockstar has finished with Max Payne 3, according to Rockstar Games VP Dan Houser. In a recent interview with Gamasutra (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6550/dan_houser_on_how_rockstar_does_it.php?page=2), Houser explained that the company favours the method of leaving a gap between games, rather than rushing into a sequel.
Rockstar Vancouver developed the original Bully, which got an Xbox 360 re-release with the Bully: Scholarship Edition in 2008, but the dev is currently polishing up and finishing work on Max Payne 3, which means the next project in its sights could be Bully 2.
"Contrary to a lot of people, we like to take a little bit of time at the end of a game before starting a sequel, so we can wait for the excitement or disappointment and everything else of the experience to shake down and really see what we should do in the next game," Houser explained. "So we knew that we didn't want to start doing the Bully sequel instantly at that second with those guys - even though it is a property that, like Max, we adore and might come back to in the future. There was just no impetus to do that then."
"So we said, 'You can do Max, and then we will see what we can do with Bully'," Houser added. "So it was really waiting for the slot to open up and the group to open up to at least start work on it."
With Max Payne 3 due for release in March 2012, it's entirely possible that Rockstar Vancouver might start up development on Bully 2, not forgetting that Rockstar also has a little game called Grand Theft Auto V on its radar too. A sequel to Bully would be hugely welcome though, and this is the second hint that it could be on the cards, with composer Shawn Lee mentioning that he'd be working on the soundtrack back in 2009 (http://www.xbox360achievements.org/news/news-3837-Musician-Outs-Possible-Bully-Sequel-.html).

[grimshaw]

Steam's a bad website in a bad browser, with a bad voice service, a good IM client and a good store. The EULA is exactly as intrusive as every other, and the DRM has on occasion locked me out of my own games. It's silly that the fact that steam has a lot of users, some cheap sales and a nice chat system means that it's not subject to the same criticism in unrelated areas.

[Bert]

Steam's a bad website in a bad browser, with a bad voice service, a good IM client and a good store. The EULA is exactly as intrusive as every other, and the DRM has on occasion locked me out of my own games. It's silly that the fact that steam has a lot of users, some cheap sales and a nice chat system means that it's not subject to the same criticism in unrelated areas.

The only thing I agree with is the voice chat. It's terrible. I use Skype instead when I need to talk to people in games.

"locked you out of your own games"? Also, it doesn't have as many problems as Origin which is why there's not as much criticism directed at it.

[grimshaw]

i've been locked out of single player games in steam because my internet was down.

I was speaking specifically about the conspiracy theories regarding Origin scraping registry data mentioned in the EULA, which is something that Steam does too. Because Steam is regarded as a good service - which it is overall (horrible voice chat and groups/community features notwithstanding) - and because Valve is regarded as a 'good guy' company, it gets a free pass on things like dRM and privacy.

People should WANT origin to be good, because a monopoly is bad, and Steam is absolutely a monopoly right now, with a whole lot of power.

[The Rick]

Steam's a bad website in a bad browser, with a bad voice service, a good IM client and a good store. The EULA is exactly as intrusive as every other, and the DRM has on occasion locked me out of my own games. It's silly that the fact that steam has a lot of users, some cheap sales and a nice chat system means that it's not subject to the same criticism in unrelated areas.

I agree with you. I refuse to get on the steam band wagon, even with most of my gaming friends using it. I would rather buy from a lesser know site and download the game. If this means I miss out on some good games, or have to wait for them to be available else where then so be it. I tend to be a stubborn bastard like that.

It has been mentioned before around here somewhere. It really is amazing how easy it is for game companies to push their shit down their customer's throat, and receive little to no backlash. EA receives more than its share of criticism, because of their business practices in the past. They were one of the first game companies to be call out on not paying over time, and forcing workers to work crazy hours. Over 100 hours according to published spouse blogs in 2004.

I actually thought EA was getting a little better. With their "EA Partners" they allow developers to retain the right to their own IPs. It encouraged the development for new ideas. This was one of the ways Valve was able to bring the Orange Box and other games to the console market.

Origin was originally know for making such ground breaking titles like the Ultima series, the Wing Commander series, and System Shock. EA has now uses the name(acquired in '92) for its gaming system that looks into the hard drives of its users.

[Guy]

360 degree prone shooting sounds great too.

Could you not 360 shoot from the ground in the last two Max Paynes? Or am I thinking of Stranglehold?

[Matthew]

ATTY: the MSG collection is already advertised somewhere for $30 on the dark dark friday. i will look for it soon

[Atty]

Woah. Excellent. Hadn't noticed that one yet. So much for Battlefield 3 for me. :lol:

[Matthew]

35 at kmart. 30 for battlefield there

[One Man Gang]

ATTY: the MSG collection is already advertised somewhere for $30 on the dark dark friday. i will look for it soon


And I read that as the Madison Square Garden collection. I'm a weirdo.

[Atty]

I posted this picture up in the VIP but I love it so fucking much I'm going to post it here too:

http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/321/6/a/the_legend_of_zelda_skyrule_by_metalhanzo-d4ghex2.png

[The Rick]

Rumor: Smash Bros-Style Game Coming To PlayStation
IGN link (http://ps3.ign.com/articles/121/1213409p1.html)


Over the last couple of days, rumors have been furiously circulating concerning a PlayStation 3-exclusive fighting game in the style of Nintendo's ubiquitous Smash Bros. series. This game, apparently called (or code-named) Title Fight, has been talked about at a personal blog called The Paul Gale Network over several posts, with the writer apparently having an inside source at the game's developer, purported to be SuperBot Entertainment.

As noted by Eurogamer, SuperBot Entertainment's website confirms at the very least that it's an exclusive developer for Sony Computer Entertainment America, and that it's currently toiling away on a PS3 exclusive, giving some credence to the rumor. Eurogamer also points to job advertisements posted by SuperBot Entertainment, advertisements that ask for developers with experience working on fighting games.

According to the report on Paul Gale Network, fighters are rumored to include Kratos (God of War), Parappa the Rapper (Parappa the Rapper), Nathan Drake (Uncharted), Sly Cooper (Sly Cooper), Fat Princess (Fat Princess), Colonel Mael Radec (Killzone) and Sweet Tooth (Twisted Metal),...The final roster is rumored to include more than 20 Sony characters.

The characters thus far don't gravitate like the Nintendo bunch, but could be loads of fun.

[The Rick]

GameStop listing for first-party PS Vita memory cards lists 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB cards starting at US$30 and going to US$120; other Sony accessories revealed
GameStop link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/ps-vita-memory-card-prices-revealed-retail-radar-6346704?tag=newstop%3Btitle%3B8)


Last month, Sony finally announced a global release date for its upcoming PlayStation Vita console, revealing the system would ship worldwide beginning February 22, 2012. Later, the publisher outlined the console's game transfer fees, saying that players who wish to play their PSP UMD-based titles on the Vita will have to repurchase them at a discounted price.

Now, retailer GameStop has revealed prices for the four memory cards that will be available with the new console. The 4GB memory card will cost $29.99; the 8GB will cost $44.99; the 16GB will cost $69.99; and the 32GB memory card will cost $119.99, almost half the price of the PlayStation Vita itself. The 3G-enabled console will retail for $299, while the Wi-Fi-only version will retail for $249.

Earlier this year, Sony Computer Entertainment America senior staff developer support engineer Chris Norden reiterated that retail PS Vita games will come on 2GB and 4GB game cards and revealed the 3G version of the PS Vita will only be able to download games up to 20MB in size as a result of 3G mobile carrier restrictions. Norden clarified that Vita owners will still be able to download larger games using the system's Wi-Fi functionality.

When comparing prices of the Vita memory cards to PSP memory cards, the differences are as follows: SanDisk Gaming Memory Stick PRO Duo cards for the PSP in 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB are currently priced at $18.99, $37.99, and $50.99, respectively. A Sony 32GB Memory Stick PRO Duo is currently priced at $125.

The GameStop Vita hub also lists a number of accessories for the console, including carrying cases, an AC adapter, official headset, portable charger, car adapter, card cases, protective films, headphones, and more. The PlayStation Vita Starter Kit (priced at $24.99) includes six of the accessories: pocket pouch, car adapter, protective film, card case, headphones, and a cleaning cloth.

According to a Sony Computer Entertainment Australia representative, the publisher has "not yet announced software, accessory, and peripheral prices for PS Vita in Australia."

The PlayStation Vita is due to launch in Japan on December 17, in some other Asian territories on December 23, in Europe and North America on February 22, 2012, and in Australia on February 23, 2012.

***********
Come on Sandisk. Please let me know that you will ease the burden of the new memory cards. Sony still has its proprietary card over priced, and SanDisk seems to load faster on my PSP.

[The_Mike]

Sony's peripherals have been overpriced since the PS1 was released. £20 in the late 90s for a shitty memory card that could hold 15 saves was already far too much.

I wonder if I'm getting old and crotchety, because I am less and less interested in new games and consoles and more and more turned off by the whole industry. It seems to be constantly nickel-and-diming the customer, but it's not as if the asking price is ever cheap. I miss the days of buying a MasterSystem with a built-in game already there for free and not having to buy three or four control devices just for a single player, then memory things and a stream of DLC for a game that cost $60 and had clearly not been playtested.

[The Rick]

I miss the days of buying a MasterSystem with a built-in game already there for free and not having to buy three or four control devices just for a single player, then memory things and a stream of DLC for a game that cost $60 and had clearly not been playtested.

This one really annoys me. Having to download a patch day one. I payed $60 for this and you didn't get it fixed. I get some of the glitches that are found with multi-player maps, because they get so much traffic things will arise that were not caught. However, when game crippling bugs still exist upon shipment that is inexcusable.

I don't miss the master system per se, but I understand where you are coming from. It was cool when the industry was budding, and wanted to get their games into peoples hands. Customers were treated with good service. The industry is becoming less and less customer friendly each day.

[Atty]

I appreciate updates but they annoy me to no end. My old ps3 had been yellowing (twice thus far) and I nursed it along to Black Friday when I got the new one and Uncharted 3, a game I've waited ages for. Transfer was tricky on account of my old one having a bigger hd and involved not being able to use the new system for over a day while I transferred and swapped drives.

When done I anxiously tossed in Uncharted and... Two updates off the bat. And this was one of those lovely times where my internet got wacky. Get the game ready on release. If there's things to fix later, fine, but immediately having updates is just annoying.

[The_Mike]

Agreed. Immediate updates are ridiculous, and often updates just are not handled well in any sense. I got Heavy Rain about a year after it came out, and of course had to update it. Had to. And it was 900MB and I had a 2Mb connection. So this game I just purchased I could not play until the next day because somehow they needed to fix a gig worth of it and I had to download the whole thing and had no option of skipping it and playing as-is. It's not even a multiplayer game. There really is no excuse. You are right, The Rick, customer friendly seems to no longer be in the vocabulary of much of the games industry.

[The Rogerer]

The Heavy Rain patch was a result of the Move integration which is something that the game was pressured into, by my guess. They had to abandon their plans to make further DLC storylines to work on it.

The PS3 patching process seems bad compared to the 360, but the 360 is still a console based around the possibility that it doesn't have a hard drive and they cannot release a patch that would make the game unplayable on an old Arcade system. Since every PS3 has a hard drive there's nothing to stop updates getting out of control.

[Beefy]

Auto-updating is one of the reasons why I keep toying with PS+ (although obviously that wouldn't help the situation where a game needs a patch straight out of the box).

[The Rogerer]

It's funny that. The notion that they provide the ability as a paid service is them acknowledging that it's a desirable thing to have, and yet they allow the annoyance to remain for most users who won't make the jump.

[The Rick]

GamePro shutting down
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/gamepro-shutting-down-6346883?tag=newstop%3Btitle%3B3)


Veteran gaming publication GamePro has announced it will be closing both its print and online editions as of December 5, with the November issue to be the magazine's last.

The publication announced the news via its website with the following statement:

"Thank you for your loyalty, support, and participation in the GamePro.com community. At noon on December 5, 2011, the U.S. version of GamePro online will shut down as an independent site. GamePro will become part of PCWorld.com, offering gaming news, reviews, and how-tos from the PCWorld team. Thank you to the entire GamePro staff for their hard work and dedication."

GamePro is a subsidiary of International Data Group. The magazine first launched as a monthly publication in May 1989, and as an online outlet in 1996. An IDG spokesperson told Industry Gamers that the closure of GamePro came as a result of a lack of advertising money, and resulted in a spate of staff layoffs. The spokesperson declined to comment on how many employees had been let go.

"The US editorial and business staff worked hard to earn a passionate, loyal following for GamePro and I am grateful for their dedication and hard work over the years," Mike Kisseberth, head of IDG's Consumer and Small Business media group, told Industry Gamers. "GamePro, like all businesses, must keep up with industry changes and economic realities."

According to Industry Gamers, GamePro will now work on creating "custom content for vendors and events," with the remaining editorial team being absorbed into PCWorld.com, also owned by IDG.

At its height, GamePro was such a recognizable brand with gamers that it received its own line of action figures, where toys of pseudonymous editors like Dr. Zombie and Major Mike were sold alongside game characters like The Legend of Zelda's Link and Sonic the Hedgehog.

While GamePro is folding, it did survive its primary print rival for much of its run, Electronic Gaming Monthly. That publication shut its doors in 2009, just shy of its 20-year anniversary.

[The Rick]

Shadow of the Colossus director leaves Sony - Report
Gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/shadow-of-the-colossus-director-leaves-sony-report-6346855?tag=topstory%3Btitle)


The Last Guardian may also be the last Fumito Ueda-led game from Sony. Eurogamer is citing "Japanese video game development sources" as providing word that Ueda has left not just the Team Ico development team, but Sony entirely.

According to the report, Ueda will finish up work on Team Ico's long-awaited The Last Guardian as a freelancer, and afterward pursue personal projects.

Ueda is best known for his work with Team Ico on the PlayStation 2 action games Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. Released in September of 2001, Ico cast players as a horned youth who had to escort a princess safely from her prison. Four years later, Team Ico's Shadow of the Colossus followed a young warrior who hunts down and destroys 16 massive beasts in order to save a fallen maiden. The two games were bundled and rereleased in a high-definition, 3D-compatible PlayStation 3 bundle earlier this year.

Although The Last Guardian was shown in trailer form for the first time at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show, Ueda had been working on Team Ico's PlayStation 3 debut since 2005. At the time, he said that the three years it took to make Shadow of the Colossus was too long and that he hoped to release his next game in less time. At the 2010 Tokyo Game Show, a late 2011 release window was attached to The Last Guardian, but that was retracted the following spring.

UPDATE: A Sony representative told GameSpot the company does not comment on rumor or speculation.

[Kyle_242]

http://kotaku.com/5864186/respect-mah-authori+tah-new-south-park-rpg-coming-from-fallout-new-vegas-creators

South Park RPG. I can dig it.

[Atty]

I'll play Kyle as a paladin.

[Kyle_242]

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/xenoblade-chronicles-america-release-date/


After this morning's accidental retail reveal of Xenoblade Chronicles coming to North America, Nintendo has made the game's launch official, pinning an "April 2012" release date to the much hyped Wii RPG. Nintendo teased the reveal earlier today with a new gallery of Xenoblade artwork that mysteriously popped up on Facebook, though at the time there was no news attached to said tease.

Despite Nintendo not giving a date to the game, this morning's image indicated an April 3 launch. GameStop's website, however, reflects an April 2 date, post-official announce. We're just gonna go with "early April" for now.

By pretty much all accounts, Xenoblade is a Wii JRPG that's supposed to be amazing. So I'm really curious to see whether I can call out fanboys on their bullshit, or enjoy a JRPG for the first time in like 6 years. Either way I win!

[T.I (uh oh)]

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/xenoblade-chronicles-america-release-date/



By pretty much all accounts, Xenoblade is a Wii JRPG that's supposed to be amazing. So I'm really curious to see whether I can call out fanboys on their bullshit, or enjoy a JRPG for the first time in like 6 years. Either way I win!

Believe the hype.

I'm just finishing up with Xenoblade (after 120 hours or so), and it's at the point where I don't want to play Zelda, because I'm not sure if anything can follow Xenoblade without being a disappointment.

It's not perfect, but it is epic, the scope of the game is enormous, it rewards exploration, and the world feels so alive. One of those games where the game as a package is far greater than the sum of it's parts, because there is nothing particularly revolutionary about Xenoblade, it's just that everything is executed and integrated so well.

[Bert]

EA Origin Bans: Update Edition
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/12/05/ea-origin-bans-update-edition/



Unfortunately, despite repeated attempts to receive a statement on EA’s current position on their banning procedure, we have only been met with silence for the last fortnight. After some initial responses (http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/11/17/eas-unwieldy-banhammer-ea-responds/), pointing affected customers toward their support lines, we received an ambiguous statement that avoided the current issue and rather said there were plans to “review” whatever the current secret policy might be. And then no responses to our emails since. All the while, we’re hearing of case after case of customers being affected.

I’m building up quite the portfolio of affected gamers, who find after a forum violation they’re unable to access their Origin games. And within this is a more disturbing trend – those who are finding that their forum bans are, without explanation, becoming permanent bans. Permanent bans from accessing their Origin accounts, their Battlelog accounts, and therefore downloading purchased games, and playing online. Something which obviously raises serious questions about consumer rights, which is of course another angle we’re currently investigating.

The pattern tends to go like this:

Person says a naughty word on an EA forum.
Person receives 72 hour ban from forums, which blocks Origin too.
Person contacts EA customer support and is told “tough”.
Person writes to RPS.

With the occasional addition of:

Person finds their ban has become permanent with no warning, and no option to appeal.

Of those people who contact us, we tend to get two types. The first who write invective-speckled fury on the forum, and then to us, and obviously entirely deserve their forum bans. The second are those who have done absolutely nothing wrong on the forums, but are punished erroneously, either for quoting an insult someone else has called them, or doing nothing offensive whatsoever. But neither group, according to EA’s words to us in March (http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/03/15/biowhere-ea-working-on-fixing-game-bans/), should be being banned from Origin or accessing their games. A statement, however, that EA doesn’t appear willing to repeat nine months on.

So there’s Rob, who was accused of posting a commercial to his support site – a site that EA links to itself in its own support site FAQ – who received a ban. And James, permanently banned (until his account mysteriously popped back to life recently, with no communication from anyone) for saying “e-peen”. We’ve heard from Alex, who put a sweary joke on the forum, not directed at anyone, and found himself locked out of his games. Toma got in touch to say that after previous bans for what sound like entirely unacceptable forum posts, months later he has now found himself banned because of his Gravatar logo – a Reddit troll face. Buh? Pointing out that one of the main devs at EA uses the Me Gusta face got nowhere, and he has been told he’ll learn of his account’s fate in seven days, so certainly longer than the traditional 72 hour ban, potentially permanent.

Most exceptional perhaps is Aaron, who after receiving a 72 hour ban was told by EA support they couldn’t help because “the game developers control this”. Pardon? His crime? Someone else swearing on the forum, with his username in their post. Trying the live chat support instead, he was then informed that his account was permanently banned, and that “all property, items, and characters associated currently are or will soon be deleted.” Followed by, “Is there anything else I can do for you?” Aaron tried again, pointing out that forum bans shouldn’t affect games. And then came this incredible reply:

“Please be informed that your account not only suspended, But it is also Banned, So you will no longer to play the game in single player.”

Aaron chronicles his adventures here. (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.328868-EA-now-issuing-permanent-Origin-bans-through-content-filter?page=1)

At this point, with no reply from those within EA who have responded to this matter in the past, we can only suggest that our readers avoid the EA forums. The chances of being banned seem far too risky, when the consequences are the loss of access to products you have paid for. We are aware we’re not the only ones looking into the legality of this matter.


You don't need to wonder anymore why people prefer Steam.

[T.I (uh oh)]

This is why a DD future is scary. You don't own shit. Terrible form from EA. If EA made decent games these days (and if they weren't also available on Steam and via retail) this would be a much bigger issue.

[grimshaw]

Hahaha that's what you get for posting on official forums. If I was in charge you'd be banned for any post.

[The Rick]

Creator of Mario, Zelda Says "I’m Retiring", Will Make Smaller Games
Kotaku link (http://kotaku.com/5866158/creator-of-mario-zelda-says-im-retiring-will-make-smaller-games)


The man behind Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda says he plans to retire from his current position at Nintendo so he can spend time working on smaller projects and with younger developers or on his own, Wired reported tonight.

Shigeru Miyamoto, 59, told Wired's Chris Kohler that he's been telling people in his office that he's going to retire, but that he means he is retiring from his current position, not from the industry.

"What I really want to do is be in the forefront of game development once again myself," Miyamoto tells Wired. "Probably working on a smaller project with even younger developers. Or I might be interested in making something that I can make myself, by myself. Something really small."

The developer says he hopes to show off a new project he's working on sometime next year.

[Olympus]

http://wii.ign.com/articles/121/1214255p1.html

This story has changed quite a bit overnight.

[The Rogerer]

EA Origin Bans: Update Edition
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/12/05/ea-origin-bans-update-edition/



You don't need to wonder anymore why people prefer Steam.Absolutely terrible, and part of the reason that I hate the way things are going with people in the community being given authority (for example, Wikipedia). Give one of these little dicks any influence, and they will gladly take it out when they can. I have my Mass Effect 1 and 2 installed with my Origin account, but I don't really bother with that as I play those games on the Xbox anyway. I suppose they could go on to block my online pass access for it and other games, and fuck them.

It's no wonder that people are angry about the new 360 dashboard. Games are trying to find more and more ways to corral customers, and Randian dickheads have discovered that human compulsion can be completely abused to make them more money.

[Beefy]

What is the story with the 360 dashboard?

[Hlebsfall]

'Games' is something like the 4th option along for a start.

[Bad Collin]

It has adverts too doesn't it? Absolutlely disgraceful.

[The Rogerer]

I thought this, but at the same time I think about people paying for Sky Plus still having to manually skip through ad breaks. The 360 can justify that most of the 'ads' are actually just pointers to things they are offering on Xbox live. The adverts are arguably less intrusive now than they were in the previous update. I've said in the 360 thread, it has a few things going for it, but it comes across as a complete mess in other ways, and the Bing thing seems stupid unless you have a kinect and perfect diction.

[The Rick]

Americans spent $4.2 billion on games in Q3 - NPD
Gamespot story link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/americans-spent-42-billion-on-games-in-q3-npd-6347934?tag=newstop%3Btitle%3B5)


Gaming sales have been trending up recently, but the industry isn't far removed from the lean times, a fact that was hammered home today as the industry-tracking NPD Group released its sales figures for the July-September period. According to the market research firm's US Games Market Dynamics report, US consumers spent a total of $4.2 billion on games in the third quarter, down 11 percent year-over-year.

"New physical retail sales had a rough third quarter," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier in the report. "Increases in sales from some of these other monetization methods, and full game and add-on digital downloads in particular, only partially offset the decline seen in the new physical retail channel."

New sales of physical games totaled $1.3 billion for the quarter, with nontraditional gaming sources like used games, downloadable add-ons, subscriptions, and social game revenues combined to reach an estimated $1.64 billion. The remaining amount was accounted for by hardware and accessory sales.

The NPD Group wouldn't say if sales are improving, but Frazier did tease the company's next quarterly report (due in March), saying, "We are already seeing some dynamic changes in the marketplace in Q4." That report will also include the NPD Group's expansion into covering game sales in the UK, France, and Germany.

The third quarter report derived its figures from a combination of retail tracking, consumer studies, and spend predictions from retailers, as well as through "calibration with third-party sources."

[The Rick]

In Week Two of the Vita vs. 3DS Showdown, Guess Who Lost?
Kotaku link (http://kotaku.com/5871946/in-week-two-of-the-vita-vs-3ds-showdown-guess-who-lost)


On Dec. 17, Sony released the PS Vita, its PSP successor. The PS Vita is a fine machine (read Kotaku's review). In its first week, Sony sold over 360,000 Vitas.

But during the machine's second week, sales plunged to approximately 72,000 machines sold. That's fewer than the PSP, which came in second in hardware sales with over 100,000 units moved.

The Nintendo 3DS, no stranger to sluggish post launch sales, sold a whopping 482,000 units, thanks to a strong game line-up.

The sales week, Dec. 19 to Dec. 25, coincided with the country's Christmas—meaning that far more people were getting 3DS handhelds than Vita ones.

To put things into context, the Wii (91,176 units) and the PS3 (75,479 units) took third and fourth place.

If the Nintendo 3DS is any indication, don't count any of these handhelds out.

I think it will be really interesting to see sales numbers once the Vita launches in Europe and in the US. The lack of titles for the 3DS was a big disappointment for me, but Vita is touting quite a launch schedule. This is, however, the same way the 3DS started. They showed off some nice titles at events, and then didn't follow through on delivering them in the quick fashion they claimed. If Sony can support the Vita with quality titles in the "launch window" they should be able to build up steam.

[The Rick]

Big Game Makers Take Names Off SOPA Support
Kotaku link (http://kotaku.com/5872230/big-game-makers-take-names-off-sopa-support)


The Stop Online Piracy Act, currently a bill before the Congress, is utterly detested by the Internet, in case you don't read the Internet. Gamers don't think much of it either, as it would have some rather stupid ramifications for how they enjoy that lifestyle and consume its products. So it's of note that Nintendo, Sony and Electronic Arts have taken their names off the latest list of supporters of the bill.

Business Insider points us to the official Senate Judiciary committee roundup of supporters and notes that, last time, Sony, Nintendo and EA were on this list. This time they aren't. It's not hard to guess why, given what happened to GoDaddy; it's terrible PR in the sector that is most opposed to the bill and requires the most management, even on a good day.

Now, Sony still has three music divisions listed in support, and as Voodoo Extreme notes, it, Nintendo and EA are members of the Entertainment Software Association, and that organization is still listed in support. So there's still lobbying in support of this bill done on behalf of all three, and you better believe they are very influential members of that organization. My opinion is that one of the three, maybe, and two of them definitely, could get the ESA to drop its name. That is my opinion, though.

To make a record of it, yes, we're aware that Anonymous has allegedly threatened Sony over this. Again, this is by definition a leaderless organization, so anyone can make and upload a video threat in its name. Similar calls to action have been shot down by others within Anonymous in the past. So whether this comes to pass, no one can say, and no one can say if this is even a legitimate threat.

But it does speak, generally, for the anger against SOPA, and it's not hard to see why Sony would pull its name—well, the names over its video game unit, anyway—from the bill in light of that. That's not to say it, Nintendo of America and EA no longer support it, not with the ESA still aboard.

[The Rick]

WantChina Times and Gameplanet are reporting that some 300 Foxconn employees working on Microsoft's Xbox 360 manufacturing line threatened suicide after the corporation denied a promised compensation package.

Gamespot story link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/xbox-360-workers-threaten-mass-suicide-in-china-report-6348437?tag=newstop%3Btitle%3B3)


Foxconn--one of the world's largest contract manufacturers of electronic components and products for companies like Apple, Dell, HP, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft--has once again come under fire over poor working conditions at one of its Chinese factories.

According to a WantChina Times report, around 300 employees at the Foxconn Technology Park in Wuhan, China, (reportedly working on the Xbox 360 manufacturing line) threatened a mass suicide from the building's roof last week after Foxconn refused to pay out compensation packages it had previously promised.

Citing Chinese anti-government website China Jasmine Revolution, WantChina Times reports that the Foxconn employees first asked for a raise, which was refused, before being told they had a choice between continuing work at the current pay rate or quitting their positions and receiving a compensation package.

According to the report, Foxconn terminated the promised agreement when most of the employees chose the compensation package.

The workers climbed onto the building's roof and threatened to jump in protest, but were reportedly dissuaded from the suicide attempt by the mayor of Wuhan.

Microsoft has since issued the following statement to media in response to the reports:

"Microsoft takes working conditions in the factories that manufacture its products very seriously, and we are currently investigating this issue."

"We have a stringent Vendor Code of Conduct that spells out our expectations, and we monitor working conditions closely on an ongoing basis and address issues as they emerge. Microsoft is committed to the fair treatment and safety of workers employed by our vendors, and to ensuring conformance with Microsoft policy."

Foxconn made international headlines in 2010 after 18 employees attempted suicide, and 14 died in protest over poor working conditions and low wages throughout Foxconn's factories in China.


Sony CES briefing recap
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/events/ces2012/story.html?sid=6348413&tag=newstop;title;12)


Given Sony's position as a global consumer electronics giant, the company had no shortage of new tech to tout at its Consumer Electronics Show address Monday night. Sony trotted out various executives to talk about computers, phones, tablets, cameras, HD, 3D, and even a bit of PlayStation 3.

As for the game-specific content, that was anchored by Sony's showing for the PlayStation Vita. Set for release in North America and Europe next month, the PS Vita has sold more than 500,000 units since its Japanese debut in December. Sony followed that stat up with announcements that it had sold 6.5 million systems across all its PlayStation brands over the holidays, including 3.9 million PS3s and 1.6 million PSPs.

Back to the Vita, Sony Corporation executive deputy president Kaz Hirai announced a pair of new services that might be in place for the system's Western launch. First up, Hirai confirmed Sony's own Music Unlimited service for launch, and then he added that video streaming service Netflix is aiming to have its app ready for the PS Vita debut as well.

As for the PS3, the console's presence was somewhat muted at the show, with the biggest news coming in the form of the Play Memories Online service, launching this spring. Play Memories Online will allow users to upload their photos and videos to the cloud. The PS3 will be integrated with the service through the Play Memories Studio, an application that puts a gaming slant on viewing, sharing, and editing photos.

Other announcements touched on Sony's gaming arm, with word of new PlayStation Certified mobile devices. Sony also touted its push for 4K resolution (which has four times the number of pixels as current high-definition resolutions) in consumer electronics, starting with a new 4K home theater projector. The company is also working on 4K-capable TVs and upscaling Blu-ray players.

[The Rick]

Oklahama state rep wants violent-game tax
gamespot.com
(http://www.gamespot.com/news/oklahama-state-rep-wants-violent-game-tax-6349668)


The price to play video games rated Teen, Mature, and Adults-Only in Oklahoma might be on the rise. An Oklahoma state representative has introduced a new bill that would charge a 1 percent excise tax on "violent" video games.

As reported by Oklahoma news outlet KFOR, state representative Will Fourkiller (D. 86th District) last month introduced House Bill 2696 to the state's legislature. If the bill is signed into law by Republican governor Mary Fallin, all games sold in the state rated Teen, Mature, and Adults-Only would be charged a 1 percent excise tax beginning as early as July 1.

The money collected from the tax, according to the bill, would be given to Oklahoma's obesity-fighting Childhood Outdoor Education Revolving Fund and the Bullying Prevention Revolving Fund.

Fourkiller said he was inspired to draft the bill because he had witnessed obesity, violence, and bullying throughout his time as a teacher, coach, and registered nurse.

"A gentleman shot a police officer and stole his car," Fourkiller said. "He had been playing Grand Theft Auto. Not everybody is going to react the same, but I believe after hours and hours of watching the screen, playing the video game, being that person and taking on that role, people get desensitized."

Fourkiller specifically called out Rockstar Games' Bully, an open-world title that casts players as an adolescent wreaking havoc in a school setting. Fourkiller told the news site he was particularly surprised such a game exists, because bullying is what happens to many kids who play games like it, he said.

Fourkiller said the aim of HB 2696 is not to bring down the video game industry, or to eradicate Teen, Mature, and Adults-Only titles. He said the initiative is an effort to bring awareness to the matter of violence in video games.

According to the Oklahoma State Legislature information page regarding HB 2696, the bill will be read before the House on Monday, February 6.

[Jay]

How utterly pathetic.

Will the bill also include a tax to watch movies and TV shows rated Teen, Mature and Adults Only? I don't think so.

[Excel]

Tax should only ever be to raise money to pay for a societal need.

It should not be used to encourage or discourage behaviour/

[G-Fresh]

A democrat wanting to tax shit? No way.....

[The Doc]

Tax should only ever be to raise money to pay for a societal need.

It should not be used to encourage or discourage behaviour/

Not that I think you can really separate the two but why? I see no reason for a society not to tax to discourage behavior. Not when we set laws to discourage behavior.

[G-Fresh]

That kind of Nanny State liberal thought is dangerous.

[Beefy]

Tax should only ever be to raise money to pay for a societal need.

It should not be used to encourage or discourage behaviour/

What about tax on tobacco or alcohol?

[The Doc]

What about tax on tobacco or alcohol?

Between cancer and drunk drivers I think that can be labeled as a societal need.

[Excel]

What about tax on tobacco or alcohol?

Well originally those taxes were to pay for the damage to society caused by those products. In recent years they have been used more to discourage use. It's social engineering and I dont think people would generally agree that they want their taxes used for that purpose. Taxes should be to provide services. Nothing more

[G-Fresh]

It's social engineering and I dont think people would generally agree that they want their taxes used for that purpose. Taxes should be to provide services. Nothing more

Ya fuckin A right.

[The Doc]

Well originally those taxes were to pay for the damage to society caused by those products. In recent years they have been used more to discourage use. It's social engineering and I dont think people would generally agree that they want their taxes used for that purpose. Taxes should be to provide services. Nothing more

Again. Why? We set laws to socially engineer. I don't see a reason why a tax can't do the same.

[Excel]

Because that's not what a tax is. That's not what it's for. If someone told you, "well, we want more people to eat out in restaurants because the industry is failing, so lets put a tax on groceries, making them more expensive and thus encouraging people to eat out at places there food wont be taxed so much" would that be ok with you?

If you (society) dont want people to smoke, then it should be a law that they cant smoke. Propose a bill to ban it completely and let democracy take its course. Otherwise let people smoke, and tax it to the extent that smoking costs society (i.e. healthcare costs, and enforcement of anti smoking laws). Dont tell people that they can do something but that the tax man is going to make money off you for doing it for no other reason than so they can say "well you shouldn't do it then". Thats bullshit.

There is a tax on housing because money needs to to be raised to pay for social needs like street lighting, local government and refuse, amongst other things. There should be a tax on smoking only to pay for its costs to society. There should be a tax on video games for only the same reasons. I.e no tax other than the same sales taxes that are on any other product.

Maybe if it could be proven scientifically that violent videogames harm society the same way smoking has been proven to harm society (and trust me, this has never been conclusively proven, only bellowed from the rooftops by people who need to champion a cause), then I could accept and support an extra tax on those games.

[Excel]

A fee charged ("levied") by a government on a product, income, or activity. If tax is levied directly on personal or corporate income, then it is a direct tax. If tax is levied on the price of a good or service, then it is called an indirect tax. The purpose of taxation is to finance government expenditure. One of the most important uses of taxes is to finance public goods and services, such as street lighting and street cleaning. Since public goods and services do not allow a non-payer to be excluded, or allow exclusion by a consumer, there cannot be a market in the good or service, and so they need to be provided by the government or a quasi-government agency, which tend to finance themselves largely through taxes.

Read more: http://www.investorwords.com/4879/tax.html#ixzz1lXFvHW7R
.

[The Rogerer]

Aside from the reasons already given, why should a tax on adult entertainment (violent games) be directly used to support children?

[Excel]

That too

[The Doc]

Whether or not I would personally be okay with something doesn't acthally have much to do with if it's a legitamit use. I'm not okay with the fact that it's illegal to smoke marijuana but I'm not about to claim that the purpose of a law isn't to some extent social engineering.

It seems to me that a sin tax is basically everybody coming together and meeting halfway. The folks that want it illegal get to charge you extra to do it so in theory less people will do it (whatever it is, it can be alcohol and drugs or as you put it groceries though I'm not certain that would work but I see your point) and the people who want to do it still get to do it. Everybody wins and everybody loses and in the spirit of cooperation and moderation everybody goes home and shuts up since they got something.

Taxes as you point out are for funding a government and beyond that it gets real hazy real fast. Housing taxes do go to street lights and schools but I don't have children, my head lights work perfectly well and I own several flash lights. Fuck street lights. Fuck schools. We have however as a society decided that both of these things should exist. Once taxes are collected however they are just tossed into the account and you would have a difficult time separating them back out if you tried.

As far as specifically a tax on video games if you could prove that video games caused violence (something I'm personally very skeptical of) how would you find out on the otherside how much violence is caused by it to levy an "appropriate" tax. If I understand your point it's basically that a sin tax should be used to pay for the damage it causes and no more. Well sure smoking causes lung cancer but sometimes lung cancer just happenes. Same with drinking and liver damage or drinking and car accidents. If you could prove video games cause an increase in violence still how much violence can you blame on it or do you simply assume that ALL of it is caused by games and use that as a baseline.

The dictionary definition of a tax seems to be pointless here. It's like me pointing as I beat you to death with a shovel that the purpose of a shovel is to dig holes and not be used as a weapon. Clearly it can be used as a weapon and depending on the situation is quite effective in that role. The same goes for a tax, it's purpose is to finance a government. That's not proof it cannot be used effectively for other things nor a reason in and of itself not use it for other purposes.

I'm not actually for a video game tax I think it's silly and misguided. I have no probplem whatsoever with setting taxes to discourage behavior that we as a society deem to be bad but not so bad that we want to waste money on having the legal system deal with you. Personally I wish we'd do it more often and get rid of a lot of laws that are really just clogging up our legal system, our jails and eating money that could otherwise be spent on frankly anything. If I could get all the people in jail for drug use and recoup the money we spend/spent on lawyers (both prosecution and defense not to mention the DA and everybody involved with the paperwork) and guards and the costs of keeping a prisoner I could care less if they litterally just flew a biplane over the superbowl raining raining it down it would be a better use of the funds than what we are currently doing. I'd much rather get some money out of them not to mention with any luck cause a serious blow to the gangs thriving on gun sales. Same for prostitution. I think it's a waste of money to do all the things I mentioned above to keep a man who's major flaw is being to pathetic to get laid or a woman who's willing to sell her body in jail. It doesn't make sense.

If your argument is that we shouldn't use a tax that way I'd like to know your reasoning for why it shouldn't be used that beyond that wasn't the original plan for one.

[Excel]

I've already explained my reasons. The government shouldnt be encouraging or discouraging any types of behaviour with incentives. If something is legal, then you should be able to do it. If they want to take some of the legitimate tax on cigarettes to create posters and ads advising me of the health risks then fine, thats cool. But they really shouldnt be tell me I have to pay more to do one legal activity than I would pay to do another.

We shouldn't have a government nannying us into marrying through tax breaks for couples. We shouldnt have a government pushing us towards staying in loveless relationships because of the financial incentives. We shouldnt have the government tacing us extra for smoking "for our own good" when we all know they would completely shit themselves if everyone did stop smoking because their cashflow would substantially drop. We shouldnt have a government encouraging us into making any decisions by making our cost of living higher or lower artificially. It's punishment for a legal activity, and reward for acting a certain way. It's bullshit

[The Doc]

Ah. I disagree but I see you're point.

[The Rick]

Beginning February 8, the PlayStation Network will be officially folded into Sony Entertainment Network; new terms of use prohibit cancelling preorders.
gamespot.com link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/psn-accounts-undergoing-name-change-6349822)


Later this week, PlayStation Network accounts will become Sony Online Entertainment accounts, the Japanese technology giant announced today.

The change will happen on February 8 when players sign on to the service and accept the new terms of service, user agreement, and privacy policies. At that time, all PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita (but not PSP) accounts will be renamed rebranded as SEN.

According to Sony, the change is in name only, and users will not be asked to change their passwords or usernames.

"This helps us get closer to our goal of establishing a global comprehensive network platform of services across games, movies, music, and more," reads a line from Sony's statement.

The Sony Entertainment Network was first announced in August as a service that included Sony's three major online businesses: PSN, Video Unlimited, and Music Unlimited.

The new terms of service and policy agreements include a number of changes, among them a specific clause that preorders placed through PSN can not be cancelled.

"You may not cancel a preorder at any time, and refunds are not available for preorders, subject to applicable laws," reads the line from the document.

In September, the PSN's terms of service agreement was updated to prohibit class-action lawsuits against Sony. Months later, Sony was sued over the issue, with a northern California man claiming unfair business practices on the part of technology giant.

Fucking Sony. Now next time they get hacked all the information is in one location. The inability for cancellation of per-orders isn't too great either.

We are on the verge of the next generation of consoles, and Sony can't stop hurting their own image this generation. I like my PS3, but it has been full of broken promises and disappointments. Not to mention they seem to drop an originally touted feature each year. (back-compatibility one year, no dual boot OS the next)

[G-Fresh]

Ah. I disagree

No, yer just too fuckin dumb to understand.

[Bert]

Age of Empires II: Forgotten Empires Trailer - YouTube

[Alf]

Metal Gear Rex vs Ray was brilliant.

EDIT:

Wrong thread... ehhhhhh?

[The Rick]

Sony Working on its own Kinect
Kotaku.com (http://kotaku.com/5886768/sony-working-on-its-own-kinect/gallery/1?tag=kotakucore)


A patent filed in late 2011, but which has only been published this month, reveals that Sony is working on its own version of Kinect, Microsoft's popular motion-sensing peripheral for the Xbox 360 (and now PC).

Of course, the argument could be made that Kinect was Microsoft's own version of Sony's EyeToy (indeed, this new patent directly references 2003 trademarks Sony owns), a camera released almost a decade ago on the PlayStation 2 (and updated for the PlayStation 3), but it's too nice a day here to get bogged down in that quagmire.

The patent is for a "USER-DRIVEN THREE-DIMENSIONAL INTERACTIVE GAMING ENVIRONMENT", which would involve plugging a camera into a PlayStation and using it to read both a player's movements and their positioning in a 3D space.

It was filed by none other than Richard Marks, the main man behind Sony's PlayStation Move peripheral.

Now, as with any other patent, remember this doesn't mean Sony will be releasing a 3D camera for the PS3 (or a future console). It just means the company is thinking about it.

[The Rick]

3DS Hits 5 Million Sales in Japan, Sets Record
gametrailers.com link (http://www.gametrailers.com/side-mission/2012/02/20/3ds-hits-5-million-sales-in-japan-sets-record/)


The Nintendo 3DS is the fastest selling system in Japanese hardware history.

That's the word from Nintendo today, as their handheld eclipsed the five million sales mark just 52 weeks after its February 26 launch last year.

The 3DS unseats its predecessor, the DS, by getting to 5,000,000 four weeks faster. The DS had previously beaten its predecessor, the Game Boy Advance, by two weeks in getting to five million.

All of the data comes by way of Media Create (http://www.m-create.com/shouhin_shoukai/english_menu.htm).

If you do better with pictures than words, this handy chart tells the same story.

Now these points of data make a beautiful line…

http://www.gametrailers.com/side-mission/files/2012/02/5million_3ds.jpg

[Kyle_242]

So much for the 3DS being the new Virtual Boy.

This is why I think it's too early for people to start doomsaying the Vita. Once a Monster Hunter game comes out for it, sales are going to skyrocket in Japan.

[RKOEvolution]

Gearbox has revealed the release date for the much-awaited FPS/RPG hybrid Borderlands 2! The first Borderlands was an amazing game for co-op with your buddies or randoms online and the sequel appears to step it up a bit. Will be a day-one purchase for me.

Source: http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/721009/borderlands-2-release-date-announced/


The release date for Borderlands 2 (http://www.g4tv.com/games/xbox-360/65685/borderlands-2/) has been announced. The games hits PC, PS3 and 360 on September 18, 2012. Mark your calendars, people.
The sequel will feature all new characters, skills, environments, enemies, weapons and equipment, which are designed to come together in an ambitiously crafted story. Yeah, that sounds pretty good to me, man.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW7qO_wpfvk

[Jez]

So GAME in the UK have announced that they are not stocking any future EA games after SSX, including Mass Effect 3. Add this to a list of titles that already includes Tekken Prime 3D, The Last Story, Mario Party 9 and (for the launch weekend at least) all of Ubisoft's Vita titles.

The story is that they have lost their credit insurance and so are struggling to pay for these games up front. When you consider that Mass Effect 3 is one of the biggest releases of the year, and they originally had exclusive rights to sell the collector's edition, it's hard not to think that GAME will be entering administration any day now...

[Beefy]

If they last another six months then you can add FIFA 13 to that list as well.

That said, if they really don't make any money on new games then does it really matter?

[MACE]

Leaked memo details GAME-EA rift


While MCV is still awaiting an official response from GAME regarding the news that Mass Effect 3 won’t be in-stores next week, an internal memo from current group channel director Tom Devine has shed some light on the situation.

The document, obtained by IGN, appears to confirm Eurogamer’s claims that SSX will be the last EA title to appear in GAME and Gamestation stores for the time being upon its release on Friday.

Here’s the memo in full:

“Last week we held an event for out partners in the industry and explained the challenges we are facing in the short term – and we asked for their support. We asked them to trade with us using manageable credit terms, and for them to continue to do that whilst we work through the strategic review and refinancing our business.

“We gave the industry commitments – we committed to integrity and openness in our dealings, and working with everyone equally.

“We committed to only stocking products on which we could get the right credit terms, regardless of the title or the supplier. We will not stock products if the terms are not right for our business – we will not sacrifice long-term credit requirements for short-term sales opportunities.

“As a result of us taking this position – a position that we believe is critical to our long-term health as a business – we have taken the very difficult decision not to stock EA’s March releases, including Mass Effect 3.

“As a specialist retailer dedicated to games and gaming, it is never easy to make a decision not to stock a title, particularly one with such a strong fan base, it is imperative that we treat every supplier evenly, that we stick to our commitments, and that we don’t sign up to payment terms that will hamper us further in the future.

“It is even more critical that we manage the a[appropriately with our loyal customers. We know they will be disappointed regarding Mass Effect in particular, and in recognition of thus, we will be contacting our Mass Effect pre-order customers and as a gesture of goodwill we will be offering them £5 of reward card/elite card credit.

“I know that many of you will have to mage customer and supplier feedback directly, and I would like to thank you in advance for your support and am prepared to answer any questions you have directly – just grab me as I walk around.”

[Grimario]

Gearbox has revealed the release date for the much-awaited FPS/RPG hybrid Borderlands 2! The first Borderlands was an amazing game for co-op with your buddies or randoms online and the sequel appears to step it up a bit. Will be a day-one purchase for me.

Source: http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/721009/borderlands-2-release-date-announced/




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW7qO_wpfvk

Happy with that. Borderlands was great co-op with the obvious shite end boss being its only real downfall. And 18th September, perfect for a birthday present, woop.

[Bert]

I'm glad Borderlands 2 on PC is going to be $50 instead of $60, I'll preorder if it shows up on Steam.

[Judas Iscariot]

Steam Box: Is Valve Working on a Console?

By David Daw, PCWorld Mar 5, 2012 10:00 AM

Could gaming software titan Valve be getting into the hardware business? The makers of iconic games like Half Life and Portal and the creators of the gaming distribution program Steam are reportedly working on a hardware platform they could be announcing as early as this week’s Game Development Conference.

The rumor, reported by The Verge last Friday, puts Valve in an interesting position to shape the next generation of console gaming. The hardware’s presumed heavy integration with Steam would create a console store that Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Store would have a lot of trouble keeping up with. PCWorld Editor Jason Cross actually discussed the advantages Steam has over other game and app stores on a recent episode of the Game On podcast.

The Verge speculates that Valve’s console would feature upgradable hardware that used biometrics in some way along with a proprietary controller that let you swap out components depending on game type. Valve filed a patent for just such a controller last year.

This is all in line with Valve president Gabe Newell’s comments in a recent interview with the PA Report. In the interview Newell confirmed that the company had some exciting plans ahead with biometrics in games, and even confirmed that the company was looking into the hardware space saying simple “well, if we have to sell hardware we will.”

Without any actual confirmation, this is simply remains a rumor. But we may find out what (if anything) Valve has in store soon. Rumor has it that Valve was already setting up meetings about their new console at CES and is planning to reveal the hardware either at this week’s GDC or at E3 this summer. We’ll let you know here at Game On as soon as we hear more.

Hmmmmmm

[MACE]

GAME not stocking Street Fighter X Tekken and Asura's Wrath

Capcom's Street Fighter X Tekken and Asura's Wrath will not be available from GAME or Gamestation.

Both were scheduled for release this Friday on March 9th.

It is the latest in a string of blockbusters not stocked by the High Street chain, including Mass Effect 3, Mario Party 9, The Last Story and FIFA Street.

GAME has lost credit insurance with suppliers following a poor Christmas.

It has been given some support by its banks, but has had to negotiate better credit deals with its suppliers.

The company has failed to secure better terms with Nintendo, EA and now Capcom.

Both Street Fighter and Asura's Wrath will be available at HMV, Play.com, Amazon.co.uk, Shopto.net, The Hut, leading independent retailers and supermarkets.

No decision has yet been made on Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, which launches on March 23rd.

"Unfortunately Capcom must confirm that Street Fighter x Tekken for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and Asura’s Wrath, both scheduled for release on Friday March 9, will not be stocked by GAME or gamestation either in their retail outlets or on their online stores operating in the UK and Ireland," a Capcom spokesperson told MCV.

"Capcom wants to reassure its consumers that both these titles, including the Special Edition of Street Fighter X Tekken, will be available at a wide variety of retailers across the UK and Ireland. For those consumers who have already placed a deposit for a pre-order for any of these titles then a full refund will be available – please contact your local GAME or Gamestation shop or visit the online stores."

[T.I (uh oh)]

Hmmmmmm

Steambox would pretty much kill any interest I have in an Xbox720 or PS4 to be honest. Do want.

[Grimario]

I'm glad Borderlands 2 on PC is going to be $50 instead of $60, I'll preorder if it shows up on Steam.

It is my birthday on release day, Bort... hook me up? :beer:

[The Rick]

Peter Molyneux quits Microsoft
gamespot.com (http://www.gamespot.com/events/gdc-2012/story.html?sid=6364912)


Molyneux leaving Lionhead and Microsoft as work concludes on Fable: The Journey, moving to independent venture 22 Cans.

Celebrated game designer Peter Molyneux is to leave Lionhead Studios and Microsoft, quitting the Fable developer and his creative director role at Microsoft Game Studios' European division to work with a new, independent outfit. In a tweet, Molyneux writes, "I have left the lovely amazing Microsoft and Lionhead. Now for something really amazing, scary and brave a new company called 22 Cans."

The Twitter announcement came shortly after a statement to Kotaku, in which he announced his intentions, saying, "It is with mixed emotions that I made the decision to leave Microsoft and Lionhead Studios, the company that I co-founded in 1997, at the conclusion of development of Fable: The Journey."

Molyneux, creator of Dungeon Keeper and Populous, as well as the Xbox-exclusive role-playing game franchise Fable, co-founded Lionhead in 1997. He set up the studio after leaving Bullfrog, which he had founded 10 years earlier and sold to Electronic Arts in 1995. Lionhead produced the god game Black & White under his direction, as well as the first Fable game, before being acquired by Microsoft in 2006.

After being appointed creative director of Microsoft Game Studios in Europe in 2009, Molyneux oversaw Microsoft-owned British developers Rare and Lionhead. In his creative director role, Molyneux was also a notable spokesman for Microsoft's Kinect system, memorably presenting Milo, a Kinect-based tech demo in the form of an interactive virtual boy, at 2009's Electronic Entertainment Expo.

Details on who will take up Molyneux's duties at Microsoft and the nature of his new outfit, 22 Cans, are yet to surface. A placeholder page at 22cans.com shares the vague recruitment message, "A great team with a great idea leads to a great success."

[The Rick]

After Five Crummy Games, Marvel Wants No More of Sega
Kotaku.com (http://kotaku.com/5891462/after-five-crummy-games-marvel-wants-no-more-of-sega)


"No current plans" is politespeak for "this ballgame is over." And that was the reply given by Marvel's senior executive responsible for video games production, when asked what the future holds for the publishing label and Sega.

"There are no current plans for additional Marvel games to be published by Sega," T.Q. Jefferson told The Hollywood Reporter. Sega was behind the last two Iron Man games (Metacritic 42), Thor (39) Incredible Hulk (55), and Captain America (rebounding to a 60).

"The biggest afflictions affecting movie-licensed games is the amount of development time and a strict adherence to retelling the story of the film in the form of a game," Jefferson said. That's probably why Marvel is looking more to Facebook and free-to-play MMOs to adapt its video games. Oh, and, Activision, too.

Activision hasn't been doing much better with the Marvel license lately.
X-Men: Destiny - Xbox 360 avg 47 (metacritic (http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/x-men-destiny))
Spider-Man: Edge of Time - Xbox 360 avg 57 (metacritic (http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/spider-man-edge-of-time))

[T.I (uh oh)]

Spider-Man: Edge of Time - Xbox 360 avg 57 (metacritic (http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/spider-man-edge-of-time))

This one really pisses me off. Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions was an awesome game (76 on metacritic) - unfortunately, all Activision saw was the dollar signs, and forced Beenox (the developer) to make a sequel in less than a year - and it showed. Edge of Time was terrible. I fucking hate Activision and their yearly releases - they've destroyed so many franchises this generation through over saturation.

[The Rick]

Ubisoft wants to offer more value, not more DRM
gamesindustry.biz (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-03-23-ubisoft-wants-to-offer-more-value-not-more-drm)


Ubisoft VP of Digital Chris Early is looking to add more services to its titles, so pirated games have less value

Ubisoft wants to add more value to its PC titles, so that it no longer needs to add its controversial 'always-on' DRM. Ubisoft vice president of digital Chris Early told Eurogamer that the company hopes to add more companion services like mobile and social hooks to keep users from pirating PC games.

"The question is, with enough on-going content development, content release, engagement at the community level, can we create that kind of MMO value system? I think we can. As the rest of the game industry continues to evolve, the more you hear more about cloud gaming, the more you hear about companion gaming, the less a pirated game should work in all of that environment. So, therefore the value of that pirated content becomes less," said Early.

"Will some people still pirate? Yeah, they will. Will the person who really wants that broad experience pirate? We hope not."

Some consumers have categorized Ubisoft's DRM practices as hostile, but the company is still working on finding the right balance between protecting itself and punishing legitimate users.

"Is it fair for someone to enjoy our content without us receiving some value for that? I think at the core of that is, no," said Early. "Otherwise, other than works of charity, there would be few games made. The balance, however, is, how do we do anything about that and not harm the person who is giving us value for that?"

"As we continue to keep our player at the center, we want to find ways that don't inconvenience that player who is paying for it," he said. "We've had a variety of degrees of success as we wind our way down that path. Our plan, our hope is we stay on the less intrusive, less cumbersome side of that path as we go on."

"That's been the delicate balance that the industry has walked over time. It continues to be one that we grapple with as an industry. How do we create content and receive good value for that, and at the same time, not inconvenience the player who has given us value there? I don't know that there is a perfect answer today."

I personally like what Ubisoft is going for. I don't like that "reportedly (http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/08/01/diablo-iii-no-mods-online-only-cash-trades/)" you have to play Diablo III online. I understand for the cash transactions, but not for the whole game.

[The Rick]

US bill wants cigarette-style warning labels on violent games.
gamesindustry.biz (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-03-20-u-s-bill-wants-cigarette-style-warning-labels-on-violent-games)


The Violence in Video Games Labeling Act wants to protect your children from violent video games

Virginia Representative Frank Wolf and California Representative Joe Baca have co-sponsored bill H.R. 4202, also called the Violence in Video Games Labeling Act. The bill aims to put health warnings on violent video games, not unlike the current warnings on all tobacco products. The label, which would accompany any game rated "E" for Everyone and above, would say: "'WARNING: Exposure to violent video games has been linked to aggressive behavior.''

"The video game industry has a responsibility to parents, families and to consumers - to inform them of the potentially damaging content that is often found in their products," Baca told The Hill. "They have repeatedly failed to live up to this responsibility."

"Just as we warn smokers of the health consequences of tobacco, we should warn parents - and children - about the growing scientific evidence demonstrating a relationship between violent video games and violent behavior. As a parent and grandparent, I think it is important people know everything they can about the extremely violent nature of some of these games," added Wolf.

Of course, this warning would come alongside the warnings that already exist on all video games, as rated by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. Entertainment Software Association (ESA) senior vice president for communications and industry affairs Rich Taylor lashed out at the assumptions made by the bill.

"Representative Baca's facially unconstitutional bill - which has been introduced to no avail in each of six successive Congressional sessions, beginning in 2002 - needlessly concerns parents with flawed research and junk science," Taylor told Gamasutra.

"Numerous medical experts, research authorities, and courts across the country, including the United States Supreme Court, exhaustively reviewed the research Representative Baca uses to base his bill and found it lacking and unpersuasive. Independent scientific researchers found no causal connection between video games and real life violence."

This isn't the first time Baca has tried to pass this bill. The original version of the Act was sponsored in 2009, but ultimately went nowhere in the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.

The U.S. Supreme Court already struck down one law attempting to ban the sales of violent video games to minors. The ESA was reimbursed for its legal fees in that battle by the state of California.

Video games already have the most progressive ratings(in the US anyway). The front of the game has the ratings at the bottom corner. On the back of every piece of software it lists the content. Example http://www.museumofplay.org/blog/play-stuff/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/QuakeDetail.jpg

The problem isn't the ratings, or lack there of. The problem is the lack of public knowledge of the ratings. Instead of a bill asking for more warnings, educate the public. TV ads, print ads, etc...

[The Rick]

Xbox Live sees entertainment category surpass online gaming
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-03-27-xbox-live-sees-more-use-in-entertainment-category-than-online-gaming)


Entertainment app usage on Xbox Live has more than doubled year-over-year

In its quest to dominate the living room, Microsoft has continually upgraded its Xbox Live entertainment offerings, and the effort is clearly paying off, as today the company noted that Xbox 360 is being used more for entertainment than pure gaming.

Alongside the launch of the new Comcast and HBO Go TV apps, Microsoft released some new figures, specifically citing that Xbox Live Gold members are spending an average of 84 hours a month on the service, with entertainment apps doubling in usage.

No hard statistics were provided specifically on time spent with non-gaming apps, but Microsoft says that the combined time spent watching TV, listening to music and watching movies was the contributing metric.

This represents the first time the console has primarily been used for music, movies and other forms of entertainment, rather than continual online gaming sessions. In total, there has been a 30 percent year-over-year increase in usage on Xbox Live globally.

Even though BioWare released a major title in March, the whole of gaming has seen a drastic slowdown, causing major UK retailer GAME to go into administration. Perhaps gamers are watching more videos on Xbox Live instead of gaming during these harsh economic times.

**************************
Gaming was the biggest UK entertainment retail sector in 2011
gamingindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-03-27-games-were-biggest-entertainment-retail-sector-in-2011)


Video game software overtakes video for the first time, now 40 per cent of entertainment retail

Video game software was the UK's most valuable entertainment retail category in 2011, overtaking video for the first time.

According to data released by the Entertainment Retailers Association, revenue generated by boxed retail, digital downloads and apps hit £1.93 billion last year, versus£1.8 billion for video and £1.06 billion for music. Digital game revenue hit £504 million, versus £333 million for music and just £97 million for video.

Games represented 40.2 per cent of entertainment retail in 2011 - ahead of 37.6 per cent for video. The report notes that physical video sales have doubled that of games in the first 12 weeks of 2012, though historically the games industry generates the vast majority of its revenue later in the year.

"This is a dramatic time for the entertainment market. It is an historic development for the games sector to have overtaken video last year. Video has long been the biggest entertainment sector," said ERA director general Kim Bayley.

Overall, combined sales of games video and music fell 3.3 per cent year-on-year to £4.8 billion.

[The Rick]

Wii U 'not up to the same level' as PS3, Xbox 360 - Developers
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/wii-u-not-up-to-the-same-level-as-ps3-xbox-360-developers-6369675)


Report cites developers' gripes about next-generation Nintendo hardware; new console 'just can't quite keep up,' says one.

Yesterday reports emerged that the Wii U might be heading to shops on November 18; however, more information about Nintendo's next console also emerged that might be less pleasing to the Nintendo faithful. Speaking to GamesIndustry International, a number of anonymous developers compared the new console in unfavourable terms to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, suggesting it didn't have the graphical horsepower to compete with either, despite being able to output HD video.

"There aren't as many shaders, it's not as capable. Sure, some things are better, mostly as a result of it being a more modern design. But overall the Wii U just can't quite keep up," said one source. Another developer who is reportedly working on software for the new console said "it's not up to the same level as the PS3 or the 360."

The developers also opened up on the issue of the new console's controllers. "The whole thing about the tablet controller is that you only get one of them, and you can only use one and it's not completely independent," which means that multiple players on the same console will get different experiences, which may not suit all games or all players. "Other controllers are just Wiimotes [sic], or other Wii controllers. They may change the form factor or looks a bit, but it's the same controller," the developer continued.

It was also suggested that the uniqueness of the tablet controller is likely to be severely undermined as Sony moves further towards integration of the PS3--and its successor--and the Vita. "You can do everything with that combo that you can with the Wii U, and more," GamesIndustry's source said.

As of press time, a Nintendo representative had not returned GameSpot's request for comment

******************************

PS4 due before next Xbox - Report
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/ps4-due-before-next-xbox-report-6369350)


Source claims the next PlayStation will ship ahead of Microsoft's future-generation console; PlayStation Vita to work as PS4 controller.

The PlayStation 4--believed to be called the Orbis--will ship before Microsoft's next-generation console, according to a mystery source speaking to VG247.

The site's tipster said the design ambitions for the PS4 were set "at least" two years ago, and Sony is "confident" that it will release the console ahead of Microsoft's next Xbox.

Release windows for forthcoming machines from Sony and Microsoft have yet to be announced, but a new report suggested the next PlayStation would ship as early as holiday 2013.

The site's source also notes that Sony has clued in select partners (Ubisoft was specifically called out) about the console, and these developers are "already working on it." This falls in line with previous scuttlebutt, which suggested certain studios were developing titles for next-gen Sony technology.

Additionally, the site has learned that parts of the PlayStation Vita's launch hardware were altered to make sure the PS4 and PS Vita could interact in a similar way to the Wii U and its tablet controller. PS4 games will be playable using the PS Vita controller's twin sticks and touchscreen, according to the site.

As of press time, Sony had not responded to GameSpot's request for comment.

In January, a Sony executive said the company would be last to announce its next-generation technology. Thus far, of the three major console-makers--Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony--only Nintendo has taken the wraps off its new tech. The Wii U is due for a worldwide release this holiday season.

Gamers aren't likely to learn anything official concerning the PS4 anytime soon, as Sony previously confirmed it has no plans to bring the system to this summer's Electronic Entertainment Expo, which runs June 5-7.

***********************

[blackening]

Wow... those reports about the Wii U don't sound very good.

[T.I (uh oh)]

There's so many conflicting reports about Wii U it's hard to know what to believe.

Vigil have stated that the Wii U version of Darksiders 2 will be the definitive version, as it will be the only one to display in 1080p with a 60fps frame rate, and will also utilise the touchscreen.
Others are saying that it's not up to speed with 360 & PS3.

One thing is for certain, regardless of how powerful the machine is, there will always be some developers who refuse to release games for Nintendo because they don't think they will be able to sell on a Nintendo console.


I also read an article about how development costs for Xbox 720 & PS4 are set to double. Considering how many companies have already died this generation due to rising costs and lower sales, I think Nintendo may be the only company with any sense at all. But time will tell.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-04-03-next-gen-consoles-mean-increased-development-costs

[The_Mike]

I really think the console makers are going to have to rein in their massive hunger for graphical power if they don't want to end up with a seriously homogenous gaming industry. The more and more elaborate and expensive making games becomes, and the more companies that go bust, the less risks will be taken. We'll just end up with a constant stream of CoD sequels. On the other hand, I think they want a seriously homogenous gaming industry. It will basically guarantee a few main players steady profits, drip feeding shareholders for another couple of generations at least, and since when did large corporations give a crap about the future of even their own industry? As long as they're making a packet in the next quarter, it's not important.

Fortunately indy games and apps have the ability to gain worldwide distribution with the click of a button now, so it would seem that the playing field is leveling to an extent, but I'm not looking forward to a future where I have a choice between the same three franchises in 2160P HD on a 'real' console or a throw-away, blocky wee puzzle game on my phone. Where's the next Civilization or Sim City going to come from if your choices are spend 100 million dollars on pretty graphics or try to get it all done in your bedroom?

I really hope Nintendo do well this gen and gain much more third party support.

[Atty]

I really (well aside from Nintendo) don't see the need for some massive update to the consoles. Games on PS3 and 360 look astounding and developers are starting to get really good with the systems.

What I've seen of Wii U and the PS4 look so bizarre to me that I really have limited interest. Lack of backplay may well be a deal breaker for me on each console and the rumored limitations on used games really turns me off.

[Miotch]

I'm going to sticky this thread.

[The Rick]

Good and Bad press for EA

First the GOOD (in my opinion any way)

EA defends itself against thousands of anti-gay letters
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-04-04-ea-defends-itself-against-thousands-of-anti-gay-letters)

By James Brightman Wed 04 Apr 2012

EA is standing up for same sex relationships in games despite outrage from some

EA has been inundated in recent weeks with what GamesIndustry International understands to be "several thousand" letters and emails protesting the inclusion of same sex or LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) content in its video games, most notably Mass Effect 3 and Star Wars: The Old Republic. When asked, EA confirmed that this has indeed been occurring, and unsurprisingly, EA has no plans to censor any of its games.

"Every one of EA's games includes ESRB content descriptors so it's hard to believe anyone is surprised by the content. This isn't about protecting children, it's about political harassment," Jeff Brown, VP of corporate communications told us.

The letters have been directed to EA's executive team, creative heads, its board of directors and just about anyone at a high level. Many of them threaten to boycott EA's titles if the publisher refuses to remove same-sex relationship content.

The letters also infer that EA was pressured by LGBT groups to include homosexual content in its games, and that this content is somehow forced upon children, exposing them to LGBT themes. Of course, those of you reading this already know how ludicrous this is. The games are not for children, nor do they force LGBT content on a player - it's merely an option for gamers who wish to replicate their real-life sexual orientation.

Some of the letters also complain that EA is deliberately deleting posts against LGBT issues on its official forum, which is true when the comments happen to violate discussion rules on hate speech.

"EA has not been pressured by any groups to include LGBT characters in our games. However, we have met with LBGT groups and sponsored industry forums to discuss content and harassment of players in online forums. In short, we do put options for same-sex relationships in our games; we don't tolerate hate speech on our forums," Brown added.

As it turns out, many of the letters have been coming from Florida, and while Focus on the Family (led by James Dobson) is based in Florida, this does not appear to be their handiwork. Instead, it's rather apparent based on this call to action for Star Wars that the Florida Family Association is directing a campaign against EA because of the same-sex relationship content.

The Family Research Council, led by Tony Perkins, is also involved. "In a new Star Wars game, the biggest threat to the empire may be homosexual activists!" said Perkins.

We asked Matt Kane, Associate Director of Entertainment Media at GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) about campaigns such as the one Florida Family Association and Family Research Council have been spearheading.

"Anti-LGBT campaigns are falling into a pretty consistent pattern these days, in which messages of hate directed at our allies are met with an overwhelming outpouring of support for our allies in response," Kane noted. "Following Starbucks' announcing public support for marriage equality, 25,000 people signed a "Dump Starbucks" campaign, which in turn inspired more than 600,000 people to sign on to a "Thank Starbucks" campaign.

He continued, "The group 'One Million Moms' tried to have Ellen Degeneres fired from her role as a spokesperson for JC Penny, but the public expressions of support JC Penny received following the Stand Up for Ellen campaign were so numerous that 'One Million Moms' announced they would be 'moving on to other things.' Trying to rally Americans around messages rooted in hate is a losing proposition."

Michael Cole-Schwartz, Director of Communications at Human Rights Campaign (HRC), added that "those of us who work toward LGBT equality are pleased with the fair-minded stance EA's taken. EA should be commended for their inclusive approach that reflects the diversity of our communities."

HRC is currently organizing a petition "so that EA hears from the majority of fair-minded Americans who welcome their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender family and friends." The petition is not live yet, but the goal is to get people to show their support to EA for inclusive games.

"It's important that companies know these protests represent a fringe interest," Cole-Schwartz added.

Speaking to the larger issue at hand for the industry and LGBT content in video games, Kane remarked, "A lot of game makers are realizing that in order to create a believable universe it has to be a universe that is very diverse, and in some ways it sort of reflects the make-up of the culture we live in as well. I think it's very logical that you'll start to see more LGBT characters appearing in games."

"This is also not only a reflection of the culture, but also in part of their consumer base - at least a segment of their consumer base. Certainly Star Wars is a good example. EA listened to the people who were intending to purchase the game and saw that there was a real desire to see same-sex relationships included within the romantic options."

Cole-Schwartz believes that EA's progressive stance is a sign of the times and other publishers should take notice.

"As in all media, there remains work to do in order for more people to feel represented and included. This is true for video games and for LGBT people. EA's step in this instance is indicative of a continuing cultural shift toward greater inclusion," he said.
*************************************

And the BAD

EA responds to "worst company" label from Consumerist
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-04-04-ea-responds-to-worst-company-label-from-consumerist)

By James Brightman Wed 04 Apr 2012

EA was voted "worst company" in America, ahead of Bank of America

EA this week was selected by more than 250,000 votes on The Consumerist as the "worst company in America for 2012." EA has just provided GamesIndustry International with a response to this "Golden Poo Award."

"We're sure that bank presidents, oil, tobacco and weapons companies are all relieved they weren't on the list this year. We're going to continue making award-winning games and services played by more than 300 million people worldwide," said John Reseburg in EA Corporate Communications.

EA earned 64 percent of the vote in the final round, going up against Bank of America. The Consumerist commented, "Readers ultimately decided that the type of greed exhibited by EA, which is supposed to be making the world a more fun place, is worse than Bank of America's avarice, which some would argue is the entire point of operating a bank."

"To those who might sneer at something as 'non-essential' as a video game company winning the Worst Company In America vote: It's that exact kind of attitude that allows people to ignore the complaints as companies like EA to nickel and dime consumers to death."

Frankly, this whole vote on The Consumerist appears rather ridiculous on its face. Forbes summarized it best:

"The plights of the gaming industry simply don't compare with BofA's actions resulting in people literally losing their homes and savings... EA is widely loathed, and they've brought that reputation down on their own heads, but they're loathed for reasons that pale in comparison to basically any of the big mortgage companies and banks involved in the housing crisis and financial collapse."

[Beefy]

Grand Theft Auto video game in Victoria and Albert Museum Exhibition

The Grand Theft Auto video game series has been selected for inclusion in a new show at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The “British Design 1948–2012: Innovation in the Modern Age” exhibition is a “celebration of UK contributions to the world of art and design in the post-war era”, and covers the period from London’s 1948 ‘Austerity Olympics’ to the present day.

The series’ inclusion is not the first time video games have appeared in a major museum. The National Media Museum in Bradford keep an archive of major video game releases, and America’s Smithsonian Museum in Washington is currently running ‘The Art of Video Games’.

Grand Theft Auto was originally created as an open world game for PC and Sony PlayStation by Edinburgh based DMA Design in 1997. However, the series breakthrough came with Grand Theft Auto III for PlayStation 2 which garnered critical acclaim for its rich and detailed setting Liberty City. GTA III arguably popularised the open-world template, and Rockstar have continued to build on this legacy with subsequent Grand Theft Auto games, and titles such as Old West adventure Red Dead Redemption. The last game in the series, Grand Theft Auto IV, was the fastest selling game in the UK at the time of its release and the series as a whole has sold over 114 million copies worldwide.

In a statement, developers Rockstar said “We're honoured to announce that the Grand Theft Auto series has been selected for inclusion in the Victoria and Albert Museum's exhibition - Representing each Grand Theft Auto title in the franchise and showcasing the innovation of living metropolises and open world gameplay, the exhibit features a commemorative video chronicling the history of the Grand Theft Auto series”.

British Design 1948–2012: Innovation in the Modern Age runs until 12 August.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/9186064/Grand-Theft-Auto-video-game-in-Victoria-and-Albert-Museum-exhibition.html

Same story in the Independent:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/gaming/grand-theft-auto-graces-va-exhibition-7619076.html

[The_Mike]

Good on EA for telling homophobes where to stick it. And to be honest, I appreciate their response to being voted the worst company in America as well. Forbes got it right, EA might be greedy bastards and they might be leading the gaming industry down a pretty nasty road, but introducing things like online passes and daft DRM is nothing compared to wrecking the economy of the Western world and turfing people out of their homes whether they have a mortgage with you or not. What's wrong with people?

I cannot help but wonder what Victoria and Albert would think about Grand Theft Auto being part of an exhibit at their museum. That's a pretty amazing achievement for any game series, let alone one so prone to controversy. It's great that Scotland managed to produce such a worldwide success and that Rockstar is still largely based there. It always did please me to see the Forth Rail Bridge in San Andreas.

[The Rick]

Rockstar North employee CV gives Grand Theft Auto V an October launch window [update: CV pulled]
by Ben Gilbert on Apr 8th 2012 12:45PM
joystiq link (http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/08/rockstar-north-employee-cv-gives-grand-theft-auto-v-an-october-l/)


http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/04/gtavheaderimgodwyercv530px.jpg

Like several major games in the franchise, Grand Theft Auto V is being developed by Rockstar's Edinburgh, Scotland-based Rockstar North studio. Character animator Alex O'Dwyer is an employee at Rockstar North, according to both his LinkedIn page and his CV, and he seems to think that Grand Theft Auto V will launch this October.

As seen in the image above, O'Dwyer's CV puts GTA V's launch window firmly in the holiday season – not exactly a bizarre concept considering Rockstar's history of launching GTA titles during the holidays (with the exception of Grand Theft Auto IV, that is). It would also put sufficient time between Rockstar's May launch of Max Payne 3, but would totally buck the trend of Rockstar releasing more than one title in any given year. It's worth noting that Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two Interactive, may not be keen on launching GTA V in the same month as BioShock Infinite.

Regardless, we've reached out to Rockstar and O'Dwyer for comment, but, well ... it's Easter. Hopefully we'll hear something soon. For now, we're putting this squarely in the "rumor" column.

Update: Mr. O'Dwyer's CV was pulled down. We still haven't heard from Rockstar, nor have we heard from Mr. O'Dwyer regarding the date.

This is Huge news for the fall gaming line up. I really didn't expect to see this until next year like most, but now my hopes are up. I don't know why either. Bioshock Infinite is coming out, and if I have to choose at that time my head might explode... then I will pick up GTA.

Rockstar shouldn't say a word either way until E3. Now if they wanted Max Payne 3 to sell a shit load they should pack an "online beta" invite for GTA 5 in there.

[The_Mike]

October? I am highly suspicious of that. We haven't seen a hint of gameplay yet, and October is only a few months away. Maybe October was an early internal estimate at Rockstar but I'd be very surprised if it turns out to be the currently planned shipping timeframe. Pleasantly surprised, of course.

[Kyle_242]

I'd buy October. We hadn't even heard that they were making an Assassin's Creed 3 until, what, a month ago? And that's coming out in October.

[Beefy]

If they've been working on this for four years, or however long it has been since IV came out, then October doesn't sound unrealistic. No one knows though, do we? I'd guess that the game was well along the road to completion before the trailer we saw last year was completed.

[The_Mike]

Yeah, come to think of it, you guys could well be right. It would be pretty great to see it by then as well.

[The Rick]

Xbox Live to be "further monetized" - report
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-04-16-xbox-live-to-be-further-monetized-report)
By James Brightman Mon 16 Apr 2012


Microsoft employee CV reveals intent to wring more money out of subscribers

Microsoft is already doing quite well for itself with the popular Xbox Live service, charging $59.99 per annual subscription as of November 2010. Now it appears that a plan is in place to "further monetize" subscribers, according to group product planner Praveen Rutnam.

Rutnam's LinkedIn page notes that he's already "developed [a] strategy to further monetize Xbox LIVE subscriber base that will be implemented for holiday 2012." That's a rather vague statement, and it could be tied to the rumored removal of the Microsoft Points system, but it could easily involve other features to incentivize users to pay more (similar to PlayStation Plus on PSN).

RW Baird analyst Colin Sebastian commented to GamesIndustry International, "It could be added non-game content; a move to increase the subscriber base; a new user interface with easier access to the 'buy buttons'; perhaps a loyalty program, lots of options."

"In general, we should all assume that Microsoft is always looking for ways to improve monetization of users, as is a any self-respecting Internet company."

We've requested comment from Microsoft on the matter but have yet to receive a response. Update: A Microsoft spokesperson provided us with this statement: "We are always thinking of ways to improve our platform and its offerings. Beyond that we have no comment."

I'm actually surprised they haven't already implemented some of these items.

[The Rick]

Bethesda’s Lawyers Threaten Guy Giving Away Free Fallout Posters
kotaku link (http://kotaku.com/5902536/bethesdas-lawyers-threaten-guy-giving-away-free-fallout-posters)
By Luke Plunkett Apr 17, 2012


Late last year, artist Erling Løken Andersen thought it would be a nice idea to set up a website for his Fallout fan art (http://www.fallout-posters.com/). It was lovely art, coming in the form of posters, and in a nice touch, Andersen even uploaded incredibly high-resolution (and vector!) versions so people could print out their own copies.

Enter DLA Piper, a law firm representing publishers Bethesda, who own the rights to (most of) the Fallout universe. They sent a two-page letter threatening Andersen for having distributed the art, despite the fact he was not charging for it, and that Bethesda does not itself offer such images for sale.

So Andersen sent a very polite, very considered letter back, outlining his case and why DLA Piper's points of contention don't apply to a guy giving away art on the internet. You can read both letters at the link below. The lawyers are yet to respond.

I'm sure DLA Piper are just working off a brief, and this has nothing to do with Bethesda specifically targeting the guy, but still, when you hire a firm to conduct business in your name, it's your name that gets dragged into this kind of petty bullshit.

link to other letters (http://stormen.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/threated-with-lawsuit-by-bethesda-this-was-my-reply/)

[Beefy]

I'd assume that the XBox Live thing they're talking about is some sort of PSN+-style service. That's proven a very good way for Sony to get more money out of me.

[Bert]

New Bethesda game:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1HlYTukh9A

[The_Mike]

I generally just shrug my shoulders whenever I see yet another pre-rendered trailer, because I don't see how that's supposed to make me anticipate a game. However, the world looks pretty interesting, and I did a little digging to find this article:

http://www.gamesradar.com/dishonored-bethesdas-new-assassination-game-reacts-to-your-level-of-violence/

In short, the game is said to alter the unfolding story based on how you play and to allow for a lot of creativity when dealing with enemies. I hope it pans out that way. I enjoyed experimenting with different strategies in Skyrim during the Dark Brotherhood quests but opportunities to do anything other than shoot/stab in the back are there though unfortunately rare.

[The_Mike]

Bethesda will unveil its heavily rumoured Elder Scrolls MMO in May, according to a new report.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-03-16-elder-scrolls-online-reveal-in-may-report

I hate MMOs so it's highly unlikely I'll bother, but there's the chance it could really be something special and quite a radical experience. They have been working on it for six years, apparently. I just hope work on this was not a factor in Skyrim having such huge teething issues. Can you imagine Skyrim or all of Tamriel as a huge online persistent world, though?

[The Rick]

two nice bits of news from Nintendo

Kirby Anthology Coming This Year for Wii, Says Nintendo
kotaku link (http://kotaku.com/5903945/kirby-anthology-coming-this-year-for-wii-says-nintendo)


Not much more than a brief tease; as part of today's "Nintendo Direct" news event in Japan, the company said "a special Wii disc featuring all your favorite Kirby games," will be released this year, the character's 20th anniversary.


New Super Mario Bros. 2 Hits 3DSes This August
kotaku link (http://http://kotaku.com/5903941/new-super-mario-bros-2-hits-japan-3dses-this-august/gallery/1)


A new side-scrolling Super Mario Bros. game called New Super Mario Bros. 2 will be released for the Nintendo 3DS this August, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced today in Japan.

The game is a follow-up to the Nintendo DS mega-hit New Super Mario Bros. as well as New Super Mario Bros. Wii, both of which were old-school sidescrollers.

The big sequel was revealed during a Japanese video presentation hosted by the Nintendo president. Shortly after the announcement, Nintendo's American twitter feed also ran the news that the game is coming this August, implying it's set for release in North America this summer as well.

The first images shown of the game suggest that New Super Mario Bros. 2 will include the fan-favorite Power Leaf Tanooki Suit power-up from Super Mario Bros. 3. Unlike the racoon-tail Tanooki Suit in last year's Super Mario 3D Land, this throwback power-up will enable players who activate it to make their Raccoon Tail Mario fly.

According to Nintendo's Facebook page, "This all-new, side-scrolling adventure features Mario, Luigi and all your fave characters from the Mario series." Naturally!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDRJd-Fad-Q

[The Rick]

Xbox violates Motorola Mobility patents says Judge
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-04-24-xbox-violates-motorola-mobility-patents-says-judge)

By James Brightman Tue 24 Apr 2012 2:58pm GMT


Motorola aims to block imports of the Xbox into the US

Microsoft could see imports of its Xbox console blocked in the US if Motorola Mobility gets its way. David Shaw, a judge for the US International Trade Commission, ruled that Microsoft was violating four of five Motorola Mobility patents.

A separate judge, however, found that Motorola Mobility infringed just one of seven Microsoft patents.

Judge Shaw's findings are still subject to review by the six-member commission, which has the power to ban imports that infringe US patents, Bloomberg noted. Microsoft may be forced into settlement talks with Motorola to avoid any such ban.

Motorola Mobility actually filed suit against Microsoft in response to Microsoft lodging complaints against Motorola over patent-infringement claims involving Motorola Mobility phones that run on Google's Android operating system.

"Microsoft continues to infringe Motorola Mobility's patent portfolio, and we remain confident in our position," said Becki Leonard, a spokeswoman for Motorola Mobility. "This case was filed in response to Microsoft's litigate-first patent attack strategy, and we look forward to the full commission's ruling in August."

For its part, Microsoft stands firm that it will be vindicated once the commission finishes its investigation (expected around August 23). "Today's recommendation by the administrative law judge is the first step in the process leading to the commission's final ruling," Microsoft said in a statement. "We remain confident the commission will ultimately rule in Microsoft's favor in this case and that Motorola will be held to its promise to make its standard-essential patents available on fair and reasonable terms."

Two of the patents in question are related to an industry standard for video decoding, another two are for Wi-Fi technology and a fifth patent deals with communication between the Xbox and accessories.

[The Rick]

German Court Orders Microsoft To Stop Selling Xbox 360s
kotaku link (http://kotaku.com/xbox/)
By Jason Schreier May 2, 2012 1:30 PM


Achtung! A Mannheim court ruled today that Microsoft can no longer sell its Xbox 360 and Windows 7 operating systems in Germany. According to the German judge, this is because Microsoft infringed upon a Motorola patent while using certain video compression software.

But! A U.S. court has granted Microsoft a preliminary injunction while it appeals this decision, so Motorola can't enforce the German court order just yet. Xbox 360s will still be sold in Germany. For now. Let the Patent Wars begin.

[The Rick]

Dark Souls sells 1.19 million
May 8, 2012 9:30AM PDT By Brendan Sinclair
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/dark-souls-sells-119-million-6375675)


Namco Bandai confirms action-RPG its best-selling title as publisher posts most profitable full-year results in four years; Ace Combat: Assault Horizon also tops 1 million sold.

Dark Souls pushed Namco Bandai to its strongest fiscal year since 2008, the publisher revealed today in its financial results for the year ended March 31. From Software's action role-playing game was the company's top game of the year, selling 1.19 million copies in North America and Europe (Namco Bandai did not handle the game's Japanese release).

Beyond Dark Souls, Namco Bandai's most successful launch of the year was Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, which sold 1.07 million copies. The reboot of the dogfighting series did substantially better than its console predecessor, 2007's Xbox 360-exclusive Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, which sold 700,000 copies worldwide. Namco Bandai's other top sellers this year included the Japanese-only launches of One Piece: Pirate Warriors (940,000 sold) and Tales of Xillia (770,000 sold). Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi was next in line with 700,000 sold, while Soulcalibur V managed to move 690,000 copies.

For the full year, Namco Bandai posted revenues of ¥454.2 billion ($5.7 billion), up 15 percent and its best sales total since the fiscal year ended in March of 2008. The company's net profits were also up, with a ¥19.3 billion ($241.8 million) haul that was also Namco Bandai's best performance of the last four years, and 10 times the previous year's net profits.

The just underway fiscal year is expected to prove slightly more challenging for the publisher, as Namco Bandai has forecast sales and profits will both suffer single-digit percentage drops for the year ending March 31, 2013. The publisher's announced lineup of titles for the year includes Dark Souls for the PC, the international release of One Piece: Pirate Warriors, the sci-fi first-person shooter Inversion, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, and Dragon Ball Z for Kinect.


It is nice to see Dark Souls do this well. Amidst all the shooters and high profile titles (Skyrim, Batman, ect) they were able to pull in some nice numbers. Going multi-platform had to have helped dramatically. Sony said that this was a huge mistake not renewing their exclusivity, their right. They are dumb asses.

[The Rick]

BioShock Infinite moved into 2013 for "tweaks and improvements"
By James Brightman Wed 09 May 2012 1:55pm GMT
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-05-09-bioshock-infinite-moved-into-2013-for-tweaks-and-improvements)


Ken Levine says "we're doing things that no one has ever done in a first-person shooter"

BioShock Infinite has been moved out of its October launch to a new release date of February 26, 2013, Irrational Games' Ken Levine said in a statement sent to GamesIndustry International. Levine believes the extra polish will make Infinite a far better experience for gamers, and he reminded everyone that the original BioShock went through the same thing.

Here's the full explanation from Levine:

When we announced the release date of BioShock Infinite in March, we felt pretty good about the timing.

Since then, we've come to realize that some specific tweaks and improvements will make Infinite into something even more extraordinary. Therefore, to give our talented team the time they need, we've decided to move the game's release to February 26, 2013. We wanted to let our loyal (and very patient!) fans know this as soon as possible.

I won't kid you: BioShock Infinite is a very big game, and we're doing things that no one has ever done in a first-person shooter. We had a similar experience with the original BioShock, which was delayed several months as our original ship date drew near. Why? Because the Big Daddies weren't the Big Daddies you've since come to know and love. Because Andrew Ryan's golf club didn't have exactly the right swing. Because Rapture needed one more coat of grimy Art Deco.

The same principle now applies to BioShock Infinite.

What does this mean for you? It means a bit more waiting, but more importantly, it means an even better BioShock Infinite. The great can be made greater, and we owe it to both ourselves and to you, our fans, to take this opportunity. Irrational Games is one of those rare developers lucky enough to ask the people who sign the checks: "Hey, can we have a few more of those checks?"

We are also going to hold off on showing BioShock Infinite at the big events of the summer, like E3 and Gamescom. That way, the next time you see our game, it will be essentially the product we intend to put in the box. Preparing for these events takes time away from development, time we're going to use instead to get the best version of Infinite into your hands in February.



BioShock Infinite delay leaves October open for GTA V
By Mike Williams Wed 09 May 2012 8:11pm GMT
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-05-09-bioshock-infinite-delay-leaves-october-open-for-gtav)


Analysts believe that Take-Two has delayed BioShock to make room for Grand Theft Auto V

With Irrational Games' BioShock Infinite being delayed to early 2013, analysts believe its former release release window of October 2012 could be occupied by Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto V. Both titles come from Take-Two Interactive and despite Ken Levine's claims of needing more time, analysts think the parent company has moved things around for one of its biggest blockbusters.

"We speculate that once Rockstar Games notified Take-Two that GTA V would be ready by October, Take-Two gave Irrational Games the option to spend more time fine-tuning BioShock Infinite," said Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter. Pachter believes that Take-Two cannot hit its earnings forecast for this fiscal year without BioShock Infinite or Grand Theft Auto V.

"We don't think that this is a coordinated move by the development teams, but we acknowledge the possibility. If GTA V does not hit the shelves for the December quarter, we think it will be unlikely to see both games launched in the March quarter," said Macquarie analyst Ben Schachter.

Many main Grand Theft Auto titles have been released in North America in October, so it's possible the analysts are correct. Grand Theft Auto IV is a notable exception to the rule, having been released in April of 2008.

[The Rogerer]

It's almost a relief that Bioshock is moving back to take the pressure off both them and me. The rush to release in October is ridiculous.

[The Rick]

38 Studios opts to pay loan, not employees [Updated]
By Ben Strauss Thu 17 May 2012 9:22pm GMT
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-05-17-38-studios-opts-to-pay-loan-not-employees)


Curt Schilling's studio fires temps and contract employees to cover $1.125 million payment

The state of Rhode Island is facing a terrible setback after disappointing sales from 38 Studios and Kingdoms of Amalur. The company, which got started from a massive $75 million loan from the Rhode Island Economic Development Center, is facing a major debt crisis after missing a $1.125 million payment. It is now being reported that the company will opt to pay that loan, rather than play employees.

Current employees at the studio were unable to comment on the matter, but things looked quite grim outside the studio, reports local news WPRI. The studio counts 379 full time employees, with over 288 of them working in Rhode Island.

While paying off the debt might stave off some problems for 38 Studios, the employees and those surrounding the loan deal are being affected. 38 Studios has fired all temp employees, as well as all those on contract. The executive director for the state's Economic Development Corporation (EDC), Keith Stokes, has also resigned his position. Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee has not named a replacement yet.

38 Studios, founded in 2006 by former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Shilling, has received $49.8 million of a $75 million loan from the state. It looks as though taxpayers in Rhode Island will more than likely have to front the bill should the studio go under.

Things might not be lost, as Rhode Island is also helping to pay for the next game from the studio. The supposed MMO titled "Project Copernicus" is currently in development, though nothing about the game has come to light, including release schedule.

UPDATE: It is being reported that the check, hand delivered to the EDC by 38 Studios, has been returned. The company's chief financial officer has confirmed that there is not enough to cover the $1.125 million owed at this time.

[The Rick]

Microsoft's Steve Ballmer named America's worst CEO by Forbes
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-05-16-microsoft-ceo-steve-ballmer-named-as-forbes-worst-co)
By Ben Strauss Wed 16 May 2012 5:15pm GMT


Microsoft head beats out Wal-Mart, Sears, GE and Cisco for top slot in "CEOs who should have been fired long ago"

Steve Ballmer is the #1 ranked CEO who "should have been fired long ago," beating out competition from companies such as GE and Wal-Mart, argues Forbes in a rather scathing article posted this week. Ballmer is credited with not only helping to cripple Microsoft, but other companies that rely on the technology and expertise that has come out of the tech giant for decades.

"Without a doubt, Mr. Ballmer is the worst CEO of a large publicly traded American company today," says Forbes contributor Adam Hartung. "Not only has he singlehandedly steered Microsoft out of some of the fastest growing and most lucrative tech markets (mobile music, handsets and tablets) but in the process he has sacrificed the growth and profits of not only his company but 'ecosystem' companies such as Dell, Hewlett Packard and even Nokia."

"The reach of his bad leadership has extended far beyond Microsoft when it comes to destroying shareholder value - and jobs."

Ballmer's leadership, argues Forbes, has drastically pushed back the value of the company, which used to enjoy $60/share trading. Today's number hovers in the low $30s, recovering from a low point of the mid-$20s in 2002. Much of the argument stems from the belief that Microsoft has simply forgotten that the market is changing, and has decided to simply stay in the PC game, rather than work to lead the tablet and mobile markets.

"So today Microsoft, after dumping Zune, dumping its tablet, dumping Windows CE and other mobile products, is still the same company Mr. Ballmer took control over a decade ago," argues Hartung. "Microsoft is PC company, nothing more, as demand for PCs shifts to mobile. Years late to market, he has bet the company on Windows 8 - as well as the future of Dell, HP, Nokia and others."

"An insane bet for any CEO - and one that would have been avoided entirely had the Microsoft Board replaced Mr. Ballmer years ago with a CEO that understands the fast pace of technology shifts and would have kept Microsoft current with market trends."

What the Forbes author left out is how successful the Xbox and Xbox Live business has become. While Ballmer didn't lead the Xbox charge directly, the growth of the Interactive Entertainment Business happened on his watch.

Maybe somebody at Forbes magazine owns a PS3.

[The_Mike]

Diablo III's awesome solo campaign:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HDirTfFblow/T7MzLKeNATI/AAAAAAAAAH8/tPOQJAOKcGg/s320/Diablo+IIIScreenSnapz001.bmp

Called it.

[Bert]

Working fine for me. I got to level 14. I'd play more but I have work tomorrow.

The Demon Hunter (ranged/trap) class is pretty fun.

[Grimario]

Working fine for me. I got to level 14. I'd play more but I have work tomorrow.

The Demon Hunter (ranged/trap) class is pretty fun.

Yeah, I had no issues with it last night. The little fixes for the 3007 error like "join general chat before starting game" has meant I haven't been booted off at all, apart from when the servers went down for maintenance. It's kind of almost in peak for us in Oz which sucks but I had work today so the 10pm schedule last night was probably a good thing.

[Bert]

Yeah, I had no issues with it last night. The little fixes for the 3007 error like "join general chat before starting game" has meant I haven't been booted off at all, apart from when the servers went down for maintenance. It's kind of almost in peak for us in Oz which sucks but I had work today so the 10pm schedule last night was probably a good thing.

What's your Battletag thing and what class are you using? I probably won't get to play again til Sunday though.

[Judas Iscariot]

I can't even run it on my laptop and I'm not upgrading it just for Diablo III.

Not for a graphical upgrade (I'm so glad it doesn't look like the horrible beta shit, though). But it's Diablo II with a new skin, yeah? Same exact game, essentially. It's not like the jump Diablo II made from Diablo, which was really just a graphical change with a much bigger world and inventory system.

If I could run it I'd pick it up, but it's not a priority for me like D2 was ages ago when I was in high school and my friends and I were like, "Holy shit!"

If they do make it into a console version, I might pick it up provided it works well.

But it looks like the same shit again.

KEEP IN MIND, if my laptop supported its minimum requirements, I'd have already poured hours and hours into it.

But I just can't spend cash in order to spend MORE cash to play a game that I'm unfortunately not as interested in as I really wished I were.

[Bert]

Well, the skill system is vastly different now. And most of the characters are too.

IGN has a video detailing what's changed, http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/14/diablo-iii-review-in-progress

It's the 2nd one on that page.

[Judas Iscariot]

And unfortunately that's just where PC games are these days, yeah? Myself being an example.

I always preferred PC versions over consoles, but there's just too much investment making sure you can actually run it.

I was dying for Starcraft 2, but I can't run it. And I just can't justify the cost of either getting a new PC or upgrading my current one just so I can play a game when my computer serves every other purpose perfectly and I already have consoles to sate my already (sadly) diminished gaming appetite.

I remember getting Age of Empires III and not being able to run it on my PC. So I got it to run on my Mac. Couldn't play it there, either.

Still haven't played a second of it. And even though it was apparently a bust of some sorts, I wish I could have figured out a TRUSH strategy just to infuriate my friends when I played against them the first time.

[Grimario]

What's your Battletag thing and what class are you using? I probably won't get to play again til Sunday though.

Grimario#1983

Started with a DH for 30 minutes but about to boot up a Wiz, I think. No idea, really.

[Vice]

but there's just too much investment making sure you can actually run it.
Oh fuff. Once you get everything set up, you can go on and on about how PC gaming is far superior for a multitude of reasons and be a complete and utter dickwad of a snob. And that, my comrade, is priceless.

[The_Mike]

If you're gaming on a laptop, it can be pretty tricky to keep up because upgrades are a nightmare if not impossible, and often their video cards are somewhat crippled from the get-go unless you get a machine specifically for gaming, but a decent desktop can keep you current for a good four or five years, close to the lifespan of a console. If you are particularly competitive and really care about squeezing every last frame out of a game, it's always going to be expensive and require the latest video card every 12-18 months, but I am running Skyrim at ultra settings on a 4 year old machine that I did not even need to update until I got a mediocre 1GB graphics card last year for about £80. Even then, the 256MB card that the machine came with would have run Skyrim on medium and ran Bioshock on high.

It still sucks that most gaming companies don't seem to give a crap about people on machines older than a year, though. I was pleasantly surprised at how scalable Skyrim really is, Bethesda did a good job there, but by and large developers cram so many polygons on screen and do such little optimization that it can really become a treadmill trying to keep up with the graphics. To me, PC games are worth it because of the customisation options (I would probably have despised Skyrim eventually if I didn't have the hope of mods), but also because I'm willing to compromise and I'm not trying to compete in Call of Duty or something. Unfortunately, some developers are not willing to compromise at all, and you end up with situations where a game simply won't run because it doesn't detect the right video card, even if the current video card would probably be able to handle it with a reasonable if slightly sluggish performance.

In short, it does suck that PC gaming requires investment now and then just to be 'allowed' to play new games, but that investment does not have to be enormous in the grand scheme of things, and respectable performance can be achieved with fairly mediocre kit. You don't need to spend £1000 on some crazy AlienWare gaming rig with liquid coolant.

[Bert]

Oh fuff. Once you get everything set up, you can go on and on about how PC gaming is far superior for a multitude of reasons and be a complete and utter dickwad of a snob. And that, my comrade, is priceless.

I see what you did there. :lol:

I do think it is better but having said that if my friends weren't also PC gamers I probably would be playing console like the rest of you.

[The Rick]

Japan formalises 'complete gacha' ban
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-05-18-japan-formalises-complete-gacha-ban)
By Dan Pearson Fri 18 May 2012 8:05am GMT


Randomised item mechanic made illegal by Consumer Affairs Agency

Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency has formalised the ban on 'complete gacha' mechanics in video games - a move foreseen by several major social developers in the territory.

Complete gacha is an extension of the gacha mechanic, in which random items are produced, itself an evolution of the capsule toy machines common in Japan. Complete gacha requires players to accrue specific random items in this manner in order to obtain other, rare items.

This mechanic is often paired with micro-transaction costs for each random item and was deemed to be unfair. From July 1, any company selling a game utilising the mechanic will be subject to penalties, reports Andriasang.

This shouldn't cause a problem to the territory's major developers, who largely abandoned the system after the ministry first hinted at the ban just over a week ago.

[The Rick]

Microsoft Reveals New Stats for the Xbox 360
67 million Xbox 360s and counting...
IGN link (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/30/microsoft-reveals-new-stats-for-the-xbox-360)
by Anthony Gallegos May 30, 2012

http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2012/05/360-sales1.jpg


Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft's Chief Marketing Officer for its Interactive Entertainment Division, recently wrote in the company's official blog (http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2012/05/29/xbox-beyond-the-box.aspx) about the many successes of the Xbox 360. Mehdi is particularly excited about the future potential of the console, discussing how, "in the last year, the Xbox has transcended from a gaming console to a broad entertainment device inclusive of movies, TV, music and sports." He goes on to discuss how much time people spend with their 360, pointing out how Xbox Live subscribers spend 84 hours per month with the system on average. For comparison, Mehdi asserts, "the average American watches a little more than 150 hours of TV in the same period."

Medhi believes this has resulted in Microsoft's ability to "defy gravity" in the console life cycle. "Sales for Xbox 360 in year five were greater than in year four, sales in year six were greater than in year five, and sales in year seven were greater than in year six," said Medhi. All of these sales have culminated in $56 billion in revenue and 67 million consoles sold since 2005 (compare that to Sony's 63.9 million) (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/11/playstations-future-good-news-and-bad-news), and Microsoft attributes the continuing success to the 19 million Kinects sold and that they have 47% of the console marketshare.

Microsoft's philosophy with the Xbox is that "entertainment has become a multi-screen experience," and while Medhi wouldn't reveal what we can expect at next week's E3, he did say the company has, "a few surprises to share!"

[The Rick]

PlayStation 4 due in 2013 - Report
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/playstation-4-due-in-2013-report-6379049)
By Eddie Makuch May 30, 2012 1:11PM PDT


Sources say Sony to ship new console next year, company flirted with idea of download-only system, but decided against it over bandwidth concerns.

The PlayStation 4 will hit store shelves next year, sources have told the Wall Street Journal (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303640104577436261084921778.html). The unnamed tipsters said Sony is aiming to hit this date, but did not elaborate further. A Sony representative declined to comment for GameSpot.

On top of outing a release window for the PS4, the paper's sources explained Sony considered making it download-only, but ultimately decided against it. According to the report, Sony's flirtation with such a system came to a hault mainly because of concerns regarding the prevalence and reliability of Internet connections around the world.

A user in a region with a relatively slow Internet connection would face lengthy download times, and this turned Sony off to the idea, the source said. A Sony representative told GameSpot, "This is rumor and we do not comment on rumor."

If Sony had moved forward with a digital-only home console, it would have followed the company's PSP Go in ditching boxed games. That system shipped in 2009, and during one week in February 2011, was outsold by its PSP predecessor 1,000-to-1 in Japan.

The site also reports that Microsoft's next Xbox will boast an optical disc drive, as was suggested earlier this year when rumor had the new console sporting a Blu-ray drive. The source told the paper that Microsoft also harbored concerns regarding access to reliable Internet connections when devising plans for its upcoming console.

For more on speculation concerning the PS4 and next Xbox, check out GameSpot's rumor roundup feature.

[The Rick]

Nintendo Unveils Hardcore Wii U Controller
kotaku link (http://kotaku.com/5915318/nintendo-unveils-hardcore-wii-u-controller)
By Luke Plunkett Jun 3, 2012 6:05 PM

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17oof0ulitzcdjpg/original.jpg


The point of the Wii U is that it has a fancy, touch-screen controller. That may not be suitable for all titles, though. Especially ones being ported from other consoles. For that, much like the Wii, the Wii U will have a Pro Controller, one that you could say resembles the pads of one of Nintendo's competitors.

Also of note: check out those sticks. Or, more pointedly, check out the circular housing they're sitting in. From the N64 to the Wii, Nintendo has preferred to keep things octagonal as far as its joystick movement extremities went. It was handy for some games, but for others, a giant pain.

That's a thing of the past, as both the Wii U Gamepad and this Pro Controller both have a circular housing, which should allow for a more precise range of movement.

__________________________________________________ ____

The Wii U GamePad Is Different. Here’s How.
kotaku link (http://kotaku.com/5915316/the-wii-u-gamepad-is-different-heres-how/gallery/1)
By Brian Ashcraft Jun 3, 2012 6:11 PM

http://img.gawkerassets.com/post/9/2012/06/newbuttons_640x360.jpg
http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17oo95u8k9wurjpg/xlarge.jpg



Today in a pre-recorded statement from Nintendo's Kyoto headquarters, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata introduced Nintendo's new home console the Wii U and how the Wii U GamePad, the controller's official name, is different.

First, Iwata revealed that Wii U GamePad's name harkens back to the Nintendo Entertainment System's controller, the NES gamepad.

Regarding the changes, Iwata stated that the buttons were moved to make the controller more comfortable. The controller's handgrips were also changed to make the controller easier to hold.

The sliders are now thumbsticks that can be pushed down, and the controller has a NFC reader/writer than can read cards or figures when they are placed on it.

The Wii U can also be a TV remote controller with a new TV Remote Control button. Unlike the Wii, which can only turn the Wii on or off, the Wii U Gamepad can turn off the console and then turn itself into a TV remote controller.

Last month, an image surfaced of a tweaked Wii U GamePad that showed off the redesigned analog thumbsticks. That image did not show the labeled TV Remote, but it did show the button. Nintendo showed that feature for the first time today.

[The Rick]

Activision Might be For Sale
Kotaku link (http://kotaku.com/5916749/activision-might-be-for-sale)
By Luke Plunkett Jun 7, 2012 7:06 PM


According to a report on BLoomberg, media giant Vivendi - which owns Activision Blizzard - is going to meet soon to decide whether to offload the publishing powerhouse.

With a market value of around $13 billion, Vivendi's top brass will mull whether to sell the company, sell part of the company or simply leave things as they are.

The move would have nothing to do with Activision's performance; it would be because Vivendi's boss wants to "unlock value from assets he has said are at a discount because of the holding structure at Vivendi"

Anyone got a few spare bucks lying around? Let's get a Kickstarter going, see if we can't buy this puppy and make some changes.

[The_Mike]

Good to see a more regular gaming pad is an option for the Wii U, but I really am getting tired of how bitty all these consoles are. Seems like having to buy five different controllers is starting to become the norm.

[The Rick]

Good to see a more regular gaming pad is an option for the Wii U, but I really am getting tired of how bitty all these consoles are. Seems like having to buy five different controllers is starting to become the norm.

I like the pad, but I wish it was packed in. It would allow developers to concentrate on making games for the WiiU, and not worry about integrating the touch pad. The next COD, GTA, and sports games can easily be ported over(theoretically) for the time being. Thus this could then be a powerful selling point for the WiiU. Buy our new machine, play all the games you love from Nintendo, and now play the games that weren't possible on the Wii.

[The Rick]

Xbox team looks "obsessively" at Sony says Molyneux
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-06-12-xbox-team-looks-obsessively-at-sony-says-molyneux)
By James Brightman Tue 12 Jun 2012 2:17pm GMT



The former Microsoft exec and Lionhead boss is also "shocked" by Microsoft's lack of attention to Windows gaming

In business, it's only natural to look across the board at the competition. Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo all keep a close eye on one another to see how respective strategies and product lines are evolving. According to ex-Lionhead leader Peter Molyneux, the Microsoft camp actually looks at Sony "obsessively."

In a wide-ranging interview with Molyneux last week at E3, GamesIndustry International prefaced a general question about Sony with our own comment that Molyneux and people in even higher offices at Microsoft must be constantly looking at Sony. Molyneux quickly noted, "Yes, very much so. Obsessively so."

Overall, Molyneux believes Sony's own first-party studio system could be its savior, but he's not sure the company's corporate troubles will enable them to flourish.

"Sony has always had a very strong first person line-up, which I think is incredibly smart. They've got good developers. They've got some very talented developers. The way I always feel with Sony is that if they double down on those first party developers, give them the headroom to be inventive and be creative, especially when it comes it any next generation platform, then they could pull lots of rabbits out of the hat," he remarked.

"What I worry about, with their corporate pressure and the pressure on costs, I worry about the ability to do that. More and more - and this is a personal thing - I just don't know where they're going in hardware terms. They had the Move, but it wasn't as early as the Wii and it wasn't as innovational as Kinect. They seem to be third in line in that race. I have expected, every single press conference for the last year, Sony to bring out this magic rabbit out from a huge hat and say, 'Aha, world. You really don't realize what's going on.' And I do worry about them."

Sizing up Microsoft's E3 showing, Molyneux commented, "I thought it was a very smart move on their behalf to focus on demos. And actually, I thought EA's line, 'You're going to see ten great demos from ten great developers,' you could have said the same for Microsoft. I felt there wasn't nearly as much Kinect stuff as previous years, which was a little bit of a surprise and a shock to me."

He continued, "I like the SmartGlass thing that they were talking about but I didn't completely understand it. I'd like to have seen more examples of it. It sounded like it was a big thing, because here's Microsoft supporting Apple. It really didn't get a lot of play for that. I like the Nike Fitness product. I thought [the conference] was good. It was, as usual, super hyper-professional. They finished on the second. But what did it tell us about them structurally in the next two, three years? I don't think it said anything about it. I think - in fact, it almost painted a stone wall in my mind. It was like they were holding their breath and waiting for something else"

Molyneux sees all the console makers as struggling to deal with the reality that they're no longer the only game in town in 2012.

"It's going to be an interesting problem for all the console manufacturers I think. It's because so much computer entertainment, is spreading and diversifying over so many different platforms. They no longer have the luxury of keeping us all funneled into these consoles. A whole lot of manufacturers in the industry have been in a luxurious position for so long, where they could restrict the entertainment content to the masses. They did a very good job of squeezing the PC out and making this just about three formats and now it feels like it's sand dripping through their fingers. It's escaping from them," he observed.

Speaking of the PC, Molyneux was also surprised by Microsoft's continued lack of attention to the PC format for gamers.

"I would hope the next generation would bring about a new wave of innovation. If we don't do that in consoles, then you will find that those people that want innovation will start retreating to other formats. Look at the PC. It's incredible to me how there's been a resurgence in PC gaming. There's a lot more innovation now... I think that's the other thing about the Microsoft press conference. It's always shocked me about how little Microsoft cared about the Windows platform. There was hardly a single talk about Windows 8 at all. You would've thought, with a billion installed machines, there would be at least some play. And the whole metro interface is much more gamified, but there was no talk about it at all," Molyneux said.

Ultimately, with so many platforms available to developers aside from consoles, it can be confusing for game developers, but the new landscape also creates many opportunities.

"This is exactly why I left Microsoft," Molyneux, who recently formed 22 Cans, remarked. "I think as a creative person, as someone who loves creativity and loves embracing ideas, this seemed like the perfect time to set up another company and find enough people that believed in one focused idea, crazy though that idea might be, that embraces all this new technology rather than try to ignore it. And the only way I found that I was able to do that was in a start up because there are so many political things that have to go on in existing games development, whether they're supporting retail or supporting some format that's out there. I think only a little start-up can totally embrace that newness and the excitement that's going on."

And as a bonus it's certainly liberating for someone as outspoken as Peter Molyneux. He related to us how it's been a breath of fresh air to be able to talk without restrictions.

"It is very, very difficult when you're a developer owned by a publisher because when you're talking it's not just your voice. It's the voice of your team, which is 200 persons strong; it's the voice of the whole of Microsoft," he said, reflecting on Lionhead. "And that has to be measured, and so at one point, at Microsoft, totally understandably, there would be one journalist in the room and three or four PR people just writing everything down. Now there's nobody. That took me a bit of while to get used to. You almost expect someone to pop up and look in the room and say, 'Well, you can't say that.'"

It does have its downside though: "Freedom is a dangerous drug to take. It is very dangerous because [PR] did two things. They stopped me from saying the wrong corporate thing, but they also stopped me from making a fool of myself. It's very easy to do that now. Very, very easy."

[The Rick]

Multi-touch Wii U screen would be 'unwieldy' - Nintendo
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/multi-touch-wii-u-screen-would-be-unwieldy-nintendo-6382133)
By Brendan Sinclair June 12, 2012 8:26AM PDT


Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime explains the thinking behind limiting the GamePad's touch screen to a single input, promises revised Friend Code system.

The Wii U GamePad touch screen is only sensitive to a single input at a time, and Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime is saying that limitation was more than just a cost-cutting measure.

Speaking with Kotaku, Fils-Aime explained that Nintendo determined "single-touch was a more appropriate option" given the GamePad's other buttons. While Fils-Aime acknowledged that the price of a multi-touch display played a part in the decision making, he added that there was a consideration to the gaming experience as well.

"Certainly there's a cost to it. Again, we envision this as a controller that you're putting in your hands and you're doing a two-screen experience," he said. "The concept of putting it in your lap to do multi-touch for us just feels unwieldy."

In addition to addressing the GamePad's single-touch screen, Fils-Aime also promised the Wii U will incorporate improvements to Nintendo's existing Friend Code system from the Wii. There will still be friends, and gamers will have a separate level of interaction available for those people on their friends lists, but Fils-Aime promised the process of confirming someone as a friend will be "a lot simpler" than it is with the Wii.

[The Rick]

Australia formally passes mature game rating
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-06-18-australia-formally-passes-mature-game-rating-at-r18-designation)
By Ben Strauss Mon 18 Jun 2012 5:28pm GMT


With R18+ designation, Australian gamers are finally able to play games with fewer restrictions on censorship

Gamers on the smallest continent in the world have finally made headway in the fight for freedom of expression in video games. Australian Federal Parliament has approved a rating of R18+ for gaming, which will allow games that have long been banned in the country to be sold at retail. The new rating will come into effect at the start of 2013.

"These are important reforms over 10 years in the making," said Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare to News.com.au. The reform was a bipartisan effort, one that has been contested heavily since 2009 with an open debate offered by the government."

"The R18+ category will inform consumers, parents and retailers about which games are not suitable for minors to play and will prevent minors from purchasing unsuitable material. The reforms also mean that adults are able to choose what games they play within the bounds of the law."

Before the R18+ label, the law effectively meant that games deemed unsuitable for those under the age of 18 were outright banned for sale in the country. Australia's rating system only went as high as to allow games meant for a 15+ rating, nominal to a T rating with the American-based ESRB and a 16 rating for the European-based PEGI system.

"The passage of this bill will no doubt be welcomed by adult gamers all across Australia," added shadow attorney-general George Brandis. "The industry has been waiting for this change for some time."

That change will put all media under a unified set of criteria to be rated and judged, giving gamers a proper shot at enjoying such titles as Left 4 Dead 2, Manhunt, The Witcher 2 and Syndicate, among other well-known titles.

[Bert]

http://wiiudaily.com/2012/06/nintendo-offering-insane-incentives-to-publish-on-wii-u-eshop/



The source, working at a European developer who previously informed on Wii U Achievements (a report which was later confirmed by Nintendo), said that Nintendo is taking digital downloads seriously this time. He said Nintendo wants to offer all retail games — first and third party titles– available as downloadable titles on the console via the Wii U eShop.




“They’re offering insane incentives for publishers to sell retail games as downloads on the console. You’d be stupid not to take advantage of it and go retail box-only”, he said, adding “The new platform is perfect for indie devs, it’s a whole different ball game than WiiWare. They’ve learned a lot from that mess”.


“It’s just a much bigger revenue cut that you’d get selling it on any other platform at the moment, plus promotions on the online store. If they [Nintendo] pull it off and it gains traction, it’ll press the other guys [Microsoft and Sony] to give more of the revenue to the publishers. It’s very good for us who make games”.

[blackening]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/tony-hawks-pro-skater-hd-lands-july-18-6383245

Tony Hawk will ride again next month. Xbox Live director of programming Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb today announced prices and release dates for 2012's Summer of Arcade promotion, which will kick off on July 18 with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD for 1,200 MS points ($15).

Developed by Robomodo (Tony Hawk Ride, Tony Hawk Shred), Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD will be the first Tony Hawk title distributed exclusively through digital channels. It will contain levels from the first two Tony Hawk titles, retouched and running on a new game engine. Its soundtrack includes a mix of songs from past games, like "Superman" by Goldfinger, as well as tunes new to the franchise, like "Teenage Blood" by Apex Manor and "Please Ask for Help" by Telekinesis.

I think I'll be getting this unless the reviews are terrible. I loved the first two games and this one is supposed to have 5 multiplayer modes and leaderboards.

[Guy]

I'm worried that the guys developing it aren't the original guys.

[The Rick]

Valve Gives Away Portal 2 for Free to Teachers with ‘Steam for Schools’
kotaku link (http://kotaku.com/5919912/valve-gives-away-portal-2-for-free-to-teachers-with-steam-for-schools)
By Evan Narcisse Jun 20, 2012 11:45 AM


If you've played games like Team Fortress 2 or the Portal titles, you know that Valve loves making players learn. The company's already got a foothold in bringing their games into the educational space and that commitment's going to get bigger.

Today, at the Games for Change conference, Valve's Leslie Redd and Yasser Malaika announced that they'll be giving away their hit game Portal 2 for free, via the new Steam for Schools initiative. After signing up for a beta, educators will be able to get the popular sequel, the recently launched Perpetual Testing Initiative level maker and sample levels. Students making levels won't be able to share levels outside of a physical classroom, though. For more info, head over to learnwithportals.com

[The Rick]

Hey Nintendo had said that they weren't working on a new iteration of the 3DS at E3. That was probably because they were already done with it.


http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17qiuf4phra61jpg/original.jpg
Nintendo Announces a New, Bigger 3DS. Meet the 3DS XL.
kotaku link (http://kotaku.com/5920420/nintendo-announces-a-new-bigger-3ds)
By Brian Ashcraft Jun 21, 2012 11:43 PM


The screen is 90 percent bigger, with larger bottom and top screens. It's called the Nintendo 3DS LL in Japan and the Nintendo 3DS XL in the West.

The top screen measures at 4.88 inches and is 90 percent bigger, while the bottom screen is 4.18 inches and is also 90 percent bigger.

For the 3DS LL, the battery will last 3.5 to 6.5 hours while playing 3DS games (as compared to 3 to 5 hours with the 3DS). The battery will last 6 to 10 hours for DS games (as compared to 5 to 8 hours for the 3DS).

To cut costs, Nintendo is selling the AC adapter as a stand alone in Japan, but the 3DS XL will work with current 3DS plugs. (Note: in North America, Nintendo is releasing the 3DS XL with the AC adapter.)

The 3DS XL will come in three colors (White, Red x Black, Silver x Black) and be out in Japan on July 28 for ¥18,900. The 3DS XL will be out in Europe on July 28. In North America, it will be released on August 19 for US$199.99 in Black, Black x Blue, and Black x Red.

[Olympus]

For the love of all things... why didn't they build in the circle pad pro????

[Dubya]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFQozn_byp0

New Bellator MMA game .. doesn't look amazing.. doesn't look terrible.. its only gonna be $15 on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcarde .. comes out July 4th. I'll probably check it out for that price.

[Olympus]

I think it looks terrible. It just seems like one of those games that should have never been made. The only possible way it could eclipse UFC 3 is with its online components.

The slam KO was kind of cool though. And it sounds like each fighter will kind of have a "finishing move." Right now, it looks like it's stuck right in the middle of arcade and simulation though. When you try to please both crowds, you usually fail all the way around. That MMA Supremacy game had potential, but its controls and input delay were horrendous.

[The Rick]

Need for Speed under Criterion's control now
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-06-23-need-for-speed-under-criterions-control-now)
By Mike Williams Fri 22 Jun 2012 11:44pm GMT


The Burnout developer will be overseeing the franchise from now on
Criterion Games

Need for Speed: Most Wanted developer Criterion will be in charge of the entire franchise with the release of its latest title. Criterion vice president Alex Ward told GameInformer that the studio is ready to take the reins.

"Going forward now, with Most Wanted and what we'll do in the future [will have], shall we say, a strong Criterion involvement," Ward said. "I'm personally involved in how the cars drive, how the game will play out, how connected they are, and what the features are."

Criterion jumped on the series with Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit in 2010, while the series primary developer, EA Black Box, handled last year's Need for Speed: The Run. Need for Speed: Most Wanted is being developed by Criterion again, with a release scheduled for October 30, 2012. When asked if EA's decision to make the series annual was watering down the franchise, he contended that Criterion's stamp would bring NFS into focus.

"Maybe it's been that way in the past, but that's changed this year with what we're doing… Our stamp's going to be in everything you see in Need for Speed and Burnout going forward in the future. It's not going to be spread anymore across different companies. Different studios have had a crack at it - it's definitely a Criterion gig now," he explained.

Currently, the Need for Speed brand covers different game types, including the simulation-based Shift, the online World, the story-based The Run, and Criterion's police-based titles. Ward admits the studio "[thinks] about [Burnout] all the time", but there's no concrete plans for another. Burnout Paradise fans will have to find solace in the open-world Need for Speed: Most Wanted.



I have mixed feelings about this. I so badly want another true Burnout title. Paradise is one of if not my favorite racer of all time, but they did such a good job with Hot Pursuit. I will be keeping an eye on the NFS: Most Wanted this holiday season.

[T.I (uh oh)]

For the love of all things... why didn't they build in the circle pad pro????

Apparently it has to do with the way the Circle Pad Pro communicates with the original 3DS, and the signals that the CPP games need to recognise to trigger actions. From what I've read, it's a IR signal - and if the extra circle pad was built into the hardware, games designed for the CPP would not recognise the input of the new Circle Pad.

Terrible planning by Nintendo.

[Olympus]

That makes sense, but it doesn't make it any more logical. With all the failures of the Vita so far, the second thumb stick is truly tremendous. I'm still happy I bought one.

[The Rick]

Apparently it has to do with the way the Circle Pad Pro communicates with the original 3DS, and the signals that the CPP games need to recognise to trigger actions. From what I've read, it's a IR signal - and if the extra circle pad was built into the hardware, games designed for the CPP would not recognise the input of the new Circle Pad.

Terrible planning by Nintendo.

Nintendo could have waited another year before releasing the XL anyway. They usually release the new versions when sales start dipping severely. Sales are on the upswing for the most part. They are beating all consoles combined in Japan currently. UK hit 1 mil just a month or so ago, and US sales have started rising. I don't know who is planning Nintendo's strategies these last few years, but they need to be taken out of the position. They have had misstep after misstep. The Wii having almost no worth while titles to purchase. The launch of the 3DS. Every previewed 3DS game getting pushed back to the following year. The WiiU confusion. They need to get their shit together and quick.

[The Rick]

Hirai exits role as Sony Computer Entertainment chairman
gamesindusty link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-06-27-hirai-exits-role-as-sony-computer-entertainment-chairman)
By Rachel Weber Wed 27 Jun 2012 9:16am GMT


Hirai exits role as Sony Computer Entertainment chairman

But will stay on the board in a part time role

Kazuo Hirai has retired from his role as representative director and chairman on the Sony Computer Entertainment board.

Hirai became CEO and president of the Sony Corporation on April 1. He will still serve on the SCE board in a part time role.

Howard Stringer, chairman of the Sony Corporation, also retired from his part time role on the board.

The president of SCE Japan, Hiroshi Kawano was among the new executives appointed to the board.

[Atty]

Nintendo could have waited another year before releasing the XL anyway. They usually release the new versions when sales start dipping severely. Sales are on the upswing for the most part. They are beating all consoles combined in Japan currently. UK hit 1 mil just a month or so ago, and US sales have started rising. I don't know who is planning Nintendo's strategies these last few years, but they need to be taken out of the position. They have had misstep after misstep. The Wii having almost no worth while titles to purchase. The launch of the 3DS. Every previewed 3DS game getting pushed back to the following year. The WiiU confusion. They need to get their shit together and quick.

Speaking on my own part, I had little interest in the 3DS (or any handheld), but I'm likely to pick up the XL. Never had a DS and they're releasing a new New Super Mario Bros for it about the time the XL comes out. Especially with confusion over the Wii U, it makes me more likely to look to something else for my Mario and, when Wii U somehow doesn't suck, they'll get my money then too.

[The Rick]

Wii U online service won't come with a fee
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-06-29-wii-u-online-service-wont-come-with-a-fee)
By James Brightman Fri 29 Jun 2012 5:10pm GMT


Satoru Iwata said Nintendo evaluated Xbox Live-like subscription but decided against it
Nintendo

Nintendo held its annual shareholder's meeting this week, and one of the topics raised in the discussion was how Nintendo would approach its online network for Wii U and 3DS. Nintendo is aware that it needs to do more to bolster its online offerings, which is why Nintendo of America just hired a senior vp of network business, but the company feels that charging online users is the wrong approach.

According to a translation (by Andriasang) of comments made at the meeting, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata noted that Nintendo did think about the idea of a paid online service similar to Microsoft's popular Xbox Live but ultimately the company decided it would limit the number of online users Nintendo would attract.

Keeping the online service open and free, and "by having everyone use the Miiverse together, word of mouth will more easily spread. This will lead to greater hardware and software sales," reads the translation.

Wii U launches this holiday season, and Nintendo has high hopes for much better third-party support than the company saw with Wii. In fact, Iwata mentioned that "Nintendo started sharing information with third parties at about the same time as its internal teams" and "Nintendo also holds seminars and dispatches employees to other companies."

A solid online offering and robust third-party support could go a long way towards making Wii U a success. The key piece of information the industry is waiting on, however, is how much Wii U will retail for. That will be a critical factor for Nintendo's success.

[The Rick]

Recent FCC Filing May Reveal Super Slim PS3
ign link (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/07/05/recent-fcc-filing-may-reveal-super-slim-ps3)
by IGN Staff July 5, 2012


Recent FCC Filing May Reveal Super Slim PS3
Is Sony to announce a new, super-slim PS3 model at Gamescom?

Documents submitted to the Federal Communications Commission may have revealed a new PS3 model.

The FCC documents, filed by Sony and picked up by Japanese website PocketNews, appear to reveal a new model filed as the CECH-4001x. Considering the current model of the PS3 is the 3000 series this intuitively points to the rumoured 4000 series.

In a series of pictures, documents appear to show the CECH-4001x along with the 3000 series and the original PS3, making it apparent that this iteration of the PS3 (if that's what it is) will be even slimmer than the current PS3 Slim.

Eurogamer reckons that Sony is poised to announce a new PS3 model at Gamescom this year. Given that the PS3 Slim was also announced at Gamescom, that wouldn't be unprecedented.

http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2012/07/PS3-super-slim.jpg

[Bert]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UwO1xgiOUE

[The Rick]

Consumers can resell downloaded games, rules EU
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-07-03-consumers-can-resell-downloaded-games-rules-eu)
By Rachel Weber Tue 03 Jul 2012 2:16pm GMT


Consumers can resell downloaded games, rules EU
"An author of software cannot oppose the resale of his 'used' licences" says Court Of Justice

The Court of Justice of the European Union has made a crucial judgement determining that publishers cannot oppose the resale of their previously bought and played downloadable games.

The ruling even goes as far as to say the judgement stands even if the original buyer has signed a End User License Agreement, and will have major implications for distribution services like Valve's Steam and EA's Origin.

The judgement, explained below in more detail, came about after a legal battle in the German courts between software reseller UsedSoft and developer Oracle.

"The principle of exhaustion of the distribution right applies not only where the copyright holder markets copies of his software on a material medium (CD-ROM or DVD) but also where he distributes them by means of downloads from his website," said the official document.

"Where the copyright holder makes available to his customer a copy - tangible or intangible - and at the same time concludes, in return form payment of a fee, a licence agreement granting the customer the right to use that copy for an unlimited period, that rightholder sells the copy to the customer and thus exhausts his exclusive distribution right. Such a transaction involves a transfer of the right of ownership of the copy."

[The Rick]

Square Enix on Next-Gen and Why The Uncanny Valley Will "Always" Exist
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-07-09-square-enix-on-next-gen-and-why-the-uncanny-valley-will-always-exist)
By James Brightman Mon 09 Jul 2012 8:53pm GMT


Square Enix on Next-Gen and Why The Uncanny Valley Will "Always" Exist

Worldwide technology director Julien Merceron talks to us all about next-gen and Microsoft and Sony's "biggest mistake"

"Next-gen" has been on the lips of just about everyone, as developers and publishers prepare for the inevitable next round of consoles. At E3, however, Microsoft and Sony were quite reticent to talk about any hardware beyond the current generation. Meanwhile, Epic was proudly displaying its Unreal Engine 4 next-gen technology and the folks at Square Enix unveiled "Agni's Philosophy," a beautiful demo leveraging the publisher's Luminous engine, which shows off just how good Final Fantasy might look on next-gen platforms.

GamesIndustry International caught up with Square Enix's worldwide technology director, Julien Merceron, to talk about the Philosophy demo, the arrival of next-gen consoles and what that means for Square Enix and the industry at large, and why Merceron feels that no matter how good next-gen looks, the uncanny valley problem will always exist.
Dig into the full Q&A below.

Q: To start, I'd like to ask about the "Agni's Philosophy" Final Fantasy tech demo and Luminous engine you guys showed, which represents what Square Enix feels is possible for next-gen. Can you tell me more about the technology and what you are hoping to achieve?

Julien Merceron: The way we approached it is really to look into what would be great for us to be able to do moving forward. We tried to go as high-end as we could in terms of content and assets. At the same time, we tried to see how far we could push this when it comes down to real time. As you know, we're focusing on RPGs and games where characters are extremely important. So definitely we needed to deeply think about facial and body animations and to deeply think about dynamics on the characters and how we light these characters and how we integrate them into environments that we want to provide to players in the future. There is probably going to be more content coming in the next few months in terms of the technology we used from the demo, but if we look at it from two years, 'where are we going to land?' we are very, very interested in real-time lighting for many reasons.

First of all, for us it is really important to provide real-time editing pipelines for our artists. So having a real-time solution for lighting, real-time solutions for navigation, real-time solutions for almost every aspect of the game ends up giving a lot of freedom to our artists, allowing them to iterate and polish way faster. We want to push real-time as much as possible and we are obviously deeply working on PCs that allow us to prototype and see what all the best approaches we believe will work or won't work for us.

http://images.eurogamer.net/2012/articles//a/1/4/9/7/8/4/7/agnisphilosophy1.jpg

Q: One of the more solid rumors we've heard about next-gen is that Sony would be moving away from proprietary tech and dumping the Cell concept, moving back to an off-the-shelf solution. Would that be something you and other developers would welcome?

Julien Merceron: Oh definitely. There are two aspects to complex hardware. When hardware is too complex to target, it leads to a smaller number of titles available for launch, and then with fewer titles you end up not being able to sell your platform really well, so you actually start with a big disadvantage. PS3 and 360 haven't found a way to be as successful as PS2 was. On the other hand, if you have complex hardware, although you have problems at the beginning, you do have potentially better longevity for your platform because every year quality is going to increase as developers find out all the optimizations they can use.

But with a simple architecture you do give more chances to everybody, which I believe is very important based on the critical business situation we're in. Games will be more costly. If you start to make the entry bar really high, more studios will die, more publishers will die, there'll be less titles on platforms, etc. If you make it accessible, you give more chances to people, you'll have a better portfolio at launch , but now you also have a problem with your longevity. Studios could be 80 percent perfect one year after the console has shipped, so games for years afterwards will look the same.

Now, I would say that this is not a problem anymore. It was a problem in the generation of offline platforms. Now you don't need to manage longevity by complexity of programming, because your longevity is ensured by your online model. And I would suggest that maybe we don't want long generations. We have Sony and Microsoft talking about this generation lasting 7,8,9 or even 10 years and it's the biggest mistake they've ever made.

This generation has been way too long, and I say this because you have a lot of developers that work on a new platform, and perhaps will not succeed, so they will wait for the next generation, and will jump on that platform. You could not do that with this generation though. So these developers went elsewhere to see if the grass was greener. They found web browsers, they found iOS, they found other things and a lot of them won't come back to the hardware platforms. So you could look at it that thanks to Microsoft and Sony and the length of this generation, it helped the emergence of other platforms and helped them get strong before the next hardware comes out.

Q: What do you think the leap forward will be for the next-gen consoles? How much better will Square Enix's games look on the next-generation compared to now?

Julien Merceron: First of all, in the industry it is a bit divided. You have people that say graphics are good enough and that pushing graphics is not the most important thing going forward. You have other developers that say that they can really push graphics. You look at the Philosophy demo and you can see what more advanced graphics could bring to a game. I'm really talking not only about the technology and how cool it is to work on graphics, but also from the perspective of new technologies enabling directors and how they can provide more immersive environments. Focusing on graphics only would be a huge mistake. You start to have super great graphics, characters look really good and you end up in the uncanny valley, but you don't have animation at the same quality level. Same thing with behavior and AI; it animates well and looks good, but it is making stupid decisions. It simply won't be immersive.

So focusing on graphics only is a big mistake. People will need to focus on animation, and I believe our Philosophy demo is highlighting that, but also on the AI and physics too. So all of these aspects will be extremely important and we can't forget to talk about online because we definitely see that whether it is synchronous or asynchronous multiplayer, it definitely is adding a lot to the games. Whether it is social features with your friends or playing and watching your friends play, if you look at the web, which is an important platform for us, that is definitely a domain where we want to innovate.

Q: You mentioned the uncanny valley, and I think developers have done a good job in recent years as the technology has gotten better. David Cage's Beyond is really showing things off quite well. I think that maybe the uncanny valley is fading away, and perhaps the technology is reaching a point where it is okay. What do you think about that?

Julien Merceron: I don't agree that is it okay. I think Beyond is trying something interesting. For current gen, it is going way further in terms of quality, but it is too complex to implement on next-gen. You would have to sacrifice too many resources in memory. I think Beyond has the right balance, but at the same time what they have is probably not where we would want to be in the future. There are good examples in the industry. Killzone 3 had great facial animations back in the day. There are great teams that, for this generation of consoles, have done good quality that could be considered good enough. The problem I am talking about is, as soon as we ramp up the quality on graphics, this level of quality on facial animations won't be good enough. Some games succeed to be at the limit of the uncanny valley, but … the problem is that as rendering quality will go up, new problems will surface. The quality of the facial and body animations and the acting won't be good enough. So that is why as you evolve, you have to upgrade your physics, rendering and animations.

Q: So in your opinion, the uncanny valley will always be a problem with developers?

Julien Merceron: It will always be a problem. As you push something, you have to recalibrate and rebalance these out. You can't have these stunning graphics while characters are acting funny on the screen. My point is more in terms of immersion. When we put you out of the game, that gives you a chance to put the controller down and you might not come back. So you don't want to break the immersion. You want to get the players in the world, suck them in and then make sure that there are as little problems as possible to make them stay. The gameplay needs to be involving, the environment needs to be immersive, and the characters need to be full of emotions so you are totally sucked into the experience. This is why we have this role of balancing all these things so we end up with something that is consistent and works well.

Q: Looking at what Nintendo has been doing, I think a lot of people were expecting a bit more from them. Graphically, it doesn't appear to look better than a 360. Have you looked at the tech behind the system? What is your take on their approach?

Julien Merceron: If you look at the recent Nintendo platforms, the DS, 3DS and the Wii, it seems like they are trying to avoid aligning too much with Sony's and Microsoft's strategies. They are trying to take a different path, a different perspective on things. The type of entertainment they provide focuses not so much on graphics or immersion, but more on high-quality and innovative gameplay. They try to be different, they try to find a different market and they try to solve problems that they perceive as being the most important to solve today. So yeah, Microsoft and Sony are trying to solve different sets of problems. Their focus from a consumer perspective is completely different.

I strongly believe that the Wii U is going to provide new ways of interacting with games and there is definitely a community out there that is interested in that. Now there will definitely be another community that won't be too interested in this, and will be interested more in Hollywood blockbuster type of games with cinematic gameplay experiences.

So really I think that if I take a step back on this, I think it is one of the best times for consumers. Today, you can play on iOS, the web, the 360, PS3, Wii, Vita and so many other platforms. Because of the differences, they get a wide variety of experiences. I think it has probably never been as great as today to be a video game player and Nintendo is helping to bring this variety. We saw on the Wii that they helped broaden the market and it benefits everyone. iOS is helping to broaden that market as well. Maybe in five or six years these players will be hardcore players. I would say that all the work Apple and Nintendo are doing today to broaden the market will be one day beneficial to Sony and Microsoft. I hope the new platforms that Sony and Microsoft are making will choose different directions to offer even more variety and diversity for gamers.

Q: A lot of people would say that consoles from Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony may not matter in a few years with stuff like the iPhone, iPad and with cloud technology offering full streaming. These console makers may have to completely change direction.

Julien Merceron: I agree that they will have to look at the market in a different way. I think they understand what is happening these days and I think they understand that the current generation has actually been too long.

Q: I don't know if they had much choice financially; it costs so much to make these systems. Just look at Sony's position as a corporation right now.

Julien Merceron: It's true, it's true. It is all about trade-offs... but I think this is probably the reason why they will do things differently. This is why they announced SmartGlass... This is a sign that they understand what is going on and it is a sign that they understand that they somehow missed something and they are going to catch up, they are trying to adapt. It is true for publishers as well. You build up your IPs, and you then see that things are moving and you have to reinvent your IP. If you see things are changing, you have to find ways to entertain your players because the habits are changing.

These players on browsers and mobile have a lot of social connections and when they go back to consoles they feel alone. That's why social features in home console games are starting to explode. It is because people need different things; they want to share immediately. It is about sharing right now. Everything gets more and more connected and you see these manufacturers reacting to the realities of today. To get back to your question, I think they will adapt, I think they are really smart and understand the world of today and anticipate the world of tomorrow and will act on that.

Q: Does that mean that they will not make consoles after the next round? Are they going to do something different? Are consoles going away?

Julien Merceron: A very good question. If you go back 10 years ago, there was no software platform. It was hardware or nothing. Today, you have many software platforms. Whether it is Facebook or web browser, everyone is going to software platforms. If you look at the trends, the number of software platforms is going up, and in comparison, the amount of hardware platforms is probably going to reduce. It is way cheaper to launch a software platform compared to a hardware platform. Now we are in a world where people want to play from anywhere. They want to be connected always; they want to be connected to their friends, to the games. Even the designers of today cannot think about 'that game' on PS3 or 360. They have to think about the experience of a consumer from when he wakes up to when he goes to bed. He has to be able to stay in the world through mobile, tablet, console, TV and web.

So when you make a game today, you make a game and 10 apps, or 10 games. The way you make a game today is very different from how you made games 10 years ago. So the question is, 'how is that going to play in favor or against hardware platforms?' You do need to carry a device to access something. After that it could be cloud computing, it could be cloud storage, it could be an app or it could be a game. Hardware will always be there, because we need the glass; we need something to touch and interact with. That said, the way these games are designed and played will change dramatically.

Q: You mentioned the importance of web browsers. Where do you see that going?

Julien Merceron: People talk a lot about hardware platforms and obviously these hardware platforms are instrumental to the type of entertainment that we tend to design at Square Enix. That said, we shouldn't underestimate the kind of experience that you can have in a web browser. Immediately you can play from anywhere. You have browsers all over the place. These cloud storage and computing interfaces will provide better ways for consumers to interact with the experiences they want to have.

The other point is that we've been focusing on the web browser experience for the last two years. We've developed 3D, high-end technologies for the web as well as a classic type of experience as well. There was a very interesting problem we had to solve early on, especially for our 3D high-end experiences. When you make a game on the console, you have to wait for something to load. If you have to wait that long with a web page, people are gone; they don't like to wait that long. We've had to re-architect the engines we are using. We've had to stream things way more efficiently, so you can click and see things, but a lot of content is going to stream in the background. I think these kinds of technologies and experiences on the web browser platform will be very instrumental in the world of tomorrow whether we're talking about software or hardware platforms.

Q: What is your opinion on Flash? The Unreal Engine has been applied to Flash and Epic has been working closely with Adobe, producing some great results. Is that something you've experimented with?

Julien Merceron: You don't need Flash to do DirectX11-type graphics on the web. We've designed a plug-in that lets us use DirectX in a web browser. You don't need Flash. One of the problems I have with Flash is that it's not really multiplatform. Square Enix is a publisher. We focus on many platforms from iOS to high-end PCs. In the middle, you've got probably 12 platforms that we have to support with our own game engines. For us, it is very important to focus on multiplatform engines and scalability of assets and content in the games to really enable our game teams to do a good job. Flash, to me, is platform specific.

When it comes down to the web and a web browser, I think the plug-in approach is the most adaptive to solving problems. That said, we are also trying different things with Google-native APIs, HTML5 and also other games we are making with Java and PHP. So obviously we are trying other approaches to ensure we've done our homework so that we can move in the right direction. I think the plug-in approach for high-end 3D gaming is better for many different aspects.

Q: One thing that Square Enix has had to deal with recently is a bit of controversy first surrounding Hitman and then Tomb Raider. With the technology you produce allowing for greater realism, does the developer now have a greater responsibility?

Julien Merceron: It's a difficult question to answer as a tech guy. There are many styles of movies and games that I like. I'm not sure that I'm good at judging anymore where the line has to be drawn or where a limit has to be. There are things I love about some of the characters because of the context of it. In Hitman, there are these criminals dressed as nuns, and I see them as criminals trying to get rid of Agent 47. I couldn't actually look at it and see how people would react because I didn't see Agent 47 killing nuns or religious people; I saw terrorists disguised as nuns.

And the world of Hitman is a world of disguise... so I saw it as funny and pretty interesting, but definitely when you take it out of context I can understand why some people reacted the way they did. You suddenly realize that some scenes in games are borderline. I think we should definitely be more careful about how we communicate about things, explaining the context and being careful about what we publish. The last thing you want to do is to make people annoyed about things that are supposed to be entertainment. So we have learned from that.

[The Rick]

Microsoft among potential buyers for Activision Blizzard - Report
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/microsoft-among-potential-buyers-for-activision-blizzard-report-6386412)
By Eddie Makuch July 11, 2012 6:21AM PDT



Microsoft among potential buyers for Activision Blizzard - Report

[UPDATE] Vivendi banking reps reportedly in talks with Halo publisher, Time Warner, Tencent, and others about purchase of Call of Duty, WOW studio; Wedbush analyst says "None of those make sense."

Could Halo and Call of Duty one day be made under the same roof? Reuters reports that Vivendi has enlisted the help of a bank to speak with potential buyers for Activision Blizzard, and the list includes Microsoft, Time Warner, Tencent, and a group of private equity firms.

"It's nothing official yet, but they've asked a bank to go and talk to possible buyers for Activision," a source close to Vivendi's board told the news agency.

Vivendi presently owns a 60 percent stake in Activision Blizzard and stands to raise close to $10 billion by offloading the company, the sources said.

While Microsoft has the capital to purchase Activision Blizzard, the source told Reuters the Seattle technology giant is currently focused on building its next-generation Xbox.

"They probably don't want to distract themselves too much, but they are the ones who, if they want to stay in games, would think about owning some of these big franchises, not just providing the consoles," the source said.

As for Tencent, earlier this month, Activision Blizzard announced a deal with the Chinese company to bring Call of Duty: Online to China as a free-to-play game. However, a banker speaking to Reuters believes Tencent taking full ownership of Activision Blizzard would be a "big step" because of the companies' varying business models.

"[Activision Blizzard] have two big franchises, Call of Duty on the console side and World of WarCraft on the MMOG (massively multiplayer online game) side. And China is not a big market for console businesses; online games are much bigger for various reasons," said the unnamed banker.

A Microsoft representative told GameSpot, “Microsoft does not comment on rumors or speculation.”

Despite Activision Blizzard's success with the Call of Duty series and World of Warcraft, Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter suggested in June that Vivendi might not have many suitors for the game maker.

"The problem is there are no readily apparent buyers for Activision," Pachter said at the time. "The only option left to Vivendi is to lever up Activision's balance sheet and pay out all of its cash as a dividend, then spin the company off."

[UPDATE] Pachter continues to hold this belief, telling GameSpot this morning that none of the above-mentioned companies are in a position to acquire Activision Blizzard.

"None of those make sense," he said. "TenCent is the only one actively acquiring, and they make much smaller acquisitions. Time Warner has never spent more than $150 million on game investments. Microsoft would lose a lot of value if Call of Duty was Xbox only. None of these are buyers."

It first came out that Vivendi was looking to offload Activision Blizzard in June, when a Bloomberg report stated Vivendi's board was planning to meet to discuss selling its majority stake in the game maker. Later that month, Vivendi CEO Jean-Bernard Levy was ousted for butting heads with the board regarding the firm's restructuring plans. And a new report suggested if a single buyer could not be found, the company would look to unload its shares on the open market.

[The Rick]

Report: This is the New PlayStation 3 Model
ign link (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/07/13/report-this-is-the-new-playstation-3-model)
by Colin Moriarty July 13, 2012


A Brazilian website seems to have broken this one wide open.

Anatel, or the Brazilian Agency of Telecommunications, serves much of the same purpose as the FCC here in America. And Brazilian website Tecnoblog seems to have uncovered something rather interesting in Anatel’s archives.

The new PS3 model the website has found – which purportedly will come in 250 GB and 500 GB models as well as a rather strange 16 GB model – seems smaller and slimmer than the PlayStation 3 slim. News of this first broke just last week, when the FCC leaked documents that seemed to confirm that this new PS3 model was indeed about to be revealed.

Here are the pictures. All credit for these go to Tecnoblog. (http://tecnoblog.net/107348/novo-ps3-anatel/%E2%80%9D)

http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2012/07/ps3-novo-anatel-4.jpg
http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2012/07/ps3-novo-anatel-2.jpg

We can't confirm that these pictures are real, but they certainly look to be. We've reached out to Sony for official comment and will update when we hear back.

[The Rogerer]

Looking at that label on here, it looks like it's been faked into the picture. I zoomed in and think it has been. The console behind it is slightly askew but the label is completely pixel perfect straight on with the boundaries of the image, it also perhaps should have a little bit of shadow on it on the left hand side.

Apart from that I think the shots look fairly real, although the choice for that sort of ridged top seems really strange. If they are all real then the decision not to put a USB slot in the back is ridiculous. Do they expect people with the Move to have a big wire coming out the front all the time and one free USB slot? There's this picture going about:

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/07/ps3713.jpg

[The Rick]

Holy Crap, Is There a Lot of Stuff in Street Fighter’s $150 Anniversary Edition—for PS3
http://kotaku.com/5925987/holy-crap-is-there-a-lot-of-stuff-in-street-fighters-150-anniversary-editionfor-ps3
by Owen Good Jul 13, 2012 10:00 PM



The Street Fighter 25th Anniversary Collector's Set releases on Sept. 18, and both its Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions are a deluxe-o package featuring four full Street Fighter games and a slew of other goodies.

The PlayStation 3 version, however, packs in four more games (all three Street Fighter Alpha games as PSOne Classics, plus Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max on the PSP —and the entire DLC catalog for Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition

That's the PS3 version of the collector's edition only. Nothing was said about any extra goodies for 360 buyers. Both consoles still get Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition, Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition (including all costume swaps) and Street Fighter X Tekken with all the swap costumes. That's in addition to an art book, Ryu belt, and comprehensive soundtrack.


http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17sr08uhpl31hjpg/xlarge.jpg

[Olympus]

I think they added in those PSOne Classics recently. I remember thinking before that this package wasn't that great, but with the addition of those, it makes it a little better.

[The Rick]

Deadpool game in the works at Activision
gamespot link (http://comic-con.gamespot.com/story/6387142/deadpool-game-in-the-works-at-activision)
By Brendan Sinclair July 14, 2012 10:16AM PDT



[UPDATE]: High Moon Studios' Marvel project highlights comic publisher's Comic-Con panel; game due out in 2013.

The Merc With A Mouth is getting his very own game, as Activision has put up the first teaser for its upcoming Deadpool title.

The publisher has launched a countdown site at DeadpoolGame.com, with the timer set to expire this afternoon. As of press time the site contained little more than the timer, an image recalling Deadpool's distinctive mask, and various logos and legal text.

One of the logos on the page is that of High Moon Studios, the developer behind Activision's Transformers: War for Cybertron and Transformers: Fall of Cybertron games. Prior to developing Transformers titles, High Moon Studios built 2008's The Bourne Conspiracy for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and 2005's original Xbox and PlayStation 2 title Darkwatch.

The Deadpool project was teased in the Comic-Con 2012 programming guide, which promised High Moon Studios would be at a panel on Marvel-based games to make an announcement. That panel takes place this afternoon, starting a little more than an hour before the Deadpool countdown clock expires.

[UPDATE]: The Deadpool game was indeed a focus of attention at the Comic-Con panel, with the mercenary interrupting the show with a bullhorn to talk about the game. A trailer for the game was played twice during the panel, and a 2013 release window was specified.

[The Rick]

Faulty Fez patch to be re-released as is
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/faulty-fez-patch-to-be-re-released-as-is-6387827)
By Laura Parker July 18, 2012 8:03PM PDT


Faulty Fez patch to be re-released as is

Developer Polytron says re-certifying the game would be too costly; it will re-release the same patch that was originally recalled by Microsoft due to bugs.

Fez developer Polytron has announced that it will be re-releasing the same patch for its downloadable puzzle platformer that was initially recalled by Microsoft due to a bug that saw some players losing their saved games.

According to Polytron, the developer is bringing back the same patch because Microsoft would charge "tens of thousands of dollars" to re-certify the game.

"We're bringing the first Fez patch online," the developer said on its blog. "It’s the same patch. We're not going to patch the patch. Why not? Because Microsoft would charge us tens of thousands of dollars to re-certify the game. And because, as it turns out, the save-file delete bug only happens to less than a percent of players. As a small independent, paying so much money for patches makes NO SENSE AT ALL, especially when you consider the alternative. Had Fez been released on Steam instead of XBLA, the game would have been fixed two weeks after release, at no cost to us."

The developer said that the patch is safe for the majority of players. According to Polytron, the patch fixes framerate issues, loading, skips, and death loops.

"For 99 percent of people, it makes Fez a better game. To the less than 1 percent who are getting screwed, we sincerely apologise. We know this hurts you the most, because you’re the ones who put the most times into the game. And this breaks our hearts. We hope you don't think back on your time spent in Fez as a total waste."

Polytron went on to say that the developer pays Microsoft money for the privilege of being on the Xbox Live platform, not the other way around.

The Fez patch will now be back online, available for download.

[Bert]

So release it on Steam already, Phil. Or kill yourself.

[Guy]

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/358370/wwe-13-collectors-edition-features-stone-cold-steve-austin-trailer/

THQ has announced the WWE '13 Austin 3:16 Collector's Edition

Available exclusively on Xbox 360 and PS3 in the UK through GAME and GameStation "while stocks last", it's currently scheduled to offer the following items:

Exclusive foil packaging featuring embossed Stone Cold Steve Austin skull
Exclusive collectible art card personally autographed by Stone Cold Steve Austin
Exclusive Stone Cold Steve Austin in-game attire: red skull t-shirt (circa 2001)
Exclusive Stone Cold Steve Austin in-game ATV ring entrance
"Stone Cold Steve Austin: The Bottom Line on the Most Popular Superstar of All Time" (DVD)
Disc #4 in series (available to PlayStation 3 system and Xbox 360 customers)
Copy of WWE '13 videogame
Access to WWE Hall of Famer and WWE '13 global pre-order offer Mike Tyson playable character

WWE '13 is also in development for Wii, with a scheduled UK release date of November 2.

Mike Tyson will appear as a playable character in the game.

[The Rick]

Nintendo records $220m loss as DS, Wii sales fall in Q1
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-07-25-nintendo-records-USD220m-loss-as-ds-wii-sales-fall-in-q1)
By Matt Martin Wed 25 Jul 2012 7:43am GMT



Nintendo records $220m loss as DS, Wii sales fall in Q1

Update: 3DS sales up year-on-year, console no longer sold at below cost as of today

Nintendo has recorded a net loss of ¥17.2 billion ($220.4m / £142m) for the first quarter ended June 30, an improvement on a loss of ¥25.5 billion for the same period last year.

Net sales for the period were down from ¥93.9 billion last year to ¥84.8 billion ($1.08bn / £698m).

During the three month period Nintendo sold 1.86 million 3DS units and 7.39 million software units. Although it noted sales of the 3DS console were up, the company was still making a loss on hardware during the period. "The profitability of the Nintendo 3DS hardware is improving, but the hardware has been in negative margin," said the company.

For the same period last year Nintendo sold 710,000 3DS units.

Wii sales were 710,000 consoles (down from 1.56m last year) and 8.47 million software units, and DS consoles topped 540,000 units (down from 1.44m) and 2.45 million games.

For the full fiscal year to next March Nintendo expects to sell 18.5 million 3DS consoles, 10.5 Wii consoles and 2.5 million DS units.

As of June 30 2012, Nintendo has sold 19 million 3DS consoles and 52.81 million games for the system.

The rest of the DS family has sold 152.05 million units and 908.79 million games, while the Wii has sold 96.56 million consoles and 826.93 million games.

The Wii U, the latest console from Nintendo is still on track for launch before the end of the year.

UPDATE: Nintendo has confirmed that as of July 25, 2012, the 3DS will no longer be sold below cost price.

http://images.eurogamer.net/2012/articles//a/1/5/0/1/4/1/5/Nintendo_stats.jpg.jpg

[The Rick]

Baldur’s Gate Is Back. New Characters, Dungeon Coming September 18
kotaku link (http://kotaku.com/5928997/baldurs-gate-is-back-new-characters-dungeon-coming-september-18)
by Jason Schreier Jul 26, 2012 3:00 PM



Baldur’s Gate Is Back. New Characters, Dungeon Coming September 18

If you've been getting the urge to replay Baldur's Gate, you might want to wait til this fall.

The classic role-playing game will see new life on September 18, when developer Beamdog releases Baldur's Gate: Extended Edition, an enhanced remake with new characters and a new adventure that the company says will take you six hours to play through.

PC and Mac versions of the game will run you $20 unless you pre-order, in which case they'll be $18. They'll come with three new playable sidekicks: half-Orc Blackguard Dorn (whose head is pictured below), half-elf Wild Mage Neera, and human monk Rasaad. Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition will also feature a new dungeon called The Black Pits, set within the Underdark, that tasks you with fighting your way through fifteen levels of arena-style battles.

The iPad version, which Beamdog is hoping to release around that same time in September, will cost $10. The interface for this version will be totally retooled so it's pleasant to play on your tablet. However, new characters Dorn and Neera will be sold separately as downloadable content for the iPad edition. Additional voice sets and portraits will also be DLC. The new Black Pits adventure is included with the game.

Baldur's Gate: Extended Edition will also come to Android. Release TBA.

This version of Baldur's Gate will also feature the classes, kits, and races that were available in Baldur's Gate II. It squashes a whole bunch of the original version's bugs and also offers cross-platform multiplayer among all versions.

Here's how Beamdog describes The Black Pits:




"Rouse yourselves, you lice-laden layabouts. Stand and salute your new master, Baeloth the Entertainer!"

Across the realms, individuals of great power and prestige receive a scroll via magical means. Unfurling it, they discover that they have been selected as one of the very few to enjoy the finest forms of entertainment in all creation...

Come one, come all! Baeloth the Entertainer cordially invites you to the greatest spectacle the realms have to offer - mortal pitted against mortal in a desperate bid to survive! Thrilling combat, scintillating magic, and the grim spectre of death lurk above this, the greatest of all shows! All this and more can be enjoyed within... THE BLACK PITS!

Deep within the Underdark where few dare to tread, the mad drow Baeloth has used his extensive mastery of magic to force a duergar colony into creating an entertainment complex of his own design. He has invited guests from across the realms, from Maztica to Menzoberranzan, and they will readily attend - Baeloth is known to be an excellent showman.

—

The Black Pits is one of the enhancements that make up Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition that allows you to create a full party and battle through fifteen hellish battles in a desperate bid to escape. Difficult challenges, unique battles, and a bizarre cast of characters await you within the Underdark!

A stand-alone adventure set deep within the Underdark
Fifteen levels of arena-style combat challenges
Full control and customization of up to six party members
Over 6 hours of additional gameplay

The Black Pits are your new home... enjoy your stay while you can!


And here's how Beamdog describes new character Dorn:




"Do not annoy me with such simplistic notions of morality."

Born in the Spine of the World, Dorn fled to Luskan with his human mother when a rival tribe annihilated his father's savage people. In that northern city, Dorn's ruthless strength soon won him a deadly reputation and the attentions of a band of mercenaries whose wickedness exceeded even Dorn's. Imprisoned for the crimes of the entire group, Dorn made a fiendish bargain granting him even greater power and the promise of revenge.

A Blackguard of few words, Dorn is only too happy to ally himself with a child of Bhaal and cut a bloody swath across the Sword Coast with his black greatsword, as long as that path continues to lead him to the traitors he has sworn to destroy.

—

Dorn is a half-orc Blackguard whose otherworldly patron grants him terrible powers in the form of his black sword and unholy spells. Add him to your Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and inflict evil to the last corpse.

Dorn adds the following Enhancments to Baldur's Gate:

The Blackguard Dorn II-Khan, a new NPC to join your party
Up to four hours of additional gameplay
The Blackguard kit to create your own champion of evil

Betrayed by his former companions, the half-orc Dorn Il-Khan lusts for revenge and glory in equal measure.


Beamdog's Cam Tofer has promised that an enhanced edition of Baldur's Gate II is also en route. The team has also expressed interest in remaking or revisiting other Infinity Engine-based isometric RPGs like Planescape: Torment in the near future. And one day, maybe, they'll start working on a Baldur's Gate III. Maybe.

[Bert]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/07/31/star-wars-the-old-republic-going-free-to-play


Star Wars: The Old Republic will add a free-to-play option this Fall. Those who opt to play for free will have access to all the story content for all eight classes, and will be able to level a character all the way up to the current cap of 50. Some content will be restricted, though, and will only be attainable through paying a monthly subscription fee of $14.99 or using an upcoming in-game currency called "Cartel Coins" to make purchases (subscribers also get monthly allotments of Cartel Coins).

Paid content is said to include new high level content, new features and unlimited access. While free players will be able to access all the story content, they'll have to pay to access new content, as well as get additional bank slots and get unlimited plays in PvP warzones. Players who only play for free will be able to jump in warzones weekly, but only a few times before they're locked out of the content and asked to pay. Subscribers will have unlimited access to warzones.

EA cites "choice" as the reason for the switch, and BioWare GM Matt Bromberg said in an interview with IGN that the free-to-play decision is less about subscriber losses as much as it is the market

TORtanic.

[The Rick]

Temple Run has been downloaded 100m times
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-08-02-temple-run-has-been-downloaded-100m-times)
By James Brightman Thu 02 Aug 2012 3:58pm GMT



Temple Run has been downloaded 100m times

Imangi Studios celebrates the title's 1-year anniversary

Temple Run was released one year ago today, and developer Imangi Studios couldn't be happier since the title recently hit the 100 million downloads mark. 68 million downloads have been on iOS with the other 32 million coming from Android devices.

Imangi also noted that over 10 billion sessions of Temple Run have been played since August 2011, "equaling a combined time of 54,000 years spent playing the game," and judging by the number of downloads in the US, around 13 percent of the US population has downloaded Temple Run.

"We never imagined that the game we were making and loved would be so well received around the world," said Keith Shepherd, co-founder of Imangi Studios. "The last year has been incredible for us, and we are grateful to fans of the game. We hope to be able to provide them with more entertainment from the brand for years to come."

Extending the brand has been a focus for the company. Imangi, with the help of licensing agency Dimensional Branding Group (DBG), announced several licensing partnerships in 2012 for Temple Run, including apparel with JEM Sportswear, digital comics with Ape Entertainment, card and board games with Spin Master, arcade machines with Coastal Amusements and sleepwear with Komar.

Furthermore, just this past June, Imangi teamed with Disney Pixar to launch Temple Run: Brave, leveraging the computer animated movie. It quickly made it to the #1 slot in the App Store, and has been a top 10 App since its release.

Celebrating the incredibly successful first year for Temple Run, Imangi is making all of its mobile titles released prior to Temple Run available for free "for a limited time."

[The Rick]

Diablo III cannibalized WoW admits Blizzard
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-08-02-diablo-iii-cannibalized-wow-admits-blizzard)
By James Brightman Thu 02 Aug 2012 10:11pm GMT



Diablo III cannibalized WoW admits Blizzard

Mike Morhaime admits players "took break" from WoW to play Diablo III

One of the standout data points from Activision's earnings announcement today was that the company's subscription numbers for World of Warcraft have fallen by more than a million in just the last three months. WoW now stands at just 9.1 million subs, but that isn't making Blizzard boss Mike Morhaime nervous.

Morhaime said on the investors call that it's actually quite normal with each WoW expansion pack for players to drop off. Moreover, this time around, before Blizzard launches the Mists of Pandaria expansion, Blizzard fans were pre-occupied with Diablo III, which Morhaime acknowledged had an impact on WoW as well.

"Historically we have seen usage decline towards the end of an expansion cycle. We saw a similar drop in subscribers in the months before Cataclysm, followed by a substantial return of players around the Cataclysm launch. We're also seeing that a number of players took a break from WoW to play Diablo III," he said.

As for Diablo III, while the game did put up record numbers, it also encountered a number of problems, which are well documented. Morhaime took the opportunity on the investors call to once again address concerns about the state of Diablo III.

"While Diablo III was our 14th #1 seller, we did experience some challenges. Due to the unprecedented influx of players a number of service issues arose that we needed to work around the clock to address. The vast majority of these issues were ironed out within a couple weeks of launch. As I mentioned in a letter to players recently, we're not satisfied with just breaking launch records. We want people to play and enjoy Diablo III for a long time," he said.

"We've already made a number of fixes and updates, including activation of the auction house... and the Diablo team has also been working on improvements to in-game rewards and having a player vs. player mode which we hope will enhance the value and longevity of the game."

[The Rick]

Sony Posts $312 Million Loss, PlayStation Stagnant
ign link (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/08/02/sony-posts-312-million-loss-playstation-stagnant)
By Colin Moriarty August 2, 2012



Sony Posts $312 Million Loss, PlayStation Stagnant
“The operating environment surrounding Sony in the first quarter continued to be difficult…”

On the heels of Nintendo's $220 million quarterly loss, Sony released its consolidated financial results for its first fiscal quarter of the year, which ran from April 1, 2012 to June 30, 2012. Here is another version of the report.

The major takeaway is that the company as a whole lost another $312 million to add on top of its epic stock fall, debt downgrade, and a gigantic quarterly loss last year. It’s worth noting that a loss of $312 million is significantly lower than the $2.03 billion loss from Q3 of 2011, indicating that the company is on the upswing even if it’s still in the red.

The company notes that “the operating environment surrounding Sony in the first quarter continued to be difficult with the economy slowing in many areas of the world and the trend toward appreciation of the yen taking hold.” As Sony is also under a massive corporate restructure to streamline the company’s operations towards profitability, the company incurred “11.3 billion yen of restructuring charges included in the operating results,” inflating the loss. 11.3 billion yen is roughly equivalent to $14.5 million.

“Uncertain foreign exchange rates and trends in the global economy” have caused Sony to “downwardly [revise]” its fiscal year forecast moving forward.

Sony is a gigantic corporation, and the PlayStation brand is merely a segment of it (it’s the third biggest segment of the business by sales and operating revenue). But the PlayStation brand itself is also experiencing further financial difficulties. Sony notes that “Primarily due to the lowering of the annual unit sales forecast for portable hardware, sales are expected to be significantly lower than the May forecast… Sales are expected to be essentially flat and operating income is expected to decrease significantly year-on-year.”

Jumping further into the numbers, one finds a year-over-year sales fall. “Sales decreased 14.5% year-on-year (a 10% decrease on a constant currency basis) to 118.0 billion yen ($1.493 billion). This decrease was primarily due to lower sales of hardware and software of the PSP (PlayStation Portable) and PlayStation 3, partially offset by the contribution of the PlayStation Vita introduced from December 2011.”

Sony projects sales of PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 to amount to 16 million units globally during the entirety of its fiscal year. However, it has downgraded earlier estimates of 16 million PSPs and PlayStation Vitas sold during the fiscal year to 12 million. Its total software sales of 196.7 million units in 2011’s fiscal year is expected to be replicated in fiscal year 2012.

[T.I (uh oh)]

Temple Run is amazing. I don't really like touch-only controls, but this just feels so right.

However, Temple Run really highlights the problem that I have with the Android Market (may apply to iTunes also - I don't use it, so I don't know). It really needs a demo system. Temple Run is a game that I would happily pay to play. However, I would not pay to play it sight unseen (or game unplayed as it were). As a free game, Temple Run relies on users purchasing in game content for real money for revenue. I think a more sustainable business model would be to offer free-limited time/level downloads (such as XBLA), then requiring a purchase. With over 100 million downloads, Imangi could have been absolutely rolling in the cash under this type of system.

[The Rick]

Left 4 Dead 2 faster on Linux than Windows, says Valve
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/left-4-dead-2-faster-on-linux-than-windows-says-valve-6390089)
By Mark Walton August 3, 2012 4:22AM PDT




Left 4 Dead 2 faster on Linux than Windows, says Valve
Valve runs Left 4 Dead 2 at 315 frames per second on Linux; claims to have "improved graphic driver performance" under the OS.

Valve's Source Engine, which powers games such as Left 4 Dead 2 and Portal 2, runs up to 20 percent faster under Linux and OpenGL than under Windows and DirectX/Direct 3D, says the famed Half-Life developer. According to a post on the official blog, Left 4 Dead 2 ran at 315 frames per second on the developer's Ubuntu Linux machine, versus 270 frames per second on a Windows PC with comparable power.

The results are surprising, given Valve has put substantial effort into developing for Windows platforms over the past 10 years. It attributes the speed-up to the "underlying efficiency of the [Linux] kernel and OpenGL", as well as "a few additional microseconds overhead in Direct3D, which does not affect OpenGL on Windows".

Most interesting for Linux users is Valve's claim to have "improved graphic driver performance" under the operating system by working directly with hardware manufacturers such as NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel--companies that have traditionally not gone out of their way to support the platform.

At a recent presentation, Linus Torvalds, the creator of the Linux kernel, called NVIDIA the "single worst company" that Linux developers have worked with. He concluded his speech by saying "Nvidia, f**k you", and presenting his middle finger to the camera.

Valve's foray into Linux development follows comments from company head Gabe Newell, who recently told All Things D that Windows 8 "is a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space", referring to the locked-down nature of the operating system. "Valve wouldn’t exist today without the PC, or Epic, or Zynga, or Google. They all wouldn’t have existed without the openness of the platform".

Valve recently announced it was working on a version of Steam and Left 4 Dead 2 for Linux, though there's still no release date for either.

[The Rick]

Hideo Kojima to present Metal Gear retrospective at Eurogamer Expo
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-08-07-hideo-kojima-to-present-metal-gear-retrospective-at-eurogamer-expo)
By Matt Martin Tue 07 Aug 2012 9:57am GMT



Hideo Kojima to present Metal Gear retrospective at Eurogamer Expo

Publisher also showing PES 2013, Zone of the Enders and Castlevania

Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima has signed up to present a session at this year's Eurogamer Expo, taking place September 27-30.

The acclaimed developer will present a look back at the series that made his name, with every Metal Gear game released featuring on the show floor, including the forthcoming Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.

Publisher Konami will also be bringing PES 2013, Zone of the Enders: HD Collection and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate to the expo.

"We're amazingly pleased and humbled that Konami and Hideo Kojima have decided to celebrate Metal Gear's 25th anniversary at the Eurogamer Expo," said Eurogamer events director David Lilley.

"Along with their biggest ever playable line-up, it's a stunning showing from one of the industry's greatest publishers."

The Eurogamer Expo takes place at London's Earls Court, September 27-30, with space for 50,000 gamers across the four days. More info can be found at the official site (http://www.eurogamer.net/expo/).

[The Rick]

New Xbox to Launch Within 18 Months, Says Microsoft Job Listing
pcworld link (http://www.pcworld.com/article/260641/new_xbox_to_launch_within_18_months_says_microsoft _job_listing.html)
By Jared Newman Aug 9, 2012


New Xbox to Launch Within 18 Months, Says Microsoft Job Listing

Microsoft's job listings have been a little leaky lately. First came news of next-generation Surface PCs, and now there's word of a new Xbox coming within a year and a half.

"Over the next eighteen months Microsoft will release new versions of all of our most significant products including Windows (Client, Server, Phone and Azure), Office and Xbox," a Microsoft job listing said, before Microsoft deleted the post from its Careers Website.

Earlier this week, Microsoft's Brian Hall also made mention of a "new Xbox" as part of a wave of upcoming product updates that also includes Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. Microsoft PR tried to explain this away by saying that Hall was only talking about a software update for the Xbox 360.

The job listing, however, was most likely referring to hardware. After all, Windows 8 and Office 15 will be available much earlier than 18 months from now. If there's any one major Microsoft product that's roughly 18 months away, it's a new Xbox device. (That'd be the 2013 holiday season or early 2014 at the latest.)

Details about Microsoft's next Xbox are still hazy. Some reports have claimed that the console will have a Blu-ray player and will require a constant Internet connection to play games. Others have claimed that the next Xbox won't have disc drive at all, or that Microsoft will release both a full-sized console and a smaller set-top box to compete with Apple TV and Roku.

In any case, an 18-month time frame for the next Xbox seems plausible, especially with Nintendo's Wii U due out later this year, and Sony rumored to be working on its next Playstation as well. Just don't expect Microsoft to say much about it as long as it's trying to sell Xbox 360s.

[The Rick]

Report: EA in Talks to Sell to Private Equity Firms
ign link (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/08/16/report-ea-in-talks-to-sell-to-private-equity-firms)
by Luke Karmali August 16, 2012



Report: EA in Talks to Sell to Private Equity Firms
The publishing giant has apparently been approached by two firms, one of which already owns Bethesda.

Publishing giant EA has apparently been approached by two private equity firms about a potential sale.

Sources close to the New York Post have claimed that the company was approached by private equity firms KKR and Providence Equity Partners over the possibilty of a purchase, but emphasised that talks are at an early stage.

One source said, "It's early days," but another added that EA has "made it known they'd do a deal at $20 a share." EA's stock has had a tumultuous ride so far this year, suffering a 37% drop. When trading closed yesterday shares were being sold at $13.09.

It's a difficult economic time right now, and many videogame companies have experienced similar stock falls to EA thanks to increased interest in casual and social games. With a third of the company's value disappearing so far this year though, it's unsurprising that potential buyers are being sought.

A possible reason for this is the current uncertainty regarding Star Wars: The Old Republic and its free-to-play future; the most expensive videogame ever made with a rumoured cost of around $200 million recently announced it was abandoning its subscription fee, less than a year after launching.

But what does this mean for the average gamer? At the moment, nothing. This hasn't been confirmed and even the claims state that any deal is still a long way off. But what is interesting to consider is the fact that Providence Equity Partners is a major shareholder in Bethesda's parent company, Zenimax. As a result, it's certainly a story worth keeping an eye on.

[T.I (uh oh)]

http://gengame.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/hyrule-historia-english.png

Dark Horse Books and Nintendo team up to bring you The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia, containing an unparalleled collection of historical information on The Legend of Zelda franchise. This handsome hardcover contains never-before-seen concept art, the full history of Hyrule, the official chronology of the games, and much more! Starting with an insightful introduction by the legendary producer and video-game designer of Donkey Kong, Mario, and The Legend of Zelda, Shigeru Miyamoto, this book is crammed full of information about the storied history of Link’s adventures from the creators themselves! As a bonus, The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia includes an exclusive comic by the foremost creator of The Legend of Zelda manga — Akira Himekawa!


KEY SELLING POINTS:


• The Legend of Zelda franchise has sold 68 million copies since the release of the first game,
with the original Legend of Zelda being the fourth best selling NES game of all time, and The
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time holding the record for the highest reviewed video game of all
time.
• Covers the full history of The Legend of Zelda franchise.
• With an introduction by game designer Shigeru Miyamoto.
• Includes the official timeline of The Legend of Zelda games, never-before-seen concept art, The
Legend of Zelda manga, in-depth information on the making of the The Legend of Zelda
franchise, and art by some of the most storied concept artists in video games.


Diamond Book Distributors has listed Hyrule Historia as part of Dark Horse Comics’ January 2013 release schedule, priced at $34.99, with a specific date of January 29, 2013.


Preorders open at Amazon now: http://www.amazon.com/The-Legend-Zelda-Hyrule-Historia/dp/1616550414/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1345166062&sr=8-3&keywords=hyrule+historia+english


Awesome. So glad this is being localised. Already pre-ordered

[The Rick]

You better spoiler that. Otherwise this will be Atty
http://mimg.ugo.com/201104/0/9/1/187190/cuts/overlogging_480_poster.jpg

[The Rick]

OnLive assets sold, service will not be interrupted
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/onlive-assets-sold-service-will-not-be-interrupted-6392197)
By Brendan Sinclair August 17, 2012



OnLive assets sold, service will not be interrupted
[UPDATE]: Streaming game company plans to continue current products, rehire "large" number of previous employees.

[UPDATE]: An OnLive spokesperson confirmed to VentureBeat that the streaming gaming service's assets have been sold to another company. The spokesperson said users will experience no interruption of services or product roll-outs and the new company plans to hire "a large percentage" of its former employees. The original story follows below.

Rumors of OnLive's demise may have been greatly exaggerated.

When asked about reports that the company was shutting down entirely, a representative with the streaming game service told GameSpot, "We don't respond to rumors, but of course not." He went on to note that Vizio Co-Stars streaming media players with OnLive built in are just now rolling out to customers, and the company is in the middle of a three-week indie game giveaway promotion.

Earlier today, Mashable carried unconfirmed reports that OnLive laid off its entire staff. However, the business was said to be transitioning to a new phase in which a number of the staff could potentially be rehired. The report suggested the new-look OnLive could be driven by intellectual property and its numerous patents on cloud-based gaming.

Wasteland 2 developer and Inxile founder Brian Fargo posted on Twitter that he had received an email from an employee with the company saying that everyone had been laid off and it would be closed by the end of the day. He later tweeted that he had received a recall request on that same email.

[The Rick]

Nintendo Addresses Criticism Directed at Mario Sequels
ign link (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/08/20/nintendo-addresses-criticism-directed-at-mario-sequels)
by Daniel Krupa August 20, 2012



Nintendo Addresses Criticism Directed at Mario Sequels
Iwata also clarifies the company's approach to DLC.

Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has responded to recent criticism that the company is diluting the quality of its Mario titles by iterating too frequently on its most famous mascot.

It will ration the number of side-scrolling 2D Mario titles.

"We only create a New Super Mario Bros. title one [sic] per platform," said Iwata in an interview with Kotaku. "I think we'll probably go ahead and continue at that pace.

"That being said, that's probably Miyamoto's choice, so I can't give you a 100 per cent guarantee that that's the pace we'll continue at."

Super Mario 3D Land came out towards the end of last year and was the first Mario title to be released on 3DS, receiving great reviews. New Super Mario Bros. 2 came out last week to a more mixed response. And it isn't long before Nintendo releases New Super Mario Bros. U alongside its new console, Wii U (sometime later this year).

Responding to concerns that the two games (New Super Mario Bros. 2 and U) might be too similar, and could suffer from being released just months apart, Iwata stated: "I believe the two titles are unique enough that I wouldn't say that I'm super-worried that people are going to be confused.

Iwata also spoke about the company's approach to DLC. New Super Mario Bros. 2 is the first Mario title to feature downloadable content. Iwata allayed any fears that it might be selling content stripped out of the game, saying: "Our goal is to create DLC in such a way that consumers do not feel that they have been cheated or deceived. Now I believe there are people out there, readers, who have are worried about that, and we just want to ensure them that we have that in mind and want them to know that that's not what we are planning on doing," he concluded.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVO3J7s9rC4

[The Rick]

Nintendo Power ceasing publication [Report]
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-08-21-nintendo-power-ceasing-publication-report)
By Mike Williams Tue 21 Aug 2012 10:01pm




Nintendo Power ceasing publication

Future Publishing decides to stop publishing the 24-year staple

Sources have told Ars Technica that Future Publishing will stop publishing the long-running Nintendo Power magazine soon. The magazine has been published continuously since its launch in 1988, but Ars' source says Nintendo was unwilling to work with Future to keep the brand alive.

Nintendo Power editors were informed on the impending close and are being transition to other Future Publishing properties according to the source. Nintendo Power senior editor Chriss Hoffman and writer Phil Theobald reportedly made tweets eluding to the end of the magazine, but those messages have since been removed.

There has been no official confirmation of the closing of Nintendo Power from Future Publishing.

[The Doc]

That's a crying shame. The world won't be the same place without Nintendo Power and it's been a while since I read a Gamepro (are they still about?) but I swear the other magazines used to hate Nintendo with a passion.

[The Rick]

That's a crying shame. The world won't be the same place without Nintendo Power and it's been a while since I read a Gamepro (are they still about?) but I swear the other magazines used to hate Nintendo with a passion.

Nope Gamepro is gone. Electronic Gaming Monthly was out for a year or two, but it is trying to relaunch on a bi-monthly basis.

On the flips side. GameInformer is America's 4th largest Magazine. Due in large part to their partnership with Gamestop.

[The Rick]

A Morning of Pleasantly Surprising 3DS News Direct from Nintendo
kotaku link (http://kotaku.com/5938800/a-morning-of-pleasantly-surprising-3ds-news-direct-from-nintendo?tag=nintendo)
by Mike Fahey & Brian Ashcraft Aug 29, 2012 9:00 AM



This morning's Nintendo Direct event was chock full of news, views, and not a few surprises about the latest titles coming to the 3DS. What's going on with Animal Crossing? Is that really the last Professor Layton game? What are the Pokémon people working on?

First Look at the New Professor Layton Adventure. It’s the Last One.

Today, Level-5 unveiled its latest Professor Layton. It's not only the sixth Layton adventure. It's the last one for the game's titular character.

The name of the game is Layton Kyoujyu to Cho Bunmei A no Isan (loosely "Professor Layton and the Legacy of Super Civilization A"). The game takes Layton and his trusty assistant to a snow covered land, where there are puzzles and a mysterious young girl.

The game is slated for release next year.

The Newest Paper Mario Looks Awesome


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCe0tgpm8G4

Nintendo is putting a new spin on Paper Mario with its upcoming entry in the series, Paper Mario: Sticker Star. The game features sticker spin on the Paper Mario games, and players will be collecting stickers through out the game, which can even be used when battling enemies. The game will be out later this year.


The Latest Game from Pokémon’s Creators Isn’t Pokémon


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6qBSinDHMI

Game Freak, the folks behind Pocket Monsters, are working on a new download title for the 3DS. It's called Rhythm Hunter: HarmoKnight. It's a platforming game meets rhythm game.

HarmoKnight uses "attack" and "jump" to clear each stage. To take down enemies, it uses a timing mechanic that seems similar to what you'd see in a music game.

Each of the in-game worlds are based on music genres and shaped like instruments: So there's "Marching Hills", "Rock Range", "Calypso Beach". The platforming can get fast and furious—which should please both fans of platformers and those who like rhythm games. No word on a Western release yet, but cross your fingers!


The New Animal Crossing Has MUCH Cooler-Looking Houses

Straight from Nintendo president Satoru Iwata's livestreamed Nintendo Direct event today, here's more of Animal Crossing for 3DS, which Japan gets this November and America and Europe get next year. Clothes-designing is nice, but, wow, look at those houses!

In order to fit in players' lives, Animal Crossing allows people to customize the store hours and pace of life in their town. For example, players can select choices like "The village that gets up early" or " The village that never sleeps". That way, Animal Crossing can match the real life rhythm of its players.

Other new additions include allowing players to design clothes in greater detail—turn those clothes into QR codes and exchange them with other players! And as mentioned above, it has better houses—with better customized furniture.

[Psycho666Soldier]

I NEED the new Paper Mario. I feel like we were ripped off a bit by not getting a full console version, though. PAPER MARIO RULES YOUR SOUL!

Everything else looks neat, too, though I still need to get around to the Professor Layton games.

[The Rick]

HTC and Samsung Will Likely Sue Apple over iPhone 5
ign link (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/09/12/htc-and-samsung-will-likely-sue-apple-over-iphone-5)
by Jon Fox September 11, 2012



HTC and Samsung Will Likely Sue Apple over iPhone 5
Apple could get a taste of its own medicine if the new iPhone infringes 4G LTE patents.

Apple may have come out on top in its high-profile $1.05 billion lawsuit against Samsung last month. But the iPhone 5's rumored 4G LTE capabilities could land Apple in some legal hot water when the phone debuts later this month.

HTC owns a number of patents related to 4G LTE transmission, and two of them in particular might (if upheld in court) win an import ban on Apple's latest iPad along with the iPhone 5. It's still possible the iPhone 5 won't feature LTE, though just about all rumors have indicated it will.

It's likewise possible that a court could overturn the suit and deem HTC's patents invalid, but trade Judge Thomas Pender told Bloomberg last week that he'd have to be "pretty darn certain a U.S. patent is invalid" to quash it. Because the iPhone 5 was in production before the case came to a trial, HTC would have a valid argument for an import ban on the device if the court finds infringement and upholds its patents. If HTC does win though, it will still have to file an injunction, and then of course Apple will appeal; so even an expedited verdict likely wouldn't come in time to prevent or delay a September 21 launch.

Does this mean the iPhone 5 will have a limited release? Not necessarily. Most likely, this will just give HTC a bit more leverage for a settlement with Apple, which owns 434 LTE patents itself, and currently has a number of infringement claims against HTC. Remember, it's extremely rare for trade law cases like these to make it all the way to trial.

In a similar case, Samsung could demand a ban on LTE-enabled Apple products in the US and European countries, according to the Korean Times, which quotes a "ranking official" as saying, "It's true that Samsung has decided to take immediate legal action against Apple."

Again, the chances of this case affecting the iPhone 5's consumer debut look pretty slim. But a full-scale US ban on Apple's top product is within the realm of possibility for now.

Does Apple deserve a taste of its own medicine? Or would an iPhone 5 ban just reveal how broken the patent system is? Try to keep things civil in the comments.

[Beefy]

Apple, Samsung and HTC are all as bad as each other right now. The patent system is just ridiculous at the moment and seems to be far removbed now from what it was intended to be.

[The Rick]

Wii U launches on November 18 in US for $299
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-09-13-wii-u-launches-on-november-18-in-us-for-USD299)
By James Brightman 13 Sep 2012



Nintendo reveals the latest details on its upcoming console; Europe will wait until November 30

Nintendo has announced at an event in New York today that the Wii U will launch in the US on Sunday, November 18, with European consumers having to wait until Friday, November 30. The basic set will be sold for $299 in the US, while a deluxe configuration will be sold for $349.

The Basic SKU will offer a white, 8GB Wii U console, a GamePad, AC adapters, a sensor bar, and an HDMI Cable, while the Deluxe SKU has everything that Basic has but it's in a black color and it bumps up the memory to 32GB. It also comes with charging cradles and a copy of Nintendoland. Moreover, to push digital, Nintendo is including a Deluxe Digital Promotion in the higher-end SKU. This will earn gamers some rebates for downloadable Wii U titles in the eShop as they make purchases.

Nintendo's Bill Trinen noted that Nintendo is expanding Nintendo Land with new additions: Metroid Blast, and Pikmin Adventure.

Importantly, Nintendo introduced a major entertainment feature called Nintendo TVii. It shows Netflix, Amazon, Hulu Plus and TiVo DVR, all controlled on the GamePad. Zach Fountain, director of network business at NoA, was the man who led the TV project. Users will get a personalized program guide, which shows what's on DVR, live TV channels, Netflix, etc. It's all in one guide, and you can start a program directly from the GamePad, and then you can share info with friends. There's also a Mii in the upper left hand corner for a personalized experience for everyone in the household.

The view on the GamePad during live TV is also much different than what's on the TV itself. This offers viewers all sorts of extra information, and for sports lovers, plenty of stats to scroll through. Nintendo TVii is included with every Wii U at no additional fee. "It's always been our goal to maximize value with every hardware purchase," Reggie Fils-Aime stated.

After the TVii presentation, Nintendo dived into the games. Bayonetta 2 will be a Wii U exclusive published by Nintendo, developed by Platinum Games, and there's also a new collaboration between Atsushi Inabe and Hideki Kamiya called The Wonderful 101. Also, Capcom is bringing Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate to Wii U and 3DS next year, and gamers can progress simultaneously between the platforms.

Next up, Activision Publshing CEO Eric Hirshberg took the stage to show off what Activision has planned for Wii U, which includes Skylanders Giants, Wipeout 3 (based on TV show), 007 Legends, Transformers Prime - The Game, and most importantly of all Call of Duty: Black Ops II.

"We've never been able to deliver this level of realism on a Nintendo platform," said Hirshberg while demoing multiplayer, which makes use of the GamePad second screen to "really enhance the gameplay experience." The GamePad turns a local splitscreen into two separate full screen experiences. It can be competitive or cooperative. The game can be played directly from the GamePad without using the TV at all, if desired.

Hirshberg said you "really are getting the full CoD experience this November on Wii U."

Following the CoD demo, Reggie came back to note that Nintendo isn't ready to reveal the exact release dates of its games, so the company isn't providing an exact list of launch day titles yet. That said, Nintendo went through numerous slides to show how many titles they have coming between launch and next March.

Reggie closed out the conference by commenting that "Wii U will change the way you play games and how you watch television, and the agent of that change is the Wii U GamePad; it's the next advance in gaming."

We'll have a full interview with Reggie Fils-Aime coming tomorrow, in addition to more reaction, so please stay tuned!

[The Rick]

GAME and Gamestation brands merging into single edifice
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-09-14-game-and-gamestation-brands-merging-into-single-edifice)
By Dan Pearson 14 Sep 2012



GAME and Gamestation brands merging into single edifice
UPDATE: CEO confirms news, company claims 30 per cent market share

Update

CEO Martyn Gibbs has now confirmed the news. The changes will come into effect throughout September and October.

"We are all incredibly excited about the fresh start that we have with Game Retail. GAME will build on the best of both brands to deliver excellence for gamers and unrivalled value for the gaming community," said Gibbs.

"For example the gamestation trade-in proposition, 'We Won't Be Beaten On Trade-In', will continue under the new unified brand and likewise the existing passionate and knowledgeable gamestation staff will stay with us and continue to work in the rebranded stores to provide support and advice for all levels of gamer."

The company also revealed it now had a market share of circa 30 per cent, 2.5 million customers a week and 12 million loyalty scheme members.

The company will also be making some new additions to its customer offerings, including free in-store wi-fi, a new app, a revamped loyalty scheme and a new GAME Hunter service that allows gamers to order products from the entire GAME range online, both physical and digital, for home delivery.

"We are building a bigger, stronger and more nimble business - something that can be clearly seen from the speed at which we are introducing these new initiatives," continued Gibbs.

"This is only a snapshot of a whole host of exciting plans in the pipeline including new titles, formats, partnership and digital offerings. But it doesn't stop here. A big focus for us is growing our digital market share, becoming a true omni-channel retailer and holding the UK's biggest range of games, gaming gear and exclusive content, all of which will bring us ever closer to our goal of delivering excellence and unrivalled value for UK gamers."

Original story

Game Retail is merging its two brands: GAME and Gamestation, into a single business under the GAME label.

It's understood that no outlets will close during the procedure and all staff will retain their jobs.

The news emerged today from a company conference after a speech from CEO Martyn Gibbs. Although the information has not been officially confirmed by the retailer, a full statement is expected later today or early next week.

The two shops had operated under the same banner since 2007, when GAME acquired the specialist from Blockbuster. Whilst Gamestation survived the company entering administration earlier this year, bosses have now decided that unification is the most sensible move.

[The Rick]

Australian R18+ guidelines stress potential harm of interactivity
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-09-13-australian-r18-guidelines-stress-potential-harm-of-interactivity)
By Matthew Handrahan 13 Sep 2012



Australian R18+ guidelines stress potential harm of interactivity
Leading trade body expresses "concern", stresses lack of evidence for the claim

The guidelines for Australia's long-awaited R18+ rating for games indicate that the medium will not be regarded as equivalent to other forms of entertainment.

A document released by the Australian classification board - reported by VG247 - stressed the importance of gaming's interactive elements in terms of their possible negative effects on minors.

"As a general rule, computer games may have a higher impact than similarly themed depictions of the classifiable elements in film, and therefore greater potential for harm or detriment, particularly to minors," the document reads.

The idea that interactive entertainment is potentially more harmful than passive entertainment is well known, but it's veracity has often been disputed. Indeed, Australia's leading trade body, the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA), said as much in a reply statement that offered the guidelines a, "reserved and qualified welcome."

"Given the opposition to the introduction of an R18+ category from a vocal yet unrepresentative section of the community, along with a largely conservative group of Attorneys-General, it is no surprise the new guidelines hold video games to a higher standard across a number of categories compared to film and what originally existed for video games," the statement read.

The IGEA admitted its concern over the guidelines, citing a report published by the Australian Attorney-General's office in September 2010 that found no evidence of interactivity having a greater effect on players.

"Ultimately, we will need to wait to see how the Classification Board interpret and administer the new R18+ and revised M and MA15+ categories. We trust that they will reflect the standards of morality, decency and propriety accepted by reasonable adults, not just the vocal ones."

[The Doc]

I know Nintendo and Sega have this buddy buddy we're the last of the old breed thing going on but Bayonetta 2 is going to be produced by Nintendo? Much like Duke Nukem 4ever I'll believe that shit when it's in my hands.

[The Rick]

Microsoft renews Killer Instinct trademark
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/microsoft-renews-killer-instinct-trademark-6396602?tag=Topslot;Today039sGamingNews;MicrosoftR enewsKillerI)
By Eddie Makuch September 17, 2012



Microsoft renews Killer Instinct trademark
Redmond software giant files trademark application with United States Patent & Trademark Office for "online video games."

Microsoft has renewed its trademark for Killer Instinct. The Microsoft-run PlayXBLA news portal revealed the information, which is backed up by the official September 12 listing with the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO).

The trademark was filed under the goods and services description of video game software, with a specificity of "online video games."

It is not clear what this action means for the future of the Killer Instinct fighting game franchise, and as of press time, Microsoft had not responded to GameSpot's request for comment.

The 1994 original Killer Instinct was developed by Rare and published by Midway for arcades. It later released for the Super Nintendo and Game Boy, published by Nintendo. A sequel titled Killer Instinct 2 launched in 1996, and arrived on the Nintendo 64 as Killer Instinct Gold.





This might be too good to be true.

[Psycho666Soldier]

!!!!

Please don't let this be something to get my hopes up. PLEASE let this be the hint of a new KI game!

[The Rick]

MOGA Bluetooth Controller for Android Available Oct 21
ign link (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/09/20/moga-bluetooth-controller-for-android-available-oct-21)
by Jon Fox September 20, 2012



MOGA Bluetooth Controller for Android Available Oct 21
PowerA's $50 console-style Bluetooth gamepad for Android is coming in a month, with dual analog-sticks, real buttons and a clip to hold your phone.

The MOGA isn't the first piece of hardware to marry Android-based games with traditional console-style controls, and with the Wikipad and Ouya on the way it won't be the last. While smart-phones and tablets have made it easier (and more socially acceptable) to bring games everywhere we go, the simple fact is that virtual buttons - the control solution lots of game developers keep choosing for touch-screen platforms - just kind of suck.
http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2012/09/mogamoga.jpeg

The MOGA promises "console quality control," and while we weren't super impressed with the button quality when we demoed it at E3, in the argument between virtual-button controls and a real, tactile controller there's just no contest.

If you're gaming on a tablet, just set it up on a stand, connect the MOGA via Bluetooth (the Google Play pairing app requires Android Gingerbread or newer) and game away. If you're playing on your phone, the MOGA's got a clip to hold it at a good viewing angle.

Unlike PC gamepads, which can use key-mapping to compensate when games are missing hardware support, the MOGA will only work with Android games that are made for gamepads. Good thing PowerA has deals in place with Gameloft, Remedy Entertainment, Atari, Sega, Namco. When the Wikipad and Ouya launch, Android game-makers will have even more incentive to support gamepad controls.

Is the MOGA controller a waste of money or another nail in the Sony and Nintendo's portable gaming coffin? Let us know in the comments.

[The Rick]

PS3 support to continue through at least 2015
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/ps3-support-to-continue-through-at-least-2015-6396885)
By Eddie Makuch September 20, 2012



PS3 support to continue through at least 2015
PlayStation VP of hardware marketing John Koller says Sony will support aging console as long as development scene is running; claims $270 price point for new model a result of consumers' call for value.

The PlayStation 3 isn't going away anytime soon. PlayStation VP of hardware marketing John Koller told GameSpot this week that Sony will continue to support the aging console until at least 2015, and possibly longer, provided the development scene continues to exist.

Elsewhere in the interview, Koller defended the new PS3 model's $270 price point--above the current $250 entry level unit--saying gamers have called for value, and claiming Sony is coming through with its new bundle.

He also took time to explain why Dust 514 is included in the bundle. He dodged a question regarding it being a test of the community's eagerness for free-to-play console games for this generation and the next, but said it will be "interesting to watch the adoption rate."

Koller also commented on leaked images of the new PS3 model spoiling Sony's formal announcement this week. He said leaks of this nature are not problematic for Sony (even though the same thing happened in 2009), adding that "people love talking."

The PlayStation 2 saw two redesigns. Now the PS3 is at three. Can you talk about why the increase over last gen?

There's not a particular reason of why there's one more. We look at opportunities to iterate and look at the demographics that are coming into the market. We see an opportunity right now, just with what's happening with other products and other technology items, that's more streamlined and efficient model that fits well in an entertainment center. So for us this was the right iteration. The other strategy is that…we look at the market over the past few years and saw a real rush of price points and gift cards and retail price promotions…and our consumers kept telling us "give us games, give us content." And so that's why you're seeing the Uncharted 3 250 GB bundle kick off.

The new model is going for $270, and this is above the current $250 base model. We are presumably at the tail end of the PS3's life cycle, so why is the price for this entry level unit going up?

The consumers have said "give us value." And so it's a $70 consumer value when you get Uncharted 3 Game of the Year…and Dust 514 with $30 extra DLC coming in. Out of the box you get an immediate gaming experience. So we were answering the consumer call there. We feel very good about the position…and we feel the full-time bundle opportunity is the right path to take.

This new model is 25 percent smaller and 20 percent lighter. Is that correct?

Yes.

Can you talk about power consumption? Is that less, too?

Power consumption is 190 watts. I think we're down a little bit. It's a more efficient unit. It has a different fan, which allowed us to shrink down the overall size of the shell.

Uncharted 3 is included in the bundle. Do you think though that there is a significant enough market that hasn't already purchased this game?

Yeah, absolutely. We're selling Uncharted 3 now with hardware. Most likely that consumer is not a PS3 owner yet. We have seen a very high interest rate from Xbox 360 consumers wanting to purchase a second console. We've held up Uncharted 3 as our flagship product over the last year and it's a good opportunity for those types of consumers to come over and own a second console in their household. We saw the same kind of thing happen in reverse during the PS2 years when a lot of PS2 consumers said they wanted to get an Xbox because of Halo and some other games. So we think the strategy works and it's a good one.

The other thing, when you look at Uncharted 3, yes, we have a very strong install base of Uncharted 3 players, but when you look at the broader PlayStation 3 base, there's still a lot who haven't played it. So even those PS3 owners who increasingly are saying they want to buy a second PS3, in all likelihood a lot of those consumers are probably going to get a game they haven't played. So we feel good. Even if they have played [Uncharted 3], they're getting Dust 514 with a lot of extra DLC.

Dust 514 certainly looks interesting. I've been tracking it. But it doesn't have the mass market appeal of something like Uncharted 3. Why did you choose to include [Dust 514] in the bundle over something else?

We wanted to provide some diversity. You have one frontline title [Uncharted 3] that clearly is one of the top games in the industry, and then you have one that is maybe a little different. It's free-to-play, and it'll be interesting to see adoption there. We received a lot of interest from our consumers about [Dust 514], so we know that there is going to be a fairly large base for it. It'll be a good model for us to see how those types of games do. Our theory is that it will do very well. We think over the next few years not only some of the frontline and new IP, but also the indie titles are set for a significant amount of growth, and we think Dust 514 is probably going to be one of those. And we thought including that would provide a really nice value, and we threw in the extra DLC to get that consumer jumpstarted.

Would you think of [Dust 514's inclusion in the bundle] as kind of a test in gamers' interest in a free- to-play console game? Those games are rumored to big in the next generation of games.

I wouldn't clarify it as a test. Although I would say that it is going to be interesting to watch the adoption rate. I won't say it's a test, because a lot of our research is pointing to Dust 514 is already set to become a big hit. It's not a test in that respect, but it's going to be interesting to see how well it performs on kind of a large level. And I think it'll do quite well.

Looking into this holiday season, Microsoft has a cheaper Xbox 360 available, and the Wii U has the buzz of a new console. Where does the new PS3 model fit in during the holiday season for Sony?

I think quite well. We are increasingly bullish on the PS3's prospects not only this year but over the next few years. I think when you look at the types of content coming to the PS3, the consumer coming in… through the 250GB Uncharted 3 bundle or…through the Assassins' Creed III 500GB model, they're getting unique content. That consumer that comes in through those avenues is going to be opened up to probably the most rich and deep gaming opportunities in the sector. When you look at what's coming to the PS3, not only this holiday, but what's coming next year…[there are] games like [Beyond: Two Souls], games like The Last of Us…a lot of third-party content coming, and a lot of first-party content that hasn't come out publicly.

A lot of great content is coming. And over the next 2-3 years, the PS3 has got an incredible lineup. That consumer coming in this fall is going to really have an opportunity to have great content and what we believe to be the best content in the industry. Yeah, we watch what the competitors do, but we don't make decisions based on what they do. We like our position.

You were just saying the PS3 has a life for the next 2-3 years. You're going to continue to support the PS3 for the next three years?

We're going to continue supporting the PS3 for the next few years. Absolutely. And we're going to continue supporting it not only that long, but as long as there is a development spigot that's running hot. And I can tell you right now, the development spigot for PS3 is very hot. A lot of great games coming. Same thing with PS2…it's kind of stuck around as that old warrior, many years after its launch. But there's still games launching for it.

What are Sony's goals for the holiday season with regards to hardware, including PS3 and PS Vita?

In general, on a qualitative approach, we are very excited about the holiday. We feel very confident about our position because of the content. When you look at the [PS3] games that are coming [they are] unique in many respects. But also with Vita, when you look at the dedicated games like [Assassin's Creed III:Liberation] or [Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified], or Need for Speed or FIFA. The games that are coming over the next few months are just fantastic. The thing we like to communicate to our consumer base as well as to our future consumers is that you buy into the PlayStation ecosystem and you're buying into the best content in the industry. You're buying into the best place to play.

The announcement of the new PS3 model last night at TGS was not exactly a surprise. And neither was the previous slimmed down version in 2009.

Yeah.

Can you talk about why or how Sony has struggled to keep its hardware revisions a secret. And is this a problem?

Not a problem. And I think there's different approaches to how you release information and content. In our case, we always prefer to have the opportunity to be able to speak to all of you and to our consumers in a general meeting place like a Tokyo Game Show or an E3 or a Gamescom. So we prefer that. But with the industry being what it is, there's always people that love talking to you and your colleagues in the media. And so we can't always control that. But in general, we do try to keep it to these large events and really be able to get our message out correctly. So no, not a problem, but maybe more of a sign of the industry and how people talk.

[The Rick]

PS Vita gets PlayStation Plus in November
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/events/tgs-2012/story.html?sid=6396750)
By Eddie Makuch September 19, 2012



PS Vita gets PlayStation Plus in November
Sony bringing premium service to new portable later this fall at $50 per year; current PS3 subscribers won't pay extra.

Sony's premium PlayStation Plus subscription service is coming to the PlayStation Vita in November, the company announced during its pre-Tokyo Game Show briefing. Subscribers will have access to game and content discounts, 1GB of cloud storage, automatic updates, and unlimited access to a range of full titles, provided their subscription remains active.

PlayStation Plus subscriptions will be available in North America and Europe in 90-day plans for $17.99 and €14.99 respectively, as well as yearly at $49.99 and €49.99 for each region. Those who hold an existing PlayStation Plus subscription will not need to pay extra.

PlayStation Plus launched in June 2010 for the PlayStation 3 with a $50 annual fee. The regular PlayStation Network service, which includes online multiplayer, has been free since the PS3 launched and there are no announced plans to change that.

[The Rick]

GameStop US halts Wii U pre-orders due to "overwhelming demand"
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-09-24-gamestop-us-halts-wii-u-pre-orders-due-to-overwhelming-demand)
By Dan Pearson Mon 24 Sep 2012




GameStop US halts Wii U pre-orders due to "overwhelming demand"
UK site still taking reservations, US PowerUp members put on waiting list

US retailer GameStop has stopped taking pre-orders for the Wii U in the US, due to "overwhelming demand", with PowerUp Rewards members instead being placed on a waiting list for the new hardware.

The chain's UK website is still allowing customers to place orders and make a deposit, but Softpedia reports that pre-order numbers were so high in North America that no more are being taken.

US customers who participate in the store's PowerUp Rewards scheme can be put on a waiting list, with no deposit, to be informed when the machine comes back into stock. They will then have 48 hours to reply and secure their unit.

The new console's release will be staggered worldwide, although dates are closer than for previous launches, with geographical preference reversed. The US will be the first to see the machine in the wild, on November 18, with Europe following on November 30 and Japan on December 8.



looks like a promising start for the WiiU, but Nintendo knows how to string people along by limiting stock.

[The Rick]

New entries take Japanese top 5 as 3DS continues dominance
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-11-01-new-entries-take-japanese-top-5-as-3ds-continues-dominance)
By Dan Pearson Thu 01 Nov 2012



New entries take Japanese top 5 as 3DS continues dominance

Idolmaster, Dark Souls and ZoE occupy software top spots

New entries have taken the top five spots on the Japanese retail chart, with the 3DS continuing its dominance of hardware sales in the region.

Idolmaster: Shiny Festa takes the number one slot for PSP, followed by the DLC enhanced reissue of Dark Souls on PS3 and the hi-def remix of Zone of the Enders. Borderlands 2 makes a double entry, taking fifth on PS3 and tenth on 360.

Software chart for Japan for period October 22-28. All charts courtesy of Media Create.

Last Week This Week Title Sales this week Lifetime sales
New entry - 1 The Idolmaster: Shiny Festa (PSP) 119,132 N/A
New entry - 2 Dark Souls with Artorias of the Abyss Edition (PS3) 67,002 N/A
New entry - 3 Zone of the Enders HD (PS3) 44,751 N/A
New entry - 4 AKB48+Me (3DS) 40,542 N/A
New entry - 5 Borderlands 2 (PS3) 36,068 N/A
3 - 6 Bravely Default: Flying Fairy (3DS) 31,001 213,960
2 - 7 Resident Evil 6 (PS3) 24,263 794,352
6 - 8 New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS) 24,010 1,295,634
5 - 9 PES 2013 (PS3) 18,699 325,157
New Entry - 10 Borderlands 2 (360) 18,699 N/A
01 - 11 Little Battlers eXperience W (PSP) 16,509 93,966
New Entry - 12 Forza Horizon (360) 15,468 N/A
09 - 13 Style Savvy: Trendsetters (3DS) 11,446 148,119
10 - 14 Tousouchuu: Shijou Saikyou no Hunter-Tachi Kara Nigekire! (3DS) 10,130 213,767
07 - 15 The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki Evolution (PSV) 7,735 29,254
12 - 16 Pokemon Black 2 / White 2 (NDS) 6,559 36,011
04 - 17 FIFA 13 6,646 42,446
21 - 18 Rocksmith (PS3) 5,663 24,142
11 - 19 Project X Zone (3DS) 5,345 103,469
New Entry - 20 Street Fighter X Tekken (PSV) 5,420 N/A

Japanese hardware chart, October 22-28. Last week's sales in brackets.

1) 3DS - 61,542 (60,232)
2) PS3 - 20,364 (21,354)
3) PSP - 14,541 (15,575)
4) Vita - 5,806 (6,791)
5) Wii - 3,744 (4,035)
6) Xbox 360 - 1,931 (2,150)
7) PS2 - 1,006 (1,081)
8) DS - 441 (529)



Love seeing Rocksmith at #18

[The Rick]

Wii U Internet Browser Specs Revealed
ign link (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/02/wii-u-internet-browser-specs-revealed)
by Richard George November 2, 2012



Wii U Internet Browser Specs Revealed
Spoiler: Turns out it's rather good!

We're just over two weeks away from the launch of Wii U, and Nintendo is slowly revealing more details about its home console's capabilities. Though we still don't have a full account of the system's online services, including Miiverse, we now have a huge technical readout of its Internet browser.

For those of you well versed in browser jargon, you can see the full readout on Nintendo's official site (http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu/features/browser-specs/). For the rest of us, here are the details that matter:

The browser is being provided by NetFront, a Japanese company that has provided similar programs for many other game consoles, including the Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3 and Vita.

NetFront's code will not support plug-ins, which includes Flash.

Saving or uploading images and video is not supported.

As expected, and previously revealed, Wii U will allow players to access the browser mid-game, as well as jump online on the GamePad while continuing to watch TV.

One of the more interesting results of Nintendo and NetFront's plans is an independent assessment of the browser through the site HTML5 test. Different browsers are analyzed based on "how important [a] feature is for web developers and how difficult it is to implement that feature." Out of a possible 515 points, Wii U's browser, specific to the HTML 5 standard, scores a 323, the highest of any dedicated game machine. For perspective, the Xbox 360 browser scores a 120, while Internet Explorer 10 managed 326 points.

In other words - Wii U will have good Internets.

[The Rick]

Sony Recovers While PlayStation Sales Decrease
ign link (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/02/sony-recovers-while-playstation-sales-go-lower)
by Colin Moriarty November 2, 2012



Sony Recovers While PlayStation Sales Decrease
Things are starting to look more normal for the Japanese electronics giant.

Sony has released its earnings report (http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/IR/financial/fr/index.html) for the second quarter of the 2012 fiscal year, which ended on September 30th. And though Sony is still in the red, its business seems to be recovering even as the economic conditions around it stagnate. But a quick analysis of its PlayStation brand shows some signs of slowing down as consumers wait for this generation of hardware to end and the next one -- rumored to be codenamed Orbis -- to arrive.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QQtFH3-k_4

Sony’s quarterly consolidated results state the following:

“Sales were 1,604.7 billion yen (20,573 million US dollars), an increase of 1.9% compared to the same quarter of the previous fiscal year… This increase was primarily due to a significant increase in sales in the [mobile products and communications] segment, while sales in the [home entertainment and sound] segment decreased significantly resulting from a decrease in LCD television unit sales. On a constant currency basis, sales increased 3% year-on-year.”

Sony’s sales and operating revenues are up 1.9% year-on-year, with adjusted operating income up over 35%. Taking the first half of the fiscal year as a whole, operating income is up 1.6% year-on-year, but adjusted income is down 3.8%, showing that this quarter was a bigger success than the last quarter, and indicating that Sony is on its way to some sort of fiscal recovery.

The PlayStation business (which Sony internally calls its “Game” segment) showed a 15.8% decrease in sales year-on-year, and a 15.2% decrease in year-on-year sales taking the first half of the fiscal year as a whole. Sony notes that “This decrease was primarily due to the lower sales of hardware and software of the PlayStation 3 and PSP, partially offset by the contribution of the PlayStation Vita introduced in December 2011.”

Combined hardware sales for PS2 and PS3 are down from 4.9 million units in fiscal year 2011’s second quarter to 3.5 million units this fiscal quarter. Vita wasn’t yet available in fiscal year 2011’s second quarter, but PSP sold 1.7 million units on its own. Extraordinarily, only 1.6 million PSPs and Vitas were sold in the second quarter of fiscal year 2012.

Software sales are more promising. Sony sold 41.4 million units of combined PS3 and PS2 software in the second quarter, a slight increase from fiscal year 2011’s second quarter, where 40.2 million software units were sold. It also posted 8.7 million software units sold on PSP and Vita. But keep in mind that year-on-year comparisons are impossible here, as Vita wasn’t yet available. PSP by itself sold 8.2 million software units on its own in the second quarter of 2011. Sony expects to sell about the same overall software units in fiscal year 2012 as it did in 2011: 164.5 million PS2 and PS3 games and 32.2 million Vita and PSP games (or 196.7 million combined units).

Sony’s also lowering its expectations for PlayStation Vita (and PSP) hardware. Originally forecasted to sell a combined 12 million units for the third quarter, Sony now forecasts 10 million units sold. “Primarily due to the lowering of the annual unit sales forecast for portable hardware, sales are expected to be lower than the August forecast… Sales are expected to decrease and operating income is expected to decrease significantly year-on-year.”

Sony has this to say about the future of its PlayStation brand:

“In the game business, Sony is working to further expand the PS3 platform through measures such as the introduction of a new, smaller and lighter model with a larger capacity HDD. Sony is also working to further spread the PS Vita platform, which Sony introduced last year, through various measures such as the introduction of an attractive software lineup. Sony also acquired US-based Gaikai Inc. in August 2012. Through this acquisition, Sony aims to provide users with interactive entertainment experiences by establishing a new cloud service.”

[The Rick]

Cypress Hill Singer Loses Grand Theft Auto Lawsuit
ign link (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/02/cypress-hill-singer-loses-grand-theft-auto-lawsuit)
by Andrew Goldfarb November 2, 2012



Cypress Hill Singer Loses Grand Theft Auto Lawsuit
Michael "Shagg" Washington unable to prove that San Andreas stole his likeness.

Former Cypress Hill backup singer Michael “Shagg” Washington has lost his lawsuit against Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar games. Washington sued Rockstar in 2010, alleging that Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas used his likeness as the inspiration for main character Carl “C.J.” Johnson without his knowledge.

Washington was suing for $250 million, but after multiple rulings, the California appeals court has found that Washington “failed to establish a probability of defeating Take-Two's First Amendment-based ‘transformative use’ defense,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Washington reportedly failed to prove that his face was actually in San Andreas, with a judge saying the "plaintiff is relying entirely on C.J.'s physical appearance in the game, but that appearance is so generic that it necessarily includes hundreds of other black males." The judge added that Washington “would have needed to present evidence like tattoos, birthmarks or other physical features” or linked C.J.’s background to his own in order to win the case.

This is the second music game-related likeness lawsuit to be resolved this year, following Activision settling with No Doubt regarding Band Hero earlier this month. San Andreas, meanwhile, may be seen again soon, as the ESRB rated it for PlayStation 3 earlier this week.

http://images.eurogamer.net/2012/articles/1/5/2/5/1/7/7/13518697106.png/EG11/resize/300x-1

[Vice]

$250 million? Fuck that.

[Mark Hammer]

Very pleased that the dumb ass didn't actually win the lawsuit. It's so silly I don't even know where to begin.

[Kyle_242]

The Orbis is so modern-day Sony, silly name and everything. OF COURSE they're going to go with a straight-up hardware upgrade, while the market is moving in another direction entirely and leaving them behind.

That said, *I* am personally thrilled they're making it and I'll buy it. Once it's less than $600 and comes with Metal Gear. I don't even care that it might not even be real at this point.

[Bert]

Huh?

[Kyle_242]

The article before the GTA one.

[The Rick]

Bethesda “Close on New Skyrim Content For PS3”
ign link (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/07/bethesda-close-on-new-skyrim-content-for-ps3)
by Colin Moriarty November 7, 2012




Bethesda “Close on New Skyrim Content For PS3”
Is that so?

Today, Bethesda Game Studios – the developer behind Fallout 3 and the Elder Scrolls franchise – Tweeted some interesting news. Notably that the studio is “close on new Skyrim content for PS3 and PC.” It is, of course, the proclamation of being close to a solution to its notorious PS3 DLC issues that’s of real interest here.

http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2012/11/skyrimdlc.jpg

Skyrim’s problems on PS3 are, a year out from its initial launch, notorious. And while those problems haven’t plagued everyone who played Skyrim on PlayStation 3, the issues were serious enough that it’s stopped any of the game’s much-anticipated DLC from coming to Sony’s console.

So far, two DLC packs have been released for other platforms. However, both Dawnguard and Hearthfire have yet to come to PlayStation 3, with no word on if or when they would. The third piece of DLC, Dragonborn, was recently revealed.

Unfortunately, the vague nature of the Tweet from Bethesda Game Studios doesn’t indicate much, except that we should likely expect more news sometime in the near future. In the meantime, let’s keep our fingers crossed that PS3 gamers will finally get in on the DLC their Xbox 360 and PC-playing brethren have already experienced.

[Bert]

The only thing PC doesn't have is Dragonborn so not sure what they're referring to.

[The Rick]

WoW, Skylanders drive strong Q3 for Activision
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-11-07-wow-skylanders-drive-strong-q3-for-activision)
By James Brightman Wed 07 Nov 2012 9:17pm GMT



WoW, Skylanders drive strong Q3 for Activision
Publisher sees better than expected sales and income, raises full-year outlook

Activision Blizzard's third-quarter fiscal report is what you'd call the polar opposite of THQ's latest. The company posted better-than-expected results, as sales climbed from $754 million to $841 million while earnings per share grew from $0.13 to $0.20. The publisher also did well to increase its share of digital earnings as GAAP net revenues from digital channels came to $430 million (51 percent of the total haul).

Activision had three of the top four best-selling games in North America and Europe for the first nine months of this year, and the third quarter was successful primarily thanks to the solid performances of World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria and Skylanders, which Activision boasts has been the number one best-selling console and handheld game overall in dollars (including accessory packs and figures) in North America and Europe for the first nine months of 2012. In addition, Skylanders Spyro's Adventure became the number one action-figure line in the US in that same time.

“Our unyielding commitment to excellence, the strength of our employees around the globe and our focus on creating great entertainment experiences have enabled us to once again deliver better-thanexpected financial results. We have, for the third straight year, generated over $1 billion of operating cash flow for the trailing twelve month period ending September 30," said Bobby Kotick, Chief Executive Officer, Activision Blizzard.

"Our performance was driven by the launch of Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria and continued sales of its top-selling PC game, Diablo III, as well as Activision Publishing's new entertainment property, Skylanders Spyro's Adventure, and sales of titles in the Call of Duty franchise. Based on our strong third-quarter performance and increased visibility into the remainder of the year, we are raising our full-year financial outlook and expect to deliver record non-GAAP operating margins and the highest non-GAAP earnings per share in our company's history. We now expect non-GAAP earnings per share will increase more than 18% year over year.”

On a GAAP basis, the company is expecting $4.57 billion in sales for the full year and earnings per share of $0.88. Needless to say, the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops II is expected to propel Activision's bottom line quite a bit.

Kotick added, “Skylanders Giants is off to a great start and next week the company will release Call of Duty: Black Ops II, which we believe will be one of the most successful launches of any form of entertainment in history. As we look to 2013, we are cautious about business prospects given a continuingly challenged global economy, the ongoing console transition and very difficult year-over-year comparables due to Blizzard's record-shattering Diablo III sales in 2012. We expect that over the long-term, we will maintain our leadership position as the world's leading interactive entertainment company and continue to provide strong returns to our shareholders by delivering great games to audiences around the world.”

[The Rick]

Steam for Linux beta goes live
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-11-06-steam-for-linux-beta-goes-live)
By Mike Williams Tue 06 Nov 2012 9:44pm GMT




Steam for Linux beta goes live
Valve has begun testing Steam on Linux, with help from Nvidia

Valve has announced the start of its closed beta program for the Linux version of Steam. The Steam for Linux client supports Team Fortress 2 and nearly twenty-four other Steam titles. The client also features the Steam Big Picture mode. Valve is boasting over 60,000 responses for its request for Steam for Linux beta candidates.

“This is a huge milestone in the development of PC gaming,” said Valve president Gabe Newell. “Steam users have been asking us to support gaming on Linux. We're happy to bring rich forms of entertainment and our community of users to this open, customer-friendly platform.”

http://images.eurogamer.net/2012/articles//a/1/5/2/6/0/1/4/eurogamer-zwp0v0.jpg

Steam for Linux is available for installation on Ubuntu 12.04, based on respondents reporting that Ubuntu was their Linux distro of choice. Valve will be supporting other distributions in the future.

In response to Valve's beta launch of Steam for Linux, Nvidia has released its new GeForce R310 drivers for Linux. The drivers support the newest GeForce GTX 600 series GPUs in addition to older GeForce cards. The drivers are the culmination of “almost a year of development by Nvidia, Valve and other game developers.”

"With this release, Nvidia has managed to increase the overall gaming performance under Linux," said Valve vice president of marketing Doug Lombardi. "Nvidia took an unquestioned leadership position developing R310 drivers with us and other studios to provide an absolutely unequalled solution for Linux gamers."

[The Rick]

THQ pushes back South Park as it loses another $21 million
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-11-05-thq-pushes-back-south-park-as-it-loses-another-USD21-million)
By James Brightman Mon 05 Nov 2012 9:36pm GMT




THQ pushes back South Park as it loses another $21 million
The company narrowed its loss year-over-year but is suspending guidance

THQ has issued its second quarter earnings report, revealing a net loss of $21 million for the period ended on September 30, which is down significantly from the massive $92 million loss posted a year earlier. Sales also dipped from $146 million to $107.4 million.

THQ noted that it shipped 1.4 million units of Darksiders II in the second quarter, but a sold through figure wasn't mentioned, and some analysts don't believe the title has a chance of breaking even.

Along with the fiscal news came a delay to South Park: The Stick of Truth, which had previously been slated for release on March 5, 2013 and is now planned for a release in early fiscal 2014 (meaning likely in the April-May 2013 period). Additionally, THQ pushed back the releases for Company of Heroes 2 and Metro: Last Light, both of which are now expected to ship in March.

In more bad news for investors, THQ said it's suspending net sales and earnings guidance, and withdrawing its previous guidance for fiscal 2013. THQ admitted that its delayed product slate will "create a need for additional capital." The company has apparently been talking with Centerview Partners LLC to "assist the company in evaluating strategic and financing alternatives intended to improve THQ's overall liquidity, including raising additional capital, preserve the company's ability to bring the best possible games to market during the most advantageous release windows and to help address the $100 million 5% convertible senior notes due August 2014."

“When I joined THQ the company made a public commitment to quality titles. We always expected that in some cases this would mean that more time would be needed to make sure that every title is of the highest possible quality,” said Jason Rubin, THQ's President. “Our fourth quarter releases are the first titles that I have had the ability to materially impact, and experience told me that the games needed additional development time to be market-ready."

“I believe South Park's market opportunity is significant," Rubin continued. "It is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated titles of calendar 2013. It is also an expansive title, encompassing multiple television seasons' worth of content. We have been working closely with the co-creators of South Park, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, to make sure all of the game's content performs to the high standards of the TV show, and this takes time. THQ is committed to giving gamers no less than the rich South Park game they have been waiting for and deserve."

“We are also inspired by the potential for Metro: Last Light and Company of Heroes 2. I believe Metro: Last Light is a title that should set standards for visuals with its stunning atmosphere, unique location and cutting-edge style. Company of Heroes was one of the highest rated RTS titles in history, and Relic insists that the sequel live up to its pedigree. Giving both of these titles time to reach their full potential is the right thing to do for the products."

“THQ is excited about our position and pipeline of games beyond fiscal 2013, including the sequel for Saints Row: The Third, Homefront 2 and the as-yet-unannounced game from Turtle Rock Studios. In total we have ten titles in development for fiscal 2014 and later, almost all of which are based on our own IP. We intend to announce more details about our future slate in the coming months."

“I firmly believe releasing our fourth quarter titles without extra time for polish in the current environment would lead to underperformance that could in turn lead to future additional capital shortfalls. But extending development schedules in order to make the best possible titles also has financial implications. Yet there can be no doubt which path has the greatest chance of leading to the long-term success of the company. We must follow the course that generates the highest quality games, and will establish THQ as a mark of quality for the consumer," concluded Rubin.

Brian Farrell, THQ's Chairman and CEO, also chimed in: “Clearly, THQ faces a number of opportunities and challenges. I am confident about the opportunities that lie in our robust slate of games and in our studios. But we also face challenges operating with limited capital resources in the highly competitive market for games, and we are working diligently to resolve those challenges.”

Update: It's worth noting that the earnings call lasted an incredibly brief 13 minutes and management refused to take any questions.

[The Rick]

Navy SEALs disciplined for consulting on Medal of Honor: Warfighter
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/navy-seals-disciplined-for-consulting-on-medal-of-honor-warfighter-6399762)
By Laura Parker November 8, 2012




Navy SEALs disciplined for consulting on Medal of Honor: Warfighter
CBS News reports that seven members of SEAL Team Six are under investigation for revealing secrets while serving as paid consultants on EA's shooter.

Seven U.S. Navy SEALs who served as paid consultants on EA's Medal of Honor: Warfighter are reportedly under investigation for revealing secrets while working on the game.

According to a report by GameSpot sister site CBS News, the seven SEALs, who are all currently on active duty, used classified material given to them by the Navy while working with EA on Warfighter.

CBS reports all seven have received letters of reprimand and have had half their pay taken away for two months. One of the SEALs involved was reportedly on the raid which killed Osama bin Laden.

Medal of Honor: Warfighter was released on October 23. EA Labels boss Frank Gibeau said the critical reception for the game fell below EA's expectations, but that the publisher would continue to push the game during the holiday season through marketing including the upcoming map pack tied in to Sony Pictures' new movie Zero Dark Thirty, which chronicles the Navy SEAL raid on Osama bin Laden.

The game fell into controversy prior to its release when EA began promoting its partnership with real-world weapons manufacturers by linking to the sites from the Medal of Honor: Warfighter official page.

[The Rick]

Square Enix merger a "complete failure" says former Square boss
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-11-07-square-enix-merger-a-complete-failure-says-former-square-boss)
By James Brightman Wed 07 Nov 2012




Square Enix merger a "complete failure" says former Square boss
Hisashi Suzuki took to Twitter to trash the company for having "no vision"

Square Enix recently posted losses and lowered forecasts across the board. Sleeping Dogs shipped 1.5 million units, but it wasn't enough to bolster the publisher's bottom line, and former management seems to have lost faith in the company's ability. Former Square Co. boss Hisashi Suzuki commented on Twitter that the merger of Square Enix back in 2003 has been a "complete failure."

He added in his own disappointment with the current management, saying, "There's no vision for the future."

Suzuki pointed out that the total value of Square Enix as a publicly traded company has still not been able to exceed the value of the publisher before the merger. He noted the high development costs which have been dragging Square Enix down, but hopefully the publisher will get some relief in that area soon, as it recently signed a long-term deal with Epic to use Unreal Engine 3 and 4.

Suzuki was president of Square from 2000 to 2002, and he was intimately familiar with the merged company, having served as director at Square Enix from 2003 to 2005. He is now a director at Sega.

[darkhorse]

Shame to hear about the South Park game getting pushed back. It seemed like the one game that might have actually made me want to go out and get a Kinect.

[Excel]

It's only a month or two

[Doctor Who]

It's only a month or two

And right into the path of GTA 5, I don't expect to see South Park untill September 2014 now. I also see Tomb Raider moving till late August/early September to advoid a clash.

[The Rick]

And right into the path of GTA 5, I don't expect to see South Park untill September 2014 now. I also see Tomb Raider moving till late August/early September to advoid a clash.

South Park, maybe. Tomb Raider should only be pushed a few weeks in one direction or the other. THQ is in such dire straits now, that they can't afford any mistakes. SquareEnix can throw out Tomb Raider, and it would do okay day and date with GTA, but would do better a few weeks after. When the GTA craze has died down just a bit, and gamers are looking for something else seems to be a good time frame.

[The Rick]

Sony Banning PlayStation 3 Hackers
ign link (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/14/sony-banning-playstation-3-hackers)
by Andrew Goldfarb November 13, 2012




Sony Banning PlayStation 3 Hackers
Unauthorized PlayStation 3 software “invalidates the consumer's right to access that system.”

Sony will permanently ban PlayStation 3 hackers. In a statement posted on PlayStation’s official site, Sony acknowledges that “unauthorized software for the PlayStation 3 system was recently released by hackers” and warns players that use of the software violates the PlayStation 3 license agreement and PlayStation Network community code of conduct.

According to Sony, “violation of the System Software License Agreement for the PlayStation 3 system invalidates the consumer's right to access that system” and “consumers running unauthorized or pirated software may have their access to the PlayStation Network and access to Sony Entertainment Network services through PlayStation 3 system terminated permanently.” The statement adds “to avoid permanent termination, consumers must immediately cease using and delete all unauthorized or pirated software from their PlayStation 3 systems.”

Sony adds that terminating PSN access for hackers is part of an effort “to help provide a safe, fair, online environment.” This isn’t the first time Sony has cracked down on players for breaching its user agreement, following a similar statement released last year.

[The Rick]

putting this in news & handhelds

PlayStation Plus—and Six Free Games—Come to the Vita Next Week
kotaku link (http://kotaku.com/playstation-plus/)
by Evan Narcisse Nov 13, 2012




PlayStation Plus—and Six Free Games—Come to the Vita Next Week

The best thing about PlayStation Plus is the Instant Games Collection, a feature that offers up free, top-shelf titles to the online service's paying members. PS3 owners have been enjoying those perks for a while and now they're coming to Sony's gaming handheld.

Next week, six free games—including Gravity Rush, Jet Set Radio and Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions—will be coming to the Vita when PlayStation Plus support comes to the handheld. If you're already a PlayStation Plus member via your PS3, there's no additional cost to the $50/year fee to access the service on Vita. PlayStation Plus on Vita goes live next week with the 2.0 system update.

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/1856vqq4gnuh2jpg/xlarge.jpg

[The Rick]

Ubisoft's Guillemot on evolving audiences, Wii U, and possibly buying THQ
gamesindustry link
(http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-11-13-ubisofts-guillemot-on-evolving-audiences-and-the-wii-u)
By Chris Morris Tue 13 Nov 2012



Ubisoft's Guillemot on evolving audiences, Wii U, and possibly buying THQ

Ubisoft's CEO acknowledges interest in THQ's assets. "For sure, it's something we can consider," he tells us

spoiler for length
Among third-party publishers, you aren't likely to find a bigger Wii U booster than Ubisoft chairman and CEO Yves Guillemot.

That's hardly surprising, given his company's big bet on the system (it has 8 games in the Wii U's "launch window," including six day one titles). But even Guillemot has some things he'd like to see Nintendo doing differently.

Specifically: He's not a big fan of the console's price.

"I always prefer lower pricing, so I can't say I'm happy," he says. "I'm never happy when the machines are expensive. What we have to do there is remember that compared to an iPad, it's cheap. With what it brings [to the gaming table] it's cheap. But I hope they'll be able to drop their price in time."

Pricing concerns aside, Guillemot is, in fact, pretty happy with the system. He's been an advocate of launching a new generation of consoles for a while now, so he's glad to see things finally starting to change. While some industry analysts say they believe casual gamers have abandoned consoles for mobile devices. Guillemot thinks they're just looking for something new - and with the new systems, they'll finally have it.

"I think this audience is actually still playing a few times per week, but they need something new," he says. "And the [Wii U] GamePad is interesting; it's interesting because it's a touchscreen that people know how to deal with. This GamePad can be as revolutionary as the Wiimote, just because people are used to dealing with it."

The return of that casual audience is important to Ubisoft, since the company relies on it to power sales of games like Just Dance (which saw a notable sales decline in its first few weeks this year). 45 percent of Ubisoft's FY2012 sales, in fact, were from the casual market - a number that's falling this year as interest in Wii games has slid precipitously.

"We're just in a transition year where the Wii will be replaced by Wii U," says Guillemot "There's an inflection point that will happen this year where Nintendo will sell more and more machines. We know hardcore people buy all the machines, but there will be lots of casual gamers buying the machines as well. I think it will not make all of the gap [from Wii sales], but it will start to narrow it."

As for Just Dance 4, Ubisoft officials also note that the game traditionally sees its biggest sales boost in the holiday period, rather than immediately after launch. And Guillemot says the audience for that franchise is showing signs of shifting, as the game itself evolves.

"Last year, we brought out Just Dance exercise," he says. "And that was played by 25 percent of people who played the game - they do that during the week, rather than weekends. What we're doing is increasing the number of things you can do with Just Dance. Now, you can use it for fun or you can use it to lose weight."

Keeping a close eye on the changing interests of players is critically important these days for publishers. Failure to do so can quickly bring a company to its knees.

You don't need to look much further than THQ for proof of that. Guillemot, though, says those sort of corporate crises are part of the nature of this industry.

"What happened to [THQ] is something that happens regularly when we have transition," he says. "Some can make it, some decide to go in different direction. It happened with Atari and Midway and also Acclaim last generation. … It's something that happens in this industry and that's the way the industry consolidates."

As THQ considers strategic alternatives and speculation grows that the company might be putting certain assets up for sale, Guillemot says Ubisoft is open to considering some of them (though he declined to say which most pique his interest).

"They have good things," he says. "We are always interested in good brands. For sure, it's something we can consider, but I can't tell you more."

Ubisoft, of course, has plenty of strong brands in-house, more than it can keep up with sometimes. Assassin's Creed is an annual franchise, as is Just Dance, but other former stalwarts have fallen into the shadows somewhat - specifically Tom Clancy games.

After a string of games that had less than spectacular reviews, Clancy-themed games now hit every other year. Guillemot says the company is now more focused on the quality of the titles - and realizes that there's no current way to annualize all of its big series. But the coming new generation could potentially re-prioritize Clancy games.

"Our goal is to get back to 85-90 [Metacritic] mark [with Clancy games]," he says. "Generally new consoles are a good way to bring back some IPs. Clancy is a big brand for the company and our plan is to bring it back and make it more regular. Right now, though, it's expensive to build and we can't do everything at the same time."

The most recent Clancy-themed game was Ghost Recon Commander - which Ubisoft canceled at the end of last month. The game was fairly well received, but flagging consumer interest in social games and the expense of running it made the decision an easy one, says Guillemot.

"We've had more difficulty with Facebook in the past couple of years," he says. "It was a good business, but it has shrunk a bit. And it became a more complex and expensive business to run. We had opportunities with other areas, so we said we should concentrate on those that are growing faster."

Still, he notes, Facebook was a valuable learning experience for the company. And just as Just Dance was born from the Raving Rabbids series, other titles could come from Ubisoft's toes in the water with the massive social network.

"What's good with Facebook games is you have millions of people playing and you have to learn how to attract them and retain them and monetize them," he says. "We learned to do 24/7 customers service. All of this is going to help us a lot on the console side because more and more we give the same kind of service to our customers.”

"What we like in the persistent world is you are close to your customer and you can give them a service and improve it and make sure they are a part of that experience. Also, they can create content and socialize."

If this sounds like Ubisoft's interested in launching an MMO, Guillemot's not going out of his way to diffuse that speculation.

However, he says "we are not going to do the exact MMOs that exist on the PC. We were going to take the best of [what we learned on Facebook] and morph it."

[The Rick]

THQ defaults on $50m Wells Fargo loan
gamesindustry link (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-11-12-thq-defaults-on-USD50m-wells-fargo-loan)
By Matt Martin Mon 12 Nov 2012 10:03am



THQ defaults on $50m Wells Fargo loan

Bank continues to fund requests from troubled publisher

Troubled publisher THQ has defaulted on its $50 million loan from Wells Fargo.

Revealed in SEC filings last week, the publisher has defaulted at least once during the fiscal quarter ended September 30. For that quarter, THQ revealed a loss of $21 million and confirmed the appointment of Centreview Partners to look at the possibility of a sale.

Despite the default, Wells Fargo has continued to fund requests from THQ, with the publisher saying it is confident it can reach an agreement with the bank.

If THQ remains in default it will need to pay back the entire loan with an interest rate increase of 2 per cent, according to the terms and conditions.

[Excel]

As long as they keep their heads above water until South Park is released. And maybe saints row 4

[The Rick]

Wii U charges 50 cents to register minors
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/wii-u-charges-50-cents-to-register-minors-6400301)
By Eddie Makuch November 18, 2012





Wii U charges 50 cents to register minors
In accordance with Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, parent or guardian must pay one-time fee of $0.50 to verify consent to create Nintendo Network account for those under 13.

The Wii U's Nintendo Network is not entirely free. According to a Wii U support page, parents or guardians must pay a one-time fee of $0.50 to create a Nintendo Network account for children under the age of 13. This acts as proof of consent to create a Nintendo Network account, and is in accordance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

According to Nintendo, credit card information will not be stored on the Wii U. Additionally, because this information is not stored, gamers must re-enter their information to make purchases through the eShop.

Parents and guardians with multiple children will not need to pay the fee again to create additional Nintendo Network accounts. Once the first child is set up, the Parental Control PIN is the only information needed to create additional accounts.

The Wii U launched today in the United States. For more, check out GameSpot's coverage of the Nintendo World launch event and reviews of Nintendo Land and New Super Mario Bros. U.

[The Rick]

Rockstar: Wii U, PC versions of GTAV 'up for consideration'
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/rockstar-wii-u-pc-versions-of-gtav-up-for-consideration-6400331)
By Eddie Makuch November 19, 2012 8:40AM PST





Rockstar: Wii U, PC versions of GTAV 'up for consideration'
Cofounder Dan Houser doesn't rule out open-world action game for Nintendo's new console or PC platform; no Kinect or PS Move support planned.

Rockstar Games recently confirmed its much-anticipated open-world game Grand Theft Auto V will ship during spring 2013 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with no mention of other platforms. That has not changed, but Rockstar Games cofounder Dan Houser told IGN that Wii U and PC versions have not been ruled out.

"Everything else is up for consideration," Houser said. That's all I can give you. The main thing is we are not… we are a third-party publisher. We're not Nintendo, we're not Sony, we're not Microsoft. We love all of them in different ways. But we can do what we want wherever there's the appropriate business opportunity and chance to find a market. If that's on Apple we put something on Apple. Wherever it might be. I think that's the fun in what we do. We see ourselves as a content company that uses technology. We don't make it; we use it to make the most fun stuff."

Houser also addressed why GTAV will not support motion-control technologies from Microsoft and Sony. He said, with regards to mini-games, that using Kinect or PlayStation Move could make the overall experience feel disjointed.

"One of the things we're doing now, just to talk about mini-games, is making sure when you go into the mini-games and when you come out of them it feels very seamless," he said. "It feels like part of the whole experience. If you were suddenly go, 'This bit's Move, that bit's not, this bit's Kinect, that bit's not,' it would feel very disjointed to us. That would be detrimental to the overall experience in exchange for a bullet point on the back of the box. That's not very appealing to us."



Nintendo would very smart to do what they can to get GTA on their WiiU.

[The Rick]

3DS sales nearing 6 million in US
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/3ds-sales-nearing-6-million-in-us-6400326)
By Eddie Makuch November 19, 2012 7:02AM PST





3DS sales nearing 6 million in US
Nintendo reveals new sales milestone for latest portable hardware; limited edition flame red bundle announced for Black Friday.

The 3DS family of systems (3DS and 3DS XL) has now sold nearly six million units in the United States alone, Nintendo announced today. In all, the system has moved over 22 million units globally as of September 30, with software sales at 64.45 million units.

The 3DS launched in the US during March 2011 at $250 before Nintendo quickly slashed its going rate down to $170.

In addition, Nintendo announced today a new limited 3DS bundle for Black Friday (pictured).

The pack includes a flame red system and a copy of 2011's Super Mario 3D Land preinstalled for $170. Purchased separately, the system would run $170 and the game $40.

[The Rick]

Take-Two: console transition will leave casualties
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/take-two-console-transition-will-leave-casualties-6400693)
By Eddie Makuch, November 28, 2012 6:55AM PST



Take-Two: console transition will leave casualties
GTA publisher CEO Strauss Zelnick predicts one or two third-party publishers will go out of business in coming years.

The upcoming console cycle will come at the cost of one or two third-party publishers, according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick. Speaking at the Credit Suisse 2012 Technology Conference, Zelnick said those not positioned effectively when the time comes will die out.

"If you're not capitalized for the transition, you can find out that you're not there for the transition," Zelnick said. "And historically, in every transition that's occurred in this business, one or two third-parties have gone out of business. Last time around it was Midway and a couple of others. Reasonable people can argue about which one it'll be this time. I have my own point of view, which I haven't exactly been quiet about. We make sure we're not on the list of casualties; to the contrary, we're on the list of winners."

Zelnick did not specifically name any publishers that he anticipates will not survive the transition. However, his comments alluded to his prediction in April that Saints Row and Darksiders publisher THQ would be dead in six months. Six months have passed and THQ is still in business, though the company's is not having an easy time managing.

A representative from Take-Two said Zelnick's remarks were not aimed at any one company and declined to add further details. A THQ representative had not responded to GameSpot's request for comment at press time.

Zelnick believes Take-Two will not only survive the console transition, but also prosper during this time. To succeed in the market, Zelnick said publishers must have four "key elements." These, he said, are owned intellectual property, power, technology, and a "very strong" financial footing. The executive claimed Take-Two is either "competitive" or has the "best in the business" for each category.

[The Rick]

New 3DS XL Bundle with Mario Kart 7 Races Out
kotaku link (http://kotaku.com/5963867/new-3ds-xl-bundle-with-mario-kart-7-races-out)
by Brian Ashcraft Nov 28, 2012 8:12 AM



New 3DS XL Bundle with Mario Kart 7 Races Out

Just in time for the holidays, Nintendo is releasing a Blue/Black Nintendo 3DS XL bundle with Mario Kart 7 already installed. It's out December 2 for US$199.99.

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/186p7e10gbxtcjpg/original.jpg

[The Rick]

BioShock Infinite Box Art Revealed
ign link (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/12/01/bioshock-infinite-box-art-revealed)
by Andrew Goldfarb December 1, 2012



BioShock Infinite Box Art Revealed
Welcome to Columbia.

Irrational and 2K have revealed the official box art for BioShock Infinite. Shown off for all three platforms, the art features main character Booker DeWitt as well as a blimp and burning American flag in the background.


http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2012/11/bipc-300x425.jpg
http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2012/11/bi360-300x425.jpg

[The Rick]

Sony patents hybrid DualShock/Move controller
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/sony-patents-hybrid-dualshock-move-controller-6400837)
By Eddie Makuch November 30, 2012 6:44AM PST




Sony patents hybrid DualShock/Move controller
Snap-together input combines classic controller with motion pad.

http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/2012/334/Hybrid_13682_screen.jpg

Sony may be attempting to change the way gamers play through a new hybrid controller. The company published a patent (via The Sixth Axis) for a "Hybrid Separable Motion Controller" on November 29 after originally filing for it during May 2011.

Drawings from the patent filing indicate that the snap-together controller will be a mashup of Sony's standard DualShock controller and its Move motion input. It will also include components like a magnetometer and accelerometer, as well as support for vibration and audio playback through an embedded speaker.

The filing also suggests a PlayStation Eye camera will be required for use with the new controller. Additionally, it appears games will be able to detect if the controller is split in two or not. It is not clear if the new separable controller is planned for the PlayStation 3, the PlayStation 4, or perhaps both, if it ever exists at all.

Sony has not announced this new controller, and the company was not immediately available to comment. Additional images from the patent filing are below.

http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2012/334/Hybrid2_03549_640screen.jpg
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2012/334/Hybrid6_39503_640screen.jpg

[The Rick]

GTAV PC petition reaches 100,000 signatures
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/gtav-pc-petition-reaches-100000-signatures-6400790)
By Eddie Makuch, November 29, 2012 12:20PM PST





GTAV PC petition reaches 100,000 signatures
Online petition adds 50,000 signatures in two days calling on Rockstar to release open-world action game for PC.

The Change.org petition (http://www.change.org/petitions/rockstar-release-gta-v-on-pc) calling on Rockstar Games to release a PC version of Grand Theft Auto V now stands at over 100,000 signatures. This is a marked increase from the 50,000 the petition had amassed just two days ago.

The petition says it is a "big shame" that GTAV is not announced for PC, specifically calling out the modding community being a "huge part" of PC gaming.

"Modded GTA is some of the most insanely fun times you can have," a line from the petition reads.

Rockstar Games has not officially acknowledged the petition, and a representative was not immediately available to comment.

Last week, Rockstar Games cofounder Dan Houser said PC and Wii U versions of GTAV were "up for consideration." The most recent entry, 2008's Grand Theft Auto IV, released for PC seven months after the console versions shipped.

GTAV is officially due out during spring 2013 only for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

[The Rick]

Wii U 'slightly confusing', says Molyneux
gamespot link (http://www.gamespot.com/news/wii-u-slightly-confusing-says-molyneux-6400832)
By Eddie Makuch November 30, 2012 3:55AM PST




Wii U 'slightly confusing', says Molyneux
Former Microsoft executive Peter Molyneux says Nintendo's new system is "good, but it's not great"; successful Wii U needed for industry growth.

Former Microsoft executive and now cofounder of independent studio 22Cans has sounded off on the Wii U. He told GamesIndustry International that he is generally pleased with Nintendo's first high-definition system, though he does have some reservations regarding its two-screen approach.

"I think the Wii U is good, but I don't feel it's great," Molyneux said. "I've played the experience, I've played Nintendo Land, I've played ZombiU, and they're good. I find holding the device in my hand--looking up at the screen and looking down at the device--slightly confusing as a consumer. It's good, but it's not great."

Molyneux added that the industry needs the Wii U to be "great" because competition is no longer solely in the form of console makers. Now, he said, competition comes through devices like Amazon's Kindle or Apple's iPad.

"And people like Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft need to match that. They need to match that in my mind, and exceed it. And I'm not sure the Wii U really did that," he said.

Despite his misgivings about the Wii U, Molyneux said a wise person would not bet against Nintendo, considering the worldwide phenomenon it created with the original Wii.

"I've got unbelievable respect for Nintendo," he said. "They created our industry in a very real sense. I can remember everybody in the industry laughing and giggling about how stupid the Wii was, what a stupid name it was, and who would want motion control. And then it went on to sell what, 60, 70 million copies? It got people who never considered computer games to play them."

Molyneux's Wii sales estimation is actually well below the system's actual figures. As of September 30, 2012, Nintendo has sold 97.18 million units of the aging console. Additionally, just this week, Nintendo announced the Wii Mini, a slimmed down, $100 version of the Wii due next week exclusively in Canada .

The Wii U launched in North America on November 18 and sold 400,000 units during its launch week. The system released today in Europe and Australia, and will launch in Japan on December 8.

[Kyle_242]

BioShock Infinite Box Art Revealed
ign link (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/12/01/bioshock-infinite-box-art-revealed)
by Andrew Goldfarb December 1, 2012





http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2012/11/bipc-300x425.jpg
http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2012/11/bi360-300x425.jpg


People are hating all over this cover. I don't think it's bad. Even if it's pretty much Uncharted from the other side.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5b/Uncharted_Drake's_Fortune.jpg